Riedel on Baitz/Nichols' changes to COUNTRY GIRL

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 7:11am

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04092008/entertainment/theater/the_plays_not_the_thing_105737.htm

[DidYouReallyHearMe]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 8:25am

Saw the first preview of this show and man...was it hard to sit through...

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 9:14am

Saw it on Monday night with the changes. STILL hard to sit through. The show's direction is as flat as a pancake. Freeman still only knew about 30% of what he was doing, and he has 0% chemistry with FM - who is only okay herself. Again, with this pedigree - it's a pretty big disapointment.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 9:44am

Why then are director Mike Nichols and playwright Jon Robin Baitz (co-executor of the Odets estate) butchering it as if it were a third-rate effort by a fourth-rate hack?

Audience members familiar with the play surely were startled Monday to discover that an entire six-page scene was dropped from Act 1.
Audience members unfamiliar with the play must have sensed something was missing, since the first act ran a skimpy 37 minutes (with a top ticket price of $100, thank you very much).

But backstage sources whisper that the scene was cut, in part, because Freeman is struggling with his lines - which is ironic, since he's playing a character who's terrified of forgetting his lines on opening night.


^^^^^

Ouch! Too early for a bad word of mouth!

J*

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 10:02am

Is Baitz really the playwright you want to turn to when you want to make things less boring??

[keen on kean]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 10:28am

Now I am worried. It is one thing to cut a four hour Shakespeare play - another to cut a significant scene in a short play about relationships. (Ironically the one scene that I thought worked when I read it!) I am so sorry to hear that Freeman isn't better prepared - if I believe Riedel, which I usually don't.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 10:33am

Well, Riedel's insinuation about the cast forgetting lines has been corroborated by a number of posters here, myself included.

When I saw the show, the scene presented had no chemistry at all, but it did seem essential to the rest of the play. Seems like an odd decision to me.

This whole thing is sounding more and more misguided.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:20am

I am surprised that they are tinkering this much. Odets' Estate may have a lot of authority, but this is a published and performed play, and people (like me) have expectations about seeing it as written. I expect the reviewers will be brutal if this goes too far from the known work.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:38am

This is really unfortunate and, truthfully, inexcusable.

I think Mr. Freeman needs to get it together and Mr. Nichols should know better than to tamper with the script.

[landryjames]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:42am

Well, further reason for me not to see this play. I detest Baitz.

[BlueWindSadness]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 12:14pm

yikes.

*rethinks buyng tickets*

i guess i will wait to see what happens in the next couple of weeks....i mean, mircles happen. haha....

[Brick]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 12:20pm

It's funny, shows I have had no interest in, I suddenly find myself rallying behind once Rediel picks on it.

[CouldaWouldaShoulda]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 1:19pm

It sounds like a mess.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 1:20pm

It doesn't seem Riedel is the only on picking on it.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 1:24pm

I will wait till after the reviews and opening night...When it comes to PLAY REVIVALS- I only wanna see the 4 Tony-nominated plays.... So far... I have seen 5 - THE RITZ, PYGMALION & OLD ACQUIANTANCE..... most likely the other two that Ive seen will be nominated- CYRANO de BERGERAC & HOMECOMING.... I dont mind seeing LES LIASONS..... just to see the costumes & scenic design.... so I am still waiting for the other two nominated plays!? I live in Boston and I cannot go every weekend to NYC.

J*
Updated On: 4/9/08 at 01:24 PM

[thatgirl712]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 8:57pm

I hope it works out. I am planning on seeing it.

Diane

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 9:27pm

How did Baitz become a co-executor of the Odets estate?

[keen on kean]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 9:36pm

No one else volunteered?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 9:37pm

"Is Baitz really the playwright you want to turn to when you want to make things less boring??"

That's the funniest, yet most astute, comment of the evening!

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:00pm

Just got back from it. I won't say too much, but the missing scene leaves a HUGE hole in proceedings. It was still listed in the actual Playbill, but an insert had the new scene listings. And yes, the "Mrs. Dodd" stuff is indeed gone.

Dropping lines is no longer a real problem, but it still feels incredibly under-rehearsed.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:15pm

I've worked with Mike Nichols before...this is not unusual early in previews. I've seen him work his magic--he can turn it around surprisingly quickly. It's an odd method, but it's worked for him for many years.

I'll hold my thoughts until he's done doing his job!!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:38pm

When The director of the recent GYPSY cut two scenes not one reviwer seemed to notice.
Yes I know he wrote it.
But I still feel the two missing scenes eliminate some insights into Rose's character.
Was that a thread jack?

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:46pm

We should've known that this production would be misguided when that repulsive artwork came out...

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:51pm

"When The director of the recent GYPSY cut two scenes not one reviwer seemed to notice.
Yes I know he wrote it.
But I still feel the two missing scenes eliminate some insights into Rose's character.
Was that a thread jack?"

I don't necessarily have a problem with it, because as you said, it's his own work. If he's still tinkering with it all these years later, that's his choice.

In this case, we have Mike Nichols (presumably with Baitz' permission) eliminating a lengthy scene from the show because the actors can't learn their lines. Does anyone really think Odets would have approved?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:45am

I really don't think the scene is eliminated yet...Mike probably said, "let's cut it until we get it right."

He works in strange and mysterious ways...I'm just sorry for audiences that pay top dollar for previews. They didn't used to.

He tends to get things right...but one never knows.

This is why I don't see a show until it's "ready."