What a better way to spend Easter than by seeing THE HOMECOMING?
What a better way to spend Easter than by seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#1What a better way to spend Easter than by seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 6:29pm
Finally caught the full-scale production, having seen the BC/EFA benefit reading in November. Would have enjoyed it a lot more if the people behind me weren't crinkling cellophane bags and eating; if the woman next to me's cell phone was turned off so it wouldn't ring every 5 minutes. I actually give credit to the guy in the row ahead of us for yelling at her and calling her a pig. If you read the message boards, sir in row B of the mezzanine, I applaud you.
A very provocative production - I've read that the Sunday shows are the most "out there" and it certainly showed. It's hard to praise each cast member individually, so I won't. I'll just point out the flaws. Still can't understand a damn thing Gareth Saxe says (though now that I've figured out he's a boxer, I attribute it to a character choice - he's been clocked in the head too many times). Raul Esparza needs to be reined in. He's gone from a nicely understated performance to something WAY too over the top. Almost like a caricature. But beyond that, he's at the top of his game.
The remaining 4 are in great shape.
Fun afternoon. That's all I have to say, but I will happily do a Q&A.
Updated On: 3/23/08 at 06:29 PM
#2re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 6:37pm
Huh. And weren't you very much in the minority in raving about Raul's performance early on? It's interesting that your opinion's changed now, when it seems like the sentiment is largely that he's improved, not gone backward. Trying a little too hard to be contrary, there?
However, a non antagonistic note, I went a few weeks ago with one of my friends to for her birthday. What better way to celebrate than with a dysfunctional play? But I think going on Easter takes the cake.
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#2re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 6:54pmI believe my exact words were "he'll win a Tony for this one." If the competition weren't so stiff, I'd still say it. And no, I'm not trying to be the naysayer - by and large I'm a fan of his - but I just felt he was too over the top this afternoon. Don't get me wrong, I thought he was very good, but it didn't seem to fit in with the demure nature of the cast today. Perhaps it was just the Sunday afternoon curse.
#3re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:08pm
Don't worry, I didn't forget that you called the Tony. (Lest we!) But I remember his performance at the run-through leaving a lot of people baffled. Even I, as one of his most vocal supporters, thought his performance was all over the place, out of place, and too far out there. Amongst other things. It was like he was trying to give Lenny something redeeming to work with. Over time, he's dropped that and traded it in for a performance that's intense, creepy, and sly. Lenny is a total sleaze, and he's making no apologies for that. He's still funny, but in a much more restrained, understated way.
So I guess it could have just been a kooky Sunday. (Personally, I like Fridays.) It's just funny because you're saying that he didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the cast today, which was exactly the problem with his performance earlier on -- and yet you raved about it then. *shrug* I'm not really trying to step up to defend him here -- I was more than vocal about my criticisms of his performance early in the run -- I just don't get the lapse in consistency.
(He'll win a Tony for this, and everyone will know it's a gesture of, "We're sorry we screwed up, here's your Tony." Not that I don't want to see him win, and not that this performance isn't great, but I don't want him to win a pity award.)
I also think Gareth Saxe's performance is totally underrated. I think he's great. Nobody rules that stage like Eve Best and her legs, but I do like him a lot.
#4re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:15pm
I doubt they would give him the Tony because they "screwed up," given the fact that, well...they didn't.
Yankee, you mentioned there is stiff competition in this category, who do you think is Esparza's main competition? (if I remember correctly he was ruled as male featured, right?)
Also, any comments on Eve Best?
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#5re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:15pm
I don't know how to adequately describe his performance this afternoon - It wasn't a quiet, intense performance. Kooky is the right word. He was creepy and sly - but his Cockney accent, very high-pitched, just led to something...kooky.
ETA: If he's featured, he's up against Jim Norton, Mark Rylance, James Earl Jones, the 4 other Seafarers, Rufus Sewell (?), Peter Gallagher, Boyd Gaines, Jay O. Sanders, Daniel Sunjata, Brooks Ashmanskas...
Updated On: 3/23/08 at 07:15 PM
#6re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:17pm
ray - While that's obviously very debatable, my comment was definitely not meant to be completely serious. 
However, if he does win this year, I'm sorry, but it's going to look like a pity thing. Even if voters truly believe he deserves it for this performance, it's going to come off as something else entirely.
And yeah, he'll be featured. McShane and Best are leads, I believe, everybody else is featured.
#7re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:20pm
Competition comes from all the guys from Seafarer, Peter Gallagher, Boyd Gaines in PYGMALION (great reviews), Brooks Ashmanskas in THE RITZ (great reviews for his performance only), Dylan Baker in NOVEMBER, Michael Cerveris in CYMBELINE, Byron Jennings/David Pittu from IS HE DEAD, Terrence Howard, plus possibly Bradley Whitford.
Crowded.
Although some of those performances may not be deemed up-to-snuff.
#8re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:21pmRufus Sewell isn't lead? Either way, he was incredible.
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#9re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:23pm
Don't know. Missed RocknRoll.
I figured Terrence Howard would be ruled as lead. And Brad Whitford is the lead in BOEING.
#10re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:23pmLast I heard, Rufus Sewell (and) Mr. Cox would be up for Leading Actor... Who in the blue hell's saying they aren't? LoL
#11re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:25pm
I am guessing they will try to push James Earl Jones as the lead. In this production, Brick does very much comes off as a supporting role, but I wonder if Terrence Howard will be against being ruled as a featured player instead of leading.
Em, I remember Brian Stokes Mitchell saying in an interview that his Tony for KISS ME, KATE was really a Tony for RAGTIME, and that everyone knew that, so I do get your point re Esparza getting the Tony this year.
Is Eve Best a sure bet for a Tony nod?
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#12re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:27pm
Yes, exactly.
I don't think I ever really posted how much I loved Rock 'n Roll. I saw it like... over two months ago, but whenever I think about it, I feel like I'm still processing it. Such a good evening of theater. I had only seen Rufus Sewell in A Knight's Tale, which is one of my favorite guilty pleasure movies ever, but I had no idea he could seriously act. He really impressed me. /threadjack.
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#13re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:29pmBased on some of the buzz I've heard about Howard's performance, if he's nominated it'll be a celeb-factor thing. I did NOT hear good things about it ~ and not just from people on here.
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
#14re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:40pm
Wasn't Rylance nominated for best actor in London?
Forgive me if I'm mistaken.
#15re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:45pm
It seems to me that in every show Esparza has done, he starts out brilliant and as the run progresses - goes over the top.
It happened in several things I've seen him in. It's almost as if he gets bored very quickly.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#16re: What a better way to spend Easter than seeing THE HOMECOMING?
Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:48pmTerrence Howard will not be nominated regardless of which category he is placed. It's a neat stage debut, but not worthy of a nomination.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
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