The Country Girl 4/3/08...yikes

I REALLY wanted to like this show. I was really excited to see it. I loved Morgan Freeman in most of his movies (especially Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby), and find him to be brilliant. Seeing him onstage was a chance I could not pass up.

Unfortunately, the whole thing is an under-rehearsed, poorly performed disaster.

The cast does not know their lines. Frances McDormand went up on almost every other line. Morgan Freeman referred to himself in the third person. Peter Gallagher, who should know better, kept referring to McDormand's character as "Mrs. Dodd," which is his last name, not hers. This happened about 7 or 8 times, and each time McDormand looked at him and said, "Please don't call me Mrs. Dodd."

I don't think the cast understands what the play is about, because their performances went nowhere. The entire thing was very one note, all the way the through. It would help if they understood some of their characters a bit, rather than just shouting at each other.

The set is ugly, and the changes are handled with musical interludes and a very long, strange sliding red curtain. The whole thing is very high school drama club-esque.

The play itself goes nowhere, and just kind of sits there. It never really takes off and comes across as extremely dated.

I honestly don't see how this thing can be salvaged.

does the show have any gunshots?

From what I've heard, they've only run through the full show twice.

thanks without a trace, id love to see it, but i only wanna see it if it gets better...lol at least theres no gunshots

I felt the same way, but I thought the second act showed a lot of promise. In addition to learning their lines, they need to fix that door that doesn't close. The three principal cast members (particularly McDormand) seemed nervous and underrehearsed. The whole production felt like it was teetering on the edge of sheer terror. Chip Zien was a breath of fresh air every time he walked onstage.

Were all the "Mrs. Dodds" mistakes??? Holy crap. Frances McDormand came up with a hell of an adlib if that's the case.

Updated On: 4/4/08 at 12:19 AM

Wow, I'm so disappointed with Peter Gallagher. I would expect it from everyone else, but not from him. They better get their act together.

My guess is that Fran or Morgan was filming a movie and held up rehearsals, thinking that he or she could walk in and act this play no problem with very little rehearsal.

Mike Nichols will get them in line though, he's too smart and too well-respected not to.

I was at the Majestic tonight,and Morgan and Frances came through the lobby just as Phantom was coming down. They both seemed really happy. I guess they shouldn't have been.

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You had to post the same review on ATC AND here? It's the first preview for G-d's sake! What's with the savoring of imminent failure, after a couple of posters deem it doomed? Why is perfection expected immediately? I've seen plenty of GREAT actors flubbing lines way into previews, and then produced magnificent performances... Maybe it won't go ultimately, but why spread the negativity after 1 preview?

Tinymagic, they charged an admission for this evening's performance. Some people paid $100. At the very, very least, the cast should be expected to know their lines when giving a public performance. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you?

I should also mention that the only standing ovation came from the people in the first row of the orchestra. Perhaps they did it out of pity? I mean, if you can't get the first-nighters to stand, what hope do you have?

No, it was more than the first row. Pretty much the entire center orchestra section except me, my friend, and several others, stood. I couldn't see the side sections but they were probably standing as well. Classic example of an audience trying to convince themselves they had a good time and saw something brilliant.

I still can't get over him calling her the wrong name all night. Having never read the play, I thought it was meant to be some sort of subconscious thing...

SPOILER!!!!!






...since his character is attracted to hers.

WAT, were you at the stage door the whole time?

How full was the theater?