Thoughts on DEUCE and The Tony Awards

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:30am

With all the talk of Ms. Lansbury and Ms. Seldes taking two slots in the Best Leading Actress in a Play category for their performances in an awful play -- slots that could go to more worthy performances in more worthy productions -- and with further talk of Ms. Lansbury possibly winning just for "rising above" the material (which personally I don't think she does or anyone would be capable of doing with this material) in a year beaming with diverse lead performances, I have a few thoughts to share.

I think that the Nominating Committee should do Ms. Lansbury a favor and not nominate DEUCE for anything. The way I see it, Ms. Lansbury is 4 for 4. She has been nominated for 4 Tony Awards, each for a distinct, iconic, memorable performance, and she deservedly won every single time. It would be kind of a shame to see her nominated again 25 years later just because she is a legend, when her slot could be taking one away from a performance by one of theatre's future legends.

Angela Lansbury is a legend. She has 4 Tony Awards and a place in musical theatre history. She earned her legendary status by giving performances for the ages. She is too good for a pity Tony Award. And to be nominated and not win after 4 deserved victories would be sad. The play is not Tony-worthy, bottom line. Vanessa Redgrave, Julie White, Eve Best, and Swoosie Kurtz gave performances worthy of Tony Awards this season, and for one of them to be snubbed (most likely Kurtz -- a 2 time Tony winner herself, who was ravishing in HEARTBREAK HOUSE) just because the committee can't decide between Lansbury or Seldes would just take away from the meaning of it all.

It's not as though we don't have *any* quite good, if not amazing, performances to fill the fifth slot this season. Annie Parisse turns in a subtle, impressive performance in a beautiful revival of the much adored PRELUDE TO A KISS. Why not give Ms. Parisse a chance at this slot, even if her performance isn't perhaps as showy as the other four nominees? To a lesser extent, Julianne Moore could also be a contender. But personally I think Parisse would be the perfect slot filler and would assist the Nominating Committee in giving recognition to deserving performances while comfortably ignoring the complete misfire that is DEUCE.

Shows do flop. Legends do star in Turkeys. It happens. I would rather Ms. Lansbury have 4 earned Tony Awards for each nomination than have 4 wins + 1 nomination 25 years later just for being Angela Lansbury.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 12:09pm

"So for your own good, Angela, we have chosen not to nominate you." Yea, right. If she was so concerned about her legendary status maybe she should have waited for a better script. She made her bed...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 12:49pm

Exactly, Sueleen.

And Annie Parrisse was near awful - it would be a terrible shame to nominate her.

While I do not think that Seldes and Lansbury deserve nominations, they will both get them and Lansbury will probably win.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 1:23pm

And of course Angela would probably say, "I don't need another damn TONY! Someone give me a FnCKING OSCAR!!!!"

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 1:44pm

Parrisse was just as bad as Moore was.

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 4:15pm

from the broadway.com opening night video, it looks like I would really enjoy this play. Maybe it is because I really like Angela Lansbury, though!

[WSS2]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 4:37pm

There have been Tony winners from bad shows previously.

Didn't Leslie Uggmas and LeeLane Jones win for shows that had closed?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 5:14pm

Many people have won for shows that closed - but a show being closed rarely has anything to do with the quality of the show.

The quality is what's in question with DEUCE - not only is DEUCE one of the absolute worst plays, but I didn't even think Lansbury and Seldes could rise above the material. An all in all miserable experiences.

And yes, people have won Tonys for being in "bad" shows - but you'll be hard pressed to find a show with a Tony winner that was THIS bad.

If Lansbury wasn't attached, this would have closed on opening night.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 5:57pm

I wonder how the whole thing would have turned out if it had gone as originally planned - with Zoe Caldwell at Playrights Horizions.