Thoughts on LES LIAISONS and THURGOOD?- Page 3

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 4:33pm

Ryan: It wasn't a "British" accent, per say, but rather an upper class refined European dialect that seems pretty British. I'm not a dialect expert, but they WERE using accents.

Yes, the play is set in France. Why would they use a British accent? I don't know. Ask the director - but they were. It happens all the time. THE SOUND OF MUSIC film? That didn't take place in the UK or US either.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 4:35pm

People in France don't speak English with French accents, so if they're not gonna do the play in French, then it has to be English with an accent that is believable for that time.
Updated On: 4/13/08 at 04:35 PM

[dave1606]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 4:59pm

so did no one see Thurgood? I just have no interest in it, but im curious to hear thoughts.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:18pm

I haven't seen anything about it here or on ATC. Honestly, I have no desire to see it. If it appears on TDF and/or if it gets strong reviews, I'll go. Otherwise, I don't care. But I, too, want to hear people's thoughts.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:16pm

After seeing the downright DREADFUL "The Contry Girl," the rather LukeWarm "Liasons," and that stylized production of "Macbeth" where the 2 leads where the only ones I actually liked - I gotta say, these play revivals aren't living up to be all I had hoped. I didnt love LLD, but it wasnt awful either. If you want to see a production of great talent that compeletly misses the mark all around, see The Country Girl...whatever Mike Nichols is doing over there is absurd.

Can't say I'm really looking to BOEING BOEING either, but I am very excited to see TOP GIRLS later in the week...

I gotta say, right now I see the Tony nominees as:
COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA
THE HOMECOMING
MACBETH
and either TOP GIRLS (depending) or CYRANO.

I am just hoping one of these revivals jumps off the page, off the stage and into my lap becuase thus far the only one that has come close is SHEBA for me. Kline was downright brilliant in CRYANO, same for Stewart & Fleetwood in MACBETH, and although I hate Pinter with a passion, McShane was chilling there as well. but none of those shows really bowled me over or gave me the cathartic punch of SHEBA.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:13pm

THE HOMECOMING, MACBETH, and CYRANO are locks for Best Revival.

SHEBA was dreadful. I doubt it will get the highly coveted fourth slot.

Updated On: 4/13/08 at 08:13 PM

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:18pm

I really think that Cymbeline deserves a nomination. I though it was such a focused production.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:26pm

I'm seeing THURGOOD on Thursday evening...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:27pm

SHEBA was dreadful?

Uh...


(?)

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:32pm

I thought Sheba was brilliant...

[aliciag]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:58pm

I though Sheba was great too... and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Thurgood WithoutATrace!

[DoranC]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:59pm

"The film I find to be better than the source material."

I disagree. I think the play is wonderfully written. I'm not a fan of the film, actually.

I know the BBC did a great radio version of the play about a decade ago. No naked boys on audio, obviously, but it was done with the original M. Meurteil (sp?), Lindsay Duncan, and she is awesome to listen to, and the quality of the writing and the play is really apparent.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:13pm

Doran, my opinion is certainly just that and I respect yours, but nothing in my opinion beats the close up of Glenn Close as she removed her makeup after being shunned at the opera following the public release of her correspondence with Valmont. It was a chilling scene, beautifully done. I find that the play ends rather flatly.

[whatever2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:21pm

baddad: to answer your earlier question re: why all europeans speak english with a british accent ...

the fact is that most europeans for whom english is not their first language learn it in school. and the english they are taught is british english, not american english -- spelling, pronunciation, parts of speech, everything.

also, believe it or not, the continent gets more english-language TV from the UK than it does from the US (quantity, not popularity ... and -- yes-- it goes the other way: popularity, not quality!).

so most of the europeans i work with for whom english is a second language speak with a british accent, regardless of their nationality.

not sure if this explains what youve experienced, but i work for a european publishing conglomerate and i've encountered this enough times to have asked and been told.

[interestedbystander2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:30pm

Saw the Sunday evening performance of LLD and thought Ben and Laura were great. The accents did not bother me, or distract me at all. Meryl Streep was there, cheering on her daughter. Sian Phillips was dreadful. At the end of Act 1, she had her lines hiding behind a hand held fan, and in Act 2 was reading them from the deck of cards she was holding. It was distracting and surprising from someone of her caliber. I would estimate about 10% of the orchestra section left at intermission. I found the singing between scenes to actually add a nice period piece to the production. And there are 2 separate, brief flashes of skin.

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:32pm

How was Benjamin Walker?

He is an up-and-coming star, IMO. He's worked a lot lately. Was his part noticeable?

[being.jeremiah]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 12:20am

He cupped his part with his left hand.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 12:24am

Unfortunately!

[D2]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 7:17am

I saw it last night as well. It's not quite there yet, but when it all gels it is going to be a brilliant production.

And Sian Phillips isn't the only one to hide her lines behind props. Have you ever seen Philip Bosco in anything at Roundabout lately?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 9:25am

I'm seeing it on Sunday. I'm surprised at the comments wishing Linney were more 'evil.' I respect these opinions, but Lindsey Duncan played the role with great subtlety, and never resorted to obvious choices. I like Glenn in the film (though Malkovich is the one miscast and creepy), but it's a very different take on the story. The play's a subtle blackish comedy of manners, with melodrama generally held in check, and if the two leads play it like The Scotish Play, it becomes, well, CRUEL INTENTIONS. I hope getting a few performances under their belts, and the resulting confidence, adds pace and size. When actors are nervous and tentative, things tend to get 'smaller' and the interpretation muddy.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/20/08 at 6:16pm

I'm just back from today's matinee, and I'd say that it's definitely getting there. The nearly three hours sailed by with relative smoothness. The production is far from flawless, but it has a lot going for it; chiefly, Ben Daniels as Valmont. He truly is a stage animal. He was able to project the appropriate raw sexuality that the role requires without going overboard; hardly the easier bargain to negociate with a role like this. I've seen it done in a very chewy manner before, but Daniel handled it perfectly, with the right balance of abandon and restraint. I think he'll be a major Tony contender.

My main quibbles have to do with some of Rufus Norris' directorial choices. Several scenes that are meant to illuminate the chemistry and sexual tension between Valmont and The Marquise fall flat simply because there's a peculiar physical distance between Daniels and Laura Linney. They deliver their lines in a kind of "stand and pose" style that you'd expect to see in grand opera of yesteryear. They face the audience when they speak rather than looking at each other. Despite the best efforts of the performers, very few sparks fly.

Linney was extremely solid and manipulative. While the role might not be a perfect fit, she has an immeasurable presence that makes her utterly watchable. Sian Phillips was another standout. Mamie Gummer was embarrassingly bad; I've seen better acting in community theatre. No presence, weak voice, and doesn't know how to use her body. You begin to forget about her even when she's right in front of you. Jessica Collins also seemed oddly disconnected from the action Madame de Tourvel, although her chemistry with Daniels was strong.

Great lighting, but the set by Scott Pask was a touch dull. It's essentially the same six pieces of furniture endlessly being rearranged. The incidental music seemed to come in at rather inoppurtune times.

Overall, if I were to use the "A to F" grading scale, I'd say that the production is in B- territory.