Thoughts on SoHo Rep's MARIE ANTOINETTE?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 11:12pm

Has anyone seen this yet?? Marin Ireland is starring, and it has flown completely under my radar until about ten minutes ago. I'd love to hear some thoughts on it!

[lambchop2]

Posted: 10/25/13 at 2:00am

I've heard good things about Ireland's performance. Some not-so-good things about the new sparse staging at Soho.

My thoughts are about the text and not the production, sorry to say! I read the play text and was not at all impressed. There are a few witty scenes and interesting themes, but it all seems very... empty. I don't expect a history lesson, but Adjmi reduces the titular "Marie" to a whining, vapid, brainless frou-frou who stamps her foot through the revolution. There's something about taking a historical figure and turning her into a complete caricature that bothers me, especially when the play itself deals with caricature and propaganda against Marie. Not to mention the butchering of any semblance of reality the character's relationships.

In the play, for example, she says she's leaving Louis (in yet another screamy tantrum scene) after the revolution breaks out. In reality, Marie was reported as saying she would "rather die at her husband's feet" than leave him. What could have been a complex character relationship based on reality is reduced to "screeching, vapid hot wife yells and bullies her fat dumb husband and only stays with him out of pity." Just one of many parts of the text that stuck out to me, in a bad way.

Updated On: 10/25/13 at 02:00 AM

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/25/13 at 8:32am

I saw the production and I liked the minimalist take, which is ironic in contrast to the lifestyle perpetuated by Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI.

Go see it, Wicked! Marin Ireland is amazing. I thought the script was brilliant and the cast was uniformly excellent.

[AndrewAndrew]

Posted: 10/28/13 at 2:12pm

Did Sophia Coppola give us the definitive anachronistic take on Marie Antoinette or does this small off-off Broadway production dethrone Hollywood's multi-million dollar version of this deliciously divisive historical figure? Find out in our full review of Marie Antoinette playing at Soho Rep!
Click Here For Video Review of Marie Antoinette

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 7/27/21 at 3:09pm

Seems this is coming back as a virtual reading!

 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/An-NBC-TIMELESS-Reunion-Marin-Ireland-in-David-Adjmis-MARIE-ANTOINETTE-More-to-be-Presented-by-Play-PerView-20210727

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/27/21 at 3:44pm

Marín Ireland is incredible. She is a star.

[lucynewlife]

Posted: 7/27/21 at 4:29pm

The play itself is empty, barely an impression. A few good lines here and there but without a solid historical understanding of the character, it feels empty. I vaguely remember years ago reading an interview in which the playwright admitted to his research being reading Marie Antoinette's Wikipedia page in one night, and writing the play in a similarly short timeframe (and given that this would have been years ago when the wikipedia page was even less thorough/historically vetted) it shows.

But I would bet if anyone could make the material shine, it would be Ireland. I'll be picking up a digital ticket just for her.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 7/28/21 at 4:13pm

loved this off-broadway, marin was fantastic, virtual ticket has been purchased!

[lucynewlife]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 7:15pm

Anyone else watching the live stream? Not sure how I feel about Ireland's performance so far. But I've never been a fan of this opening scene, too valley girl & over the top.

edit: definitely liking her performance more past the initial "like, omg!!" opening. Trying to separate my inherent dislike of this play from the performances is admittedly hard.

Updated On: 8/5/21 at 07:15 PM

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 7:25pm

atleast when it was done onstage her character journey starts very valley girl and ends up very reserved and defeated 

[lucynewlife]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 7:57pm

Definitely more enjoyable when Admji's script lets her drop the exaggerated Valley Girl act. Would have loved to see Ireland in this role fully on stage, same with the rest of the cast. I've seen another production of it live but without as much nuance & interest as the cast being streamed right now.

 

 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 8:00pm

Will never forget the Soho Playhouse production. Wow was I simply blown away by the production and, in particular, Marin’s performance. Very curious on how she would take on the role a decade after (it seems at least) after her first foray.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 8:11pm

seems it is on-demand until Monday for anyone who couldn't watch live

 

tinyurl.com/ppvmarie 

[lucynewlife]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 9:12pm

Yep, on demand. I think I might actually buy an on demand ticket to watch it again, despite not liking the actual play script itself--that's how strongly I feel about these performances that I saw tonight. Marin Ireland and Steven Rattazzi in particular. Would be amazing to see them reprise these roles on stage... maybe one day. (But probably not.)

 

Updated On: 8/5/21 at 09:12 PM

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 8/8/21 at 3:13pm

finally got to watch.

loved it, moved much faster then I expected, great cast, standouts being marin, steven and the little girl

highly recommend