The most disturbing theatre experience of my life--A Raisin in the Sun — Page 2

oh---he does!

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Robbie, what role are you in your play?

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where is theatreboy's original post, you may ask?

this is what is wrong with this theatre community/ message board.
if someone feels so guarded from making an honest theatrical review of an all african american cast for fear of being called a racist, what the HELL have we progressed to?

he made an honest statement about the new audience.
i'm sure if there was a musical that pop star britney spears decided to produce and then star in, the audience might have a couple more thirteen year old mtv-lovers unaware of talking/manner control.
it sounds elitist, yes, but thats what happens when you try to integrate a pop icon with mass appeal into the somewhat elitist atmosphere of the theatre.

it was an honest review of sean combs performance and what led to an unenjoyable experience.
the man, never having true theatrical training was following in the footsteps of such legends as SIDNEY POT, and because a critic negatively reviews puffy...he's a racist?
again, if britney came in and decided she wanted to take a stab at mama rose, after ethel merman and bernadette peters...no one would be calling the critic who labeled her performance as poor as a racist.

so.
i would suggest you look at 1V1ason's post, where there is a detailed assessment of some of puffy's acting faults, and maybe you will understand that combs just plain doesnt make the cut, especially surrounded by such broadway superstars as audra mcdonald.

please think before acccusing another critic in the future.
this is where we get to exercise our freedom of speech as theatre lovers, so respect each opinion as that: one of an informed theatre goer and dont automatically become defensive because there is a means to.

thank you, and cross your fingers for the show.

so am i, plum. whether or not he is any good, p diddy will bring in audiences, even if they arent regular theater goers

Yes, Elton, I CAN feel the love tonight.

You guys make me blush!!!

come see my show.

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Quix, having read the original post and the following responses, I believe theatreboy was accused of being racist because of his description of the audience, not because he thought Diddy sucked.

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I saw RAISIN IN THE SUN today. It was a nightmare. High school students were there. and they were extremely disrespectful. They were yelling, moving around, laughing at dramatic moments, etc. Towards the end, the students expressed their displeasure at Audra M. kissing Phylicia Rashad. They kept changing seats, and unwrapping candy.

As for the production, the three women are excellent. Bill Nunn shines in the very small role of Bobo. Sean Combs is fine. He's not great, and he's not awful. He can be quite good, and then be completely amateurish. I've seen this kind of performance from theatre veterans. Hopefully, Mr.Combs will be allowed to work on his performance because he does show potential.

who cares about P.Diddy?? I would give my left leg to see Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald on the same stage.

lvlas0n, it's difficult for me to give a definitive answer because Combs had scenes where he effectively used his body to further/tell the story, and there were other times where he didn't know what to do so he started gesticulating wildly with his arms. He was excellent when it came to dealing with the young actor playing his son. He was also quite effective in the scenes with the white man who comes to buy them off. His problems were the highly emotional scenes, but I think the direction is the main problem and not so much him. The director needs to stop him from using his arms to show emotion. It's distracting, and it undercuts what he's trying to do. I should also reiterate that I didn't see his performance under the best of circumstances so it's a bit unfair to criticize him.

You're right that a production should not be about testing a performer's versatility, but I don't think Sean Combs is a bad actor. He just needs a bit more guidance, and I didn't feel cheated (cost of airfare, ticket, hotel room) by the performances/production the way I have with more high profile production or performers who don't show up. As I wrote intially, I've seen trained actors who've given the same or lousier performers. If Sean Combs shows up for the performances, that's a lot more than some of the people complaining have done, and they were trained actors.

As a side note, all three female actresses are worthy of Tony nods.

I would assume that an experienced actor would know how to convey emotion without flailing his/her arms, but I've seen the flailing arm bit done by professional actors. Ethan Hawake in the recent HENRY IV comes to mind. Hawke's mannerisms were extremely distracting although not as much as the amount of saliva he expectorated. Sean Combs at least had moments of effective subtlety.

It isn't dumbing down- it's a false sense of privilege. People think that paying $100 a ticket gives them the right to dress and behave however they please.

All that $100 gives a person a right to do is to sit and watch a show from the seat you bought on the day you bought it for. Not to come in wearing shorts and sandals and not to unwrap candy or read your cell phone's text messages during the show, and not to bounce along to the songs and block this short girl's view. Just to watch and applaud, dammit. A theater isn't a private living room. /end rant.

Geez, I'm such a misanthorpe.

>The talents of Phylicia Rashad, and Audra MacDonald illustrate >the other side of the spectrum.

I don't know about Audra MacDonald, but ye Gods and little fishes, having to work up again a talent like Ms. Rashad would be bound to make anyone nervous, especially a neophyte.

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Well, I'm weighing in on this performance two weeks after others found much to debate. And dismiss. I saw a polished, if still evolving, production. At today's Wed. matinee, the balcony was full of school kids, the house packed. Though they were restless before -- truly excited -- their behavior was exemplary once the lights went down. You could hear the proverbial pin drop at key moments; they were listening. Were there laughs that might have been at inappropriate -- in terms of Ms. Hansbury's intentions? Sure. But that happens at every show.

I was moved by the high school kids just being there, experiencing the moment-by-moment power of a live play. When Mama asks Walter Lee's young son to stay in the room for the final dramatic confrontation, they gasped. To me, it was a startling moment of collective recognition -- the absolute power of a matriarch taking a risk, doing the unexpected.

As for Mr. Combs -- several people have advised we not say too much about a show while in previews (a strange request at a web site that is built on such posts) -- but he is clearly working hard and growing, using the previews to both hone his characterization and perhaps simply learn stage technique. I'd guess that both have improved a lot since the early posts in this thread. He in no way seems distressingly out of sync with the trio of powerhouse ladies. And to me, he seems well cast, very true to period. Oddly enough, he is far more believable as a Chicago chauffeur in the 50s that the precise-speaking, erudite Mr. Poitier. What Combs lacks in experience he makes up for in sheer force of will and authenticity. This is not a piece of stunt casting to be ridiculed. At least not unseen. He is intensely focussed and invested, listens closely to other actors, and his overall makes a poignant and compelling case for the tortured character. He has lovely moments with Audra. The phrase "people will be surprised" is overused, but it's just what I felt. He and the gifted company are bringing this play to audiences who'd never see it, so let's see the glass half full. For some of us, the glass is almost to the brim.

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Updated On: 4/21/04 at 07:46 PM