Thoughts on COUNTRY GIRL

I've heard the phrase "theatrical euthenasia" bandied about when referring to the current revival of The Country Wife. That's being kind.

The production is dreadful. Slow, creaky, emotionless, dated, pointless. Morgan Freeman, Franny McDormand, and Peter Gallagher deliver lines exactly the same throughout - flat, boring, emotionless.

Supporting cast is fine - Anna Camp and Chip Zien shine.

Mike Nichols, who was in the last row with wife Diane Sawyer, is far from the top of his game. The most interesting part was watching Patrick Stewart's reactions throughout. He was sitting a few rows ahead of me. Didn't realize The Scottish Play doesn't do matinees.

Scottish play does do Wednesday matinees, but not this week or the week of May 5.

I am not going to make an attempt to convince anyone who doesn't like this production. The choice of this particular play actually baffles me, as I think it is terribly dated. But I thought the cast, especially McDormand, was excellent at Saturday's matinee. This is not a great play, and it is certainly not an upbeat play, but it has some heart-wrenching moments in the second act.

So what were Patrick Stewart's reactions?

Updated On: 4/23/08 at 07:19 PM

Shameful bump.

Keen - if only. I've got nothing against the show - I don't care if it stays open, closes, etc. It's just remarkably disappointing.

Updated On: 4/24/08 at 09:04 AM

Pauline Kael described the play as "a sadomasochistic morass".

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