Vanessa Redgrave Returning to the New York stage in 2005

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:31pm

This is a MUST SEE! Redgrave is quite arguably the greatest living actor in the English-speaking world -- any opportunity to see her on stage is a privilege.

"The Royal Shakespeare Company's staging of Hecuba with Tony Award winner Vanessa Redgrave will head to the Brooklyn Academy of Music after playing Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center in 2005.

Variety previously reported that the actress would star in the Euripides drama for a three-week run May 21-June 12, 2005 at the D.C. stage. The classic is being staged by the RSC home in Stratford-upon-Avon as the 2005 season ender under the direction of Laurence Boswell (A Day in the Death of Joe Egg). No details about the BAM staging have been announced.

Redgrave will star in the title role of Hecuba in the tragedy set during the Trojan wars. The titular Queen of Troy seeks out vengeance for the murder of her daughter in a new translation by Tony Harris. "
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/87386.html

[Ruffian]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:32pm

A MUST SEE

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:46pm

I recently saw her perform the Hollow Crown in Toronto.
She is, without a doubt, the best actress I have ever seen in my life.

In Hollow Crown she is required to play a variety of different roles, at many different ages. Seeing a post-middle-aged woman play a 15 year old and a 19 year old, convincing and DIFFERENT at both ages, with all her nuances, was incredible.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:56pm

That reminds me of her Cleopatra from a few years ago. Somehow this woman who was close to 60 came across as a sweet 18 year old girl at the beginning of the play. Her energy and physicality made her seem like the youngest person on the stage even though she was the oldest. Her death scene was a masterclass in the art of acting. I've seen her in about a half dozen different plays through the years and I've never seen another actor who has her raw spontaneity on stage -- every moment seem fresh and newly discovered. Extraordinary.

[taboo17]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 12:47am

Thanks Margo. I've seen Ms. Redgrave in "Orpheus Descending", "Vita & Virginia", "Antony & Cleopatra" & "Long Day's Journey into Night" in N.Y. and "Heartbreak House" in London. We exchanged a few kind words one night at the Public Theatre after a performance of "Antony & Cleopatra". I died and went to heaven. It was one of the highlights of my stage door experiences. I've also been a fan of her films over the years. "Mary, Queen of Scots" is the first I remember seeing as a child. Have always adored Timothy Dalton since then too.

I am a subcriber at BAM so I'll be anxiously awaiting "Hecuba".

[sabrelady]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 8:48am

She was ab so lute ly the best thing in The Hollow Crown. Her Jane Austen was priceless!!

[JakeB]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 9:25am

And for those in London, it will be transferring to the Albery Theatre.
UK Roundup - RSC's London stint

[G]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 9:44am

Isn't Dame Judi the greatest living actress in the English-speaking world?!!! Ok, in my books anyway :))

Saw Redgrave twice on stage and she didn't really do it for me, I have to say. Then again, I missed her in "Long Day's Journey...", which was supposed to be quite wonderful. Though I saw it with Jessica Lange, who was amazing.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 10:07am

After our trip to NYC to see some shows this past spring, we thought we probably wouldn't do it again next year. Certainly NOT because it wasn't spectacular, but simply because there are many other things to go and see and do (like the south of France, for example HOWEVER, as this next season has been slowly coming together, it is becoming increasingly difficult not to just start arranging our return trip now. Interestingly (and thrillingly, for me) it is the 'straight play' productions that are calling me the most - and this one may be the one that pushes me over the edge and into our travel agency

As to Vanessa, in the mid-eighties they did a TV movie about Renee' Richards (the transexual tennis pro) - and the joke around hollywood was 'are they going to cast a man or a woman? they couldn't decide, so they cast Vanessa Redgrave.' (I still think it's pretty funny And the truth was, it really just spoke to the fact that this woman can do or be ANYTHING (with the lamentable exception of singing Lerner and Loewe.) And in the end, her performance in that particular piece was almost frightening in its depth. She played the first half convincingly as a man, but in the second half, absolutely played a woman who had once been a man - it was extraordinary - as are most of her forays.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 11:05am

I have only seen La Redgrave on stage once, in a production of Lady Windermere's Fan and she left me cold. She quite clearly didn't know her lines for one thing. Having said that, I am looking forward to Hecuba and it is playing London prior to the US so I will be certain to check it out. It is here in April of 05, six months after another production of Hecuba plays the Donmar Warehouse (my favourite theatre in the world) with the wonderful Claire Higgins, last seen on Broadway in Vincent In Brixton.

[G]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 11:58am

I feel exactly the same about Redgrave in Lady Windermere, popcultureboy. And I think Claire Higgins (who blew me away in 'Vincent') will make a far superior Hecuba. The Donmar is just the best! Am going there tonight to see "Old Times". Can't wait.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 7/17/04 at 3:13pm

I saw her last summer in Long Day's Journey Into Might. What a cast. Brian Dennehy, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Vanessa. She was absolutely wonderful. She is a great, great actress.