Martin Short

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Martin Short

Posted: 3/29/15 at 8:46pm

Revisited It's Only A Play today for Martin Short's final day in the role. Had last seen this show in the fall with Nathan Lane.

I must say, no pun intended, that I found his portrayal to be more real than Lane's. I totally enjoyed his take on the role and thought the friendship between him and Broderick on stage was much more convincing than with Lane. I love Nathan Lane but never believe he is playing anyone other than Nathan Lane.

I thought in the fall and still believe that Stockard Channing is marvelous in this show and hope to see her get a featured actress nod for a Tony. Don't know if it's possible, but her timing is so great that it would be nice to see her get an honor.

I also thought Broderick was very polished and relaxed in this role, the most demanding role of the play. Murray Abraham was also solid as usual. The young man filling in the Frank Finger role was wonderful and much better than Rupert Grint.

I know Lane is returning this week but I'm very glad to have seen today's cast and see some great ensemble acting. It was much less "event" and much more play the second time around with this new cast.

The only review of a show that matters is your own.

Martin Short

Posted: 4/1/15 at 5:09am

Good to know someone else appreciates Stockard Channing's greatness other than myself. I saw it on the 25th, and met her back stage (7th meeting with her, she's my soul-mate...). Haven't seen Lane yet (want to see TR Knight), so I'll probably go back one more time. Provided I can afford it. Hmm...

Stockard Channing; my heart and soulmate.

Martin Short

Posted: 4/1/15 at 4:59pm

I thought Short was fantastic, and was thrilled to see him live. I couldn't understand Broderick's continued career - he was sooo stilted the night I saw him!

Martin Short

Posted: 4/1/15 at 5:34pm

I can see the argument about Nathan Lane playing Nathan Lane when he's in a broad comedy (like this is). However, if you've seen him in works like Butley, The Nance, Godot, or The Iceman Cometh, you would realize what an unfair characterization that is.

Updated On: 4/1/15 at 05:34 PM

Martin Short

Posted: 4/1/15 at 6:13pm

Adamgreer...I saw Nathan in November and The Nance and each time I just felt he was too over the top in the overall ensemble although his talent is undeniable. I was referring to him in plays that need more realistic portrayals of characters someone could relate to.

In Its Only a Play, I kind of felt that too and then I saw Martin Short and realized that's how it should have been done. With Lane he was just reciting one liners and no depth but Short pulled it off, including the friendship angle between the two main characters. Broderick always seems to be the character that all the zaniness revolves around. I feel that's sometimes why he comes across as more quiet or bland. Someone on stage needs to be believable for it to work, for me anyway.

The only review of a show that matters is your own.

Martin Short

Posted: 4/2/15 at 7:49am

If you've ever met Nathan Lane, you know he's nothing like the character he plays in IT'S ONLY A PLAY or Max Bialystock. So to say that Nathan Lane "never plays anyone but Nathan Lane" is incorrect.

Lane's performances in THE ICEMAN COMETH and WAITING FOR GODOT were anything but over the top, and he was totally immersed in the world of the play. In THE NANCE, I thought he balanced the broad comedy of the vaudeville sketches with a more understated performance in the "book" scenes; to be, a very successful performance overall. And while I didn't like his performance in BUTLEY, I wouldn't say there was anything over the top. In fact, he was almost subtle to a fault in that show.

I saw Short in IT'S ONLY A PLAY and while I have great respect for his talent, and have loved him in other things, he was miscast.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

Updated On: 4/2/15 at 07:49 AM

Martin Short

Posted: 4/2/15 at 10:01am

Is he an ***hole like they say he is or is he actually nice?

Martin Short

Posted: 4/4/15 at 10:07am

I would have been happy for Broderick to play the straight man, but he was so stilted and unnatural it consistently took me out of the play. I was flabbergasted. The woman sitting next to me remarked on it, too. Maybe he was having an off night.

On a happier note, if y'all haven't read Martin Short's recent autobiography, do! Or better yet, listen to the audiobook. In it he describes being cast in his first real play - as a predatory gay prison inmate who has to stalk around the stage menacingly. His description of the inadvertent comedy that ensued had me audibly giggling on the subway.

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 2:08am

bfreak...Lane or Short? The night I was there, Lane was in the audience (that was March 25th), and after the show they auctioned off the 'selfie' with the cast and Lane kept bidding on it...with every single bidder, and he was bidding like $500.00 at a time (seriously why would he do that?) and finally the last guy that was bidding said "$4,000.00 and HE (Lane) gets in the picture too". And he got it. I felt that Lane was way out of line doing that. I mean, yeah, it's for a good cause and everything, but let's be honest, he didn't want a 'selfie' with his own cast-mates. To me, that was a d^^k move. BUT I don't know much about Lane personally. To ME that told me what kind of person Lane is. But that's just my opinion.

Also, I was supposed to have won a "meet and greet" with the cast and it was scheduled for that night, and the only two people I met were Stockard Channing and Micah Stock. I am leaning toward the 'scheduler' of that meeting for not getting to see any of the other actors, but it also could have been that they weren't willing to do it. I mean, I didn't pay for it, I won it in a contest. If the cast was aware of the meet and greet and didn't show, that's very telling about who they are as people.

I also kind of think it's...'not quite accurate' to tout Broderick and Lane as THE stars of this play when Micah Stock pretty much steals the show, Stockard Channing is beyond excellent and Finneran even is very entertaining in it. Seems that the top-billing isn't what it should be. I've only seen it twice though, so...

Stockard Channing; my heart and soulmate.

#10

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 7:55am

I meant Nahan Lane. I've never met him myself but I've heard rumors on this board of him being pretty nasty to people. Martin Short seems nice to me. BTW, that does sound really out of line that he kept auctioning and auctioning for BCEFA instead of giving someone else a chance to go backstage, when we all know that's where he was headed anyway.

The meet and greet was prkabably at the fault of the schedulers. Short. Broderick and Finneran don't really seem like the type to not want to meet people as I know they regularly stage door and sign autographs for people and stuff like that (not sure about Martin Short for this show, but he has in the past). Sorry about the semi false advertising they gave you!

Updated On: 4/5/15 at 07:55 AM

#11

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 8:19am

"Is he an ***hole like they say he is or is he actually nice?"

If you mean Martin Short, definitely not an ***hole. Just the opposite. I've never heard him called that, you are the first.

If you mean Lane, well...no comment.

<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#12

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 8:30am

No meant Lane. I've never heard nothing but nice things about Short and he seems to have a nice personality and disposition. Lane, on the other hand, eh... I could say I'm a fan of his acting but some of the stories I've heard involve him being really mean and a first-class diva!

Updated On: 4/5/15 at 08:30 AM

#13

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 8:52am

Heard nothing, but wonderful things about Short in real life. Sucks about Lane.

#14

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 9:44am

"bfreak...Lane or Short? The night I was there, Lane was in the audience (that was March 25th), and after the show they auctioned off the 'selfie' with the cast and Lane kept bidding on it...with every single bidder, and he was bidding like $500.00 at a time (seriously why would he do that?) and finally the last guy that was bidding said "$4,000.00 and HE (Lane) gets in the picture too". And he got it. I felt that Lane was way out of line doing that. I mean, yeah, it's for a good cause and everything, but let's be honest, he didn't want a 'selfie' with his own cast-mates. To me, that was a d^^k move. BUT I don't know much about Lane personally. To ME that told me what kind of person Lane is. But that's just my opinion.
I also kind of think it's...'not quite accurate' to tout Broderick and Lane as THE stars of this play when Micah Stock pretty much steals the show, Stockard Channing is beyond excellent and Finneran even is very entertaining in it. Seems that the top-billing isn't what it should be. I've only seen it twice though, so...
"

I see nothing wrong with driving up the bidding (since that's obviously what he was doing). It's all for charity, after all.

#15

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 10:25am

Martin Short was great in this, the material is not good though. So much he can do.

"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-

#16

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 10:55am

My comments regarding Lane were not directed at his personality. I don't know the man, so I would never say anything negative about him. I was strictly commenting on this particular play and how I thought Martin Short delivered a more realistic performance in this role. I also stated that in several plays that I have attended that I don't always believe that he's playing anyone but the same type of character, which seems to be himself. That's not a criticism, just an observation. I have not seen Ice Man but have seen several and this is my take on it. He is an extremely talented actor and don't mean to imply he isn't. When Nathan is on stage I often feel he can overpower the company he is acting with. Besides if you have ever seen him on a talk show, you can see that it is his normal schtick.

It's undeniable that the Lane and Broderick duo sell tickets, therefore they would be considered the stars of this play based on that. I totally agree that the supporting cast does a great job and they compliment each other on stage. However, having seen both Lane and Short, my take was that Short and Broderick were the more believable duo in this play.

As far as the bidding goes, i don't have an issue with him driving the bidding because people had the option of not bidding and leave him holding the bag for the bid. It's not his fault if people got carried away.

The only review of a show that matters is your own.

Updated On: 4/5/15 at 10:55 AM

#17

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 11:02am

Hello mc1227, I know the reason you started this thread was to provide an insightful review on the new cast of this show, and with that you succeeded. The only reason I asked about if Nathan Lane was nice or not was based off of the fist paragraph of AC126748's comment on April 2 from 7:49 am. Anyways let's just move on from who's nice or not (I know I started it) and continue it as more of a review thread like you started.

#18

Martin Short

Posted: 4/5/15 at 11:15am

No worries, Bfreak. I just felt I needed to respond to the turn that this thread was taking. I respect Nathan as an actor, I just felt that Short fit this role better.

The only review of a show that matters is your own.

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