Broadway Star Joined: 10/27/07
Reading over the Twelfth Night and Richard III preview threads and seeing all the raves for Rylance's work and thinking about his impressive stats so far (5 roles over 3 seasons with 2 lead actor Tony Awards) I was curious where people would rate him currently in regards to his legacy as an actor on Broadway
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
Schtick and tics.
You just described every post you've ever made on this board.
What kind of "legacy" can he have in such a short time? There can't be any true assessment of any 'legacy' this close to his work.
I suspect we will see much more of him, but I'm not sure he will be talked about for all of time.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/11
he has a 3 decade long history in england and over there is already considered the next Olivier, to say he has no legacy after such a short period shows how little you are familiar with his actual career
His career also includes a decade-long stint as the original Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe, a tremendous theatre company he clearly played an instrumental role in shaping and refining.
Excuse me...YOU said his legacy on Broadway, not to the theatrical world.
A legacy refers to what's left behind after one's DEATH, so it's STILL to early to know.
He helped create the "original practices" at Shakespeare's Globe in London and was instrumental in bringing Lecoq's theater of physical performance and clowning into mainstream performance in the UK. My guess is that neither of those things will mean much to American audiences who will see him primarily as a great or not great actor.
Rylance is like cilantro - people tend to love or hate him. I love him, but like cilantro, I wouldn't put him in everything. The first time I saw him was in La Bete - when he blew onstage with that endless monologue, I was bowled over. My mouth was literally hanging open by the end of it. I'm sure he'll keep on getting Tonys, and giving increasingly eccentric Tony acceptance speeches.
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