Wit by Margaret Edson?

[BroadwayBaby3]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 1:29pm

Any opinions? I bought the play last week and I absolutely love it. Has anyone seen it? Who played Vivian?

Do you think it was worth all the hype?

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 1:40pm

Yes, I LOVE this play. I saw the Canadian production starring Seana McKenna. She was fantastic. The role is very difficult, because it demands great emotive physicality and she's onstage the entire time. By the end of it, you feel exhausted for her.

It's a brilliantly-written play. Such an original and powerful concept, a professor using her warm, familiar love of John Donne's poetry as her defence mechanism against the cold, cruel and vicious chemotherapy treatment.

I do think it was worth the hype. I have yet to see the HBO movie with Emma Thompson; does anyone know if it's out on video/DVD?

Updated On: 8/28/04 at 01:40 PM

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 1:43pm

I never saw W;t on the stage. I did, however, see it on HBO with Emma Thompson as Vivien (directed by Mike Nichols). I cried for days. It was so sad but it made you realize the power of a little human kindness.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 1:46pm

I've never seen it performed, but I thought the script was brilliant - and contained possibly one of the greatest roles ever written for a woman.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 2:25pm

As an Oncology nurse I was very moved by the HBO performance , sadly it was all too acurate. Seana's Performance in TO was equally remarkable much- starker & yes the fact that it was live made it even more heartbreaking. Updated On: 8/28/04 at 02:25 PM

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 2:29pm

Sabrelady you have such a challenging profession. Bless you. Updated On: 8/28/04 at 02:29 PM

[BroadwayBaby3]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 2:30pm

Do you know if you can rent the HBO performance?

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 2:36pm

I think I saw it in Blockbuster

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 6:02pm

Kathleen Chalfant created the role of Vivian at the MCC Theatre in 1998 (it transferred shortly afterwards to the Union Square where it ran for roughly a year and a half). An extraordinary performance by one of our greatest actors, Chalfant played Vivian with a hard outer shell, the very picture of prim, proper and precise rectitude at the beginning of the play, making her slow slide into illness and having to surrender control of her life heartbreaking and ultimately devastating (Emma Thompson did well in the film, but Chalfant owns this role). They gave her every award they could that year (The Drama Desk, Obie, Lortel, et al) and it solidified Chalfant's reputation as one of the finest stage actors of this generation (her Hannah Pitt from "Angels In America" is still definitive -- superior to Streep's in the film).

She's currently in GUANTÁNAMO: HONOR BOUND TO DEFEND FREEDOM at 45 Bleeker and will soon star in FOUR BY TENN, an evening of Tennessee Williams' one acts at MTC beginning in October. If you've never had a chance to see her live, by all means catch her in one of these productions.

Updated On: 8/28/04 at 06:02 PM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 7:11pm

While I am sure Chalfant was astonishing, remember that Megan Cole created the first ever Vivian. I saw her do the role at the Alley Theatre. She definitely shares ownership of one of the greatest roles ever written for anyone, male or female. It is one of those plays that changed my life. I did cry very hard after the show--and anytime I ran into Megan or the rest of the cast for a bit after. It had a deeply profound affect on me.

[marlomanners]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 8:35pm

I saw it Off-Broadway with Judith Light and she was wonderful.

The film is on DVD (and co-stars Audra McDonald). It is also good, but with a less powerful ending, since the ending of the play probably wouldn't work on screen.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 8:57pm

Can someone please pm the ending of the stage show? I'd be so interested to know.

(Thank you BlueWizard for responding.) Updated On: 8/28/04 at 08:57 PM