The Woman in White (11/5/05) - Lisa Brescia is Brilliant- Page 2

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 11:12am

Mamie - I love the show and I'm an ALW fan. I think it's a beautiful production, with some flaws, but still great. Have fun!

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 8:07am

Congrats to Lisa!

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:19am

Saw WIW last night. I am including thoughts of the other seven people I was with only for balance...it is heresay.

Though not dreadful, I was simply not compelled. I have to agree that the projections were not very effective, except for the train at the end...surround sound and all...and the scene where Marion is creeping on the ledge to hear Fosco and Glyde's plan got laughs from the audience. By then I felt tired of the circular set pices spinning as did the others I was with.
There were also titters at the lyrics. How many times does Ann have to say she has a secret? We get it. If I heard the word sister one more time I was going to smack someone. I have heard the cd, so was prepared, but golly!
The score has some lovely moments, but is so repetitive. The most interesting piece is the dark version of The Holly and the Ivy...but three times? Didn't they sing anything else in those days?

The performers were quite good, and Lisa was pretty good for me. I think that considering the amount of time she's been playing Marion she was very accomplished, her singing (like Maria's on the recording) is too strident in places, like at the end of All for Laura. It is the best song in the show, and a show stopper. She acted it well, but it seemed out of her range and sharp at the end...Ultimately I didnt like the character very much which I am blaming on the lyrics and not Lisa. Others I was with thought she was terrible (not everyone, tho, and certainly not me.)

**Spoiler**
Why did they need that long scene where she is in London, looking for Walter, and she is robbed and raped? That seemed pretty unnecessary, we know she is desperate and it will be tough to find him...then after they steal her bag, she has it in the next scene...was that a time lapse? Next day, she went shopping?

**end spoiler**
Michael Ball was terrific, but his showstopping number was an annoying song (for me) and did not need two reprises, and I didn't see a point to having the rat at all. Adam Brazier was quite good and has a lovely tenor voice. Jill Pace was lovely and also had a wonderful voice. Angela Christian's portrayal was a bit over the top, and her voice, I assume meant to be ethereal, was screechy. Could someone explain why her accent was so different from the others? I think she could've toned it down a notch and been much more sympathetic.
Ron Bohmer and Walter Charles were really wonderful and the best part, for me.

The plot should be a compelling one if told in a better way. I am sure it reads great as a novel, but everyone around me guessed the end at intermission. I was the only one who knew the plot and refused to admit they were all correct.

I went in not expecting too much and that is what I got. I wanted to like it, and like ALW for the most part, but ultimately couldnt have cared less.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:26am

I assumed that Anne had a different accent as she is not of the same class as the other characters, who all speak with a non-geographically specific 'English' accent. Therefore, she uses a more pronounced local dialect (as should the Signalman) which would affect the way she speaks.

I agree that she can be a little screechy though

[Now Ulla Dance]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:27am

hey doodle..

jsut a few comments..

Marian isn't raped when she goes to London, she's just pushed around by the beggars on the street.

And also, they throw the bag back at her after they take all of her belongings...its not a time lapse, just something that needs to be looked at closely.

I think the Lost Souls scene is meant to represent a contrast between limm'rick and london. In london, treachery, betrayal and all around wickedness are right up there in your face. In Limm'rick, its more subdued backstabbing and secretive behavior i.e. marian telling walter to leave...


I'm not sure why angela has a different accent, but yes, her voice is supposed to be screechy and shrilling, it just adds to the effect

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:43am

I was thinking the same thing about her accent, but it seemed more scottish than lower class to me.
It really was a question and not a criticism.

Screechy was a bit of an overstatement, perhaps. I know the character is hysterical but I really thought she could've been sadder and spookier. Instead she came off silly. She got alot of inappropriate laughs in the audience. These all may have been the direction and not the actress, so no Angela hate here. It is a tough part to pull off.

BTW, before she is recaptured, the trio with the three women is quite beautiful.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:50am

I guess I missed the bag being thrown back...but they ripped her shirt open and she fell below a man when the set closed around her. I assumed that she was mauled if not raped.

I get what you're saying, Ulla, that the scene is to show the difference between home and London and to show all she'd do for Laura, but it went on too long IMHO. It also followed a long section where Walter was shown walking through the beggars, etc.

I know that this is silly, but I kind of wanted to find out that Marion was behind the whole plot...is that terrible? That would've been a good twist!

[Now Ulla Dance]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 2:35pm

LOL doodle...

you NEVER know...

it would be quite scandalous...

that dirty marian