My thoughts on Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (spoilers)

This was an amazing production! Just feeling the stage presence of James Earl Jones was worth it. He played a powerful Big Daddy although we could feel the insecurities he tries to hide about the illness everyone tries to keep from him and state of his family and of Brick in particular. He had great chemistry with Boris Kodjoe (Brick) and Phylicia Rashad (Big Mama).
Phylicia Rashad was equally awe-inspiring in her role as Big Mama. It was moving to watch as she was caught between trying to take control of her household while stuck in the shadow of a hard and overpowering husband. I was almost moved to tears towards the end of Act III when she asks Big Daddy if she can sit with him on the roof to look over their plantation.
Anika Noni Rose played a sexy and catty Maggie. It was easy to feel her frustration while trying to maintain the image of a happy marriage with an alcoholic husband who ignores her and her proud and demeaning in-laws.
I wasn't very familiar with Boris Kodjoe but he stepped into the difficult role of Brick very well. I could feel his sense of disillusionment amid desperate failed attempts to hold on to a dying youth. His desperation while battling an alcohilic dependency and nearly questioning his own sexuality was also quite moving.
I'm sorry for rambling but I was just very excited by this production!
My only slight complaint was that it was sometimes hard to decipher the southern accents, especially towards the beginning (before I got a bit more used to it). This could just be me though.
My only major complaint was the audience. The audience was extremely rude and disruptive. Anika even had to step out of character twice as a result. The first time was during Act I when a cell phone went off and she simply stared at the owner until he/she shut it off. The second time was a few minutes later. She stepped out of character during a dialogue with Brick, turned around and asked "Should I wait?" until the audience quieted down.
Overall, amazing show but not so amazing audience.
Question by the way: does anyone know what happened to Terrence Howard? Boris Kodjoe was great but this was a bit of a surprise.

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Updated On: 4/26/08 at 10:21 PM

My understanding is that Terrence Howard is scheduled to be out of the show until May or June. Do a search, it has been discussed.

Good for Anika. Based on what I have been hearing from friends and reading here, the audiences for this show have been, well, not that great.

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That stinks about the audience.

Does Boris stage door? I'm seeing it next weekend and am dying to meet him. Thanks!

It sucks that the audience for this show hasn't gotten any better. The show itself is spectacular. Anika is a pro.

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I went to the first preview and the audience kept laughing as if they were watching THE RINK or NOISES OFF. They were also a few rude girls behind me who kept texting and whose phones kept ringing. It was just incredibly annoying. Particularly the laughter at really odd times, it was way too bothersome.
Having said that, not even the laughter could keep me from appreciating this piece. Particularly, Anika Noni Rose's Maggie made the whole evening worth it.

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Anika stopped and talked to the audience????
That's amazing, it takes a lot for an actress to do that!
Someone told me that Boris is exposing more than Terrance did skin wise.
Is this true?
Thus sounds like the wackiest Williams revival ever,
and now that it's on TKTS I am going for it.

Again...I wish I had been there for Patti's infamous kicking of the Playbill during Gypsy pre-Broadway. My friend was there and called me right after the show to tell me.

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I saw the show on February 15th. And my audience laughed...only because each of the serious scenes came off as comic bits (i.e. the scene when Brick chases down Maggie with his crutch, and when Brick says "I'm not a fag" he said it in such a way that made it sound as if he were joking....and to top it off even James Earl Jones laughed) I wrote a review in a thread a while back. Very disappointed in the direction...almost the entire show is directed behind the couch and every character is so upstaged the play loses its focus...

uncaged- I hadn't heard about that particular incidence either.

I guess I'm kind of in the minority here. I'm no expert on dramatic theatre but I still enjoyed the performance, despite the audience.
DidYouReallyHearME- that could explain the inappropriate laughter although I still understood the seriousness of those situations so the laughter seemed a bit odd to me.

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quick question: they didnt change the playbill artwork (exchanging terrence's pic with boris's) did they?

The audiences for this show sounds like they belong at "Night at the Apollo". Thank God Wanda Sykes and Mo'nique turned down the parts of Maggie and Big Mamma. Otherwise this would have become the chitlin circuit all over again. . .

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They've also revised the billing. Howard used to have top billing, but Kodjoe is now at the bottom, with (in order) James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad, and Anika Noni Rose all above him.

DancingThruLife, Rush seats are on the far sides and your obstructed by a rather large drink bar.

However, half the show is obstructed behind the couch anyway, thanks to Debbie Allen's awful direction.