Review of THREE DAYS OF RAIN- Page 2

[chouinard]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 4:43pm

I saw the Sunday matinee and I LOVED it.
I was not familiar with the play, but that's what I fell in love. What a great story - interesting, dramatic, subtle, funny and surprisingly moving (especially the ending as I thought back on it).

Bradley Cooper nearly steals the first act, but the best moment belongs to Julia. When Nan breaks down with that monologue about how difficult it was to find out Walker was alive after being gone for a year. She has a difficult role and I was impressed with what she did. She had to play two very different women and I believed her.

For me, I heard her every word. But Bradley Cooper had the strongest voice. Paul Rudd is quite good, but could work on his stutter a bit. I liked the set a lot and the rain effect was nice. I'd see it again.

[Harmondo21]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 4:55pm

Awesome. Thanks for the great review. I'm excitd to see it now!!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:33pm

I really had no trouble seeing or hearing anything.

I haven't had time to write a full review yet -- I'm way behind as always these days due to work -- but thought it was a solid overall production. Rudd was the real standout of the three (he handled the shift between his two characters with aplomb), Cooper had his moments (though he seemed to be pushing too hard at times and inappropriately came off a bit unhinged and overly intense) and Roberts was mostly fine. I thought she was stronger in Act I (the character's cold bitchiness sits well with her persona) than Act II (I just didn't buy her as a mentally unstable southern belle -- Roberts is simply too strong to be believable as a character who's going to end up insitutionalized in a few years and there was nothing in Roberts' performance to suggest even subtly that such a thing might be on the horizon; there wasn't a drop of eccentricity in her work here). Not bad overall, though. She has a presence, but I think she'd have been better served by a different, less demanding, less dialogue driven play.

Mantello's direction is full of dead spots and stagnates at times (typical of him -- why does he keep getting hired?) and fails to support the poetry in the text. His staging lacks the kind of understated inventiveness and clarity and pace that a play like this demands to give visual support and contrast to such a wordy play. And his blocking goes from being too compressed, causing the actors to seem swallowed up at times by the large space to being ridiculously cramped and awkward in the outdoor scenes downstage left (how does a director who doesn't know how to block scenes get hired on Broadway?). One wonders what Dan Sullivan, Robert Falls, David Leveaux (mediocre at musicals but very effective with contemporary drama), or George Wolfe (his productions tend to crackle with a certain dynamism, though I would guess this play would likely bore him) might have been able to bring out in this material.

Santo Loquasto's set design is appropriately stately and functional and the rain effects are quite effective. I found Paul Gallo's lighting overly murky, though (the play's gloomy and melancholy enough in its themes which doesn't need to be further emphasized by such a bleak lighting plot).

This a deft piece of writing on Greenberg's part, though I think it loses some effectiveness in a Broadway house and would be better served by a more intimate space (and a stronger cast and director). This is an interesting, mildly diverting production with some decent performances, but which fails to be fully satisfying due to less than ideal casting and direction.

Updated On: 4/5/06 at 05:33 PM

[joshy]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:38pm

I have nothing to add but I just want to say that Margo, you write such wonderful reviews. Seriously. I feel like I've experienced the production through your review so I don't even need to see it now. :)

Posted: 4/5/06 at 6:17pm

Harmondo - I sat in the rear mezzanine, and could see and hear everything fine. When I wrote that Julia did not project well, I meant that her voice sounded small (compared to her co-stars) and seemed to lack nuance and richness, not that I couldn't hear her.

Margo - I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. Interesting that you have such a different take on Julia as Nan. Even in film, I feel like Julia's bitchy moments are forced. I do agree that there's nothing about Julia's performance as Lina that would lead you to believe she was mentally unstable. I think that was one of the unanswered questions that made this play feel disconnected for me. I wanted to know how Ned and Lina were transformed into the people that their children describe in Act I. There seems to be so much potential for a more intricately told story.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 6:36pm

I just found that the Act I character's anger and attitude was decent fit for her (though still not entirely perfect) and not as much of a stretch as her second act character. Roberts really needs to convey some sort of eccentricity and perhaps some fragility in order for that character and the play to make sense (it's a essential part of the character's subtext). There's none in evidence now and that's the fault of both her and Mantello and adds to the disjointed nature of this production. Mantello simply isn't very good at finding and presenting layers and nuance and depth -- every show he's ever done is superficial and all on one level and lacking in any sort of psychological complexity. Playing this material all on the same surface level means missing important textures to Greenberg's writing and undermining the impact that this play can have.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 9:14pm

I found Bradley Cooper to be the strongest member of the cast. The show is sure to have Tony nominations for the 3. I'm hoping that at least Cooper wins....

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 10:51pm

Anyone have any idea why Three Days isn't participating in the BC/EFA campaign?

[HughE2030]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 11:34pm

I saw Rain last night, I saw Tryst tonight. I would save a bunch of money and go see Tryst. It was heads above Rain. Of course if you want to see Julia Roberts in her Broadway Debut, well that's a horse of a different color and a must do.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/6/06 at 5:52am

erin, shows in previews don't collect for BCEFA.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 4/6/06 at 10:13am

Standing outside a theater a few weeks ago, I heard someone remark that they bought tickets to Three Days without even knowing what it was about or who else was in it. JUST because Roberts was in the show. This penchant for NAME recognition is a problem and it does stifle the creative team and the other performers if an actor can't 'keep up' with the others on the stage. Having not seen Roberts I can't comment on whether she is holding her own in previews or not (and hopefully she will get more comfortable as the weeks go by). One of the problems with previews in NYC is people review the show as if it is READY when it is not ready. AND that the internet allows professional and amateur reviewers to influence opinion. But in this case, ticket sales are over the top, so I don't think the show will suffer.

I, for one, have never seen the appeal of Roberts though she has always been big box office in the movies as well. I thought the best thing she did was "Steel Magnolias" and that was years ago.

She is not a BAD actress, but she is certainly not comparable to Streep. However, there are those who LOVE her and she is selling tickets, so I am not going to complain.

As for Mantello's direction, you either GET his direction or you don't. I don't think he is the best director who ever lived, but I do think he has an approach that is quirky and it isn't for everyone.

I wouldn't hold my breath for a huge sweep at the Tonys though I guess anything can happen. I just haven't heard that much good advance buzz about the show or its performances. We'll see.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 11:43pm

Standing outside a theater a few weeks ago, I heard someone remark that they bought tickets to Three Days without even knowing what it was about or who else was in it. JUST because Roberts was in the show.

I work in sales, and it never fails to annoy just how many people ask for shows with stars in them. People come to me (because we actually do have tix for this show) and say they want the show with Julia Roberts. I feel inclined to say, "Well you do understand this is a drama, right? Do you know what it's about?" Usually there's a long pause, and they say something to the effect of "That's ok, I guess. I just want to see her."

What're you gonna do.

[Lamc16]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 12:02am

Anybody who wants to see Julia actually deliver a great performace, go watch "Closer." Nichols could get a performance out of a plastic bag. He got one out of Ann-Margret, didn't he?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 8:47pm

I adore Julia Roberts but I agree that this wasn't her best work. She was in no way horrible though. Paul Rudd was lovely and does give two very distinct performances. I thought Bradley Cooper was stunning--especially in Act One.

I liked the play. I'm not sure if this was a great production of the play, but I wasn't disappointed in seeing this at all.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/5/06 at 3:23am

i agree with everything madison says.