audience fear and loathing at "Landscape"

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audience fear and loathing at "Landscape"

Posted: 5/7/06 at 7:58pm

Anyone else attend "Landscape of the Body," enjoy it, but find yourself amid a sea of naysayers? More people walked out of this at the intermission than at "Festen." And those who stayed kvetched loudly during the intermission, mad at the play, not happy with Taylor, and generally sour. The curtain call was the less than tepid, barely respectful. I haven't experienced such a palpably negative response to an otherwise well-received show (well, a Brantley rave, and others were mixed to positive) in years. The laughs didn't come; indeed, there were many thuds. And even Sherri Rene, who provides real show biz glamour and star power, couldn't get a rise outta people.

To me, it's a lovely production, beautifully staged, with minor quibbles (the teens lack sufficient technique, and rush through key moments, and the Raulito sequence doesn't quite land, and slows an otherwise stunning first act.) The wonders: Fried's D. Peach, near perfection, and moving, and Taylor, whom I've been ambivalent about in the past just loved here.

"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/8/06 at 2:15am

Since you have posted this, I will put my comments here. I loved Landscape of the Body. Lili Taylor is brillant. She handels this complex role with incredible talent. I expected Sherie Rene Scott to be great, but she exceeded my highest expectations. The songs she gets to sing in this show are amazing, and her acting and comedic ability are as good as ever. The supporting cast has it's highlights as well, Jonathan Fried(Peach), as well as Paul Sparks(Capt. Marvin Holahan) give great performances. The kids were not the greatest of actors, but Stephen Scott Scarpulla(Bert), performs a haunitng song at the end of act one that gave me chills. It is a great production, and I would have seen it at four times the price.

Drench yourself in words unspoken. Live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten. "Unwritten" Natasha Bedingfield

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/8/06 at 6:37am

It really is a love it or hate it show, and those who seem to hate it probably just don't understand it, which frustrates them. Having seen several productions of the show myself, I would definitely call this one the "definitive". Lili Taylor was born to play Betty and Sherie Rene is so richly captivating. An "A+" job, if you ask me.

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/8/06 at 9:38pm

I agree with you, M.E.Fan, Taylor finds the role's many colors. One line reading about her ex-husband who could recall the numbers of service friends "when you think about it, he was pretty creepy," was timed just as I'd always imagined it. She "gets" the Guare rhythm and lightning fast changes. And the scene when Bert washes her hair -- exquisite.

I only wish the scenes that were completely in the hands of the teens were sharper, performed with more precision and technique. In contrast to the rest, they are blurred and come across as one note. They don't ruin the evening, but it's a shortcoming that's regretable, a lack pointed up by the texture and attn to detail elsewhere. I think the decision was made to trade the look and authenticity of youth for craft, and when it pays off (the aforementioned hair washing--Bert with his mother, great) it's wonderful. In the kids-driven, plot reveal beats (Bert with his "peers") the mushy vocal work detracts.

"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling

Updated On: 5/8/06 at 09:38 PM

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/8/06 at 10:32pm

oh that's sad...i love sherie but hey i'm sure there are many crowds that go crazy for her and the show.

RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/8/06 at 10:34pm

This is by far the most polarizing play Guare ever wrote. He almost seemed to have been going for the split reaction you're describing.

I, for one, love it, though.

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/8/06 at 10:36pm

I saw it Opening "Day" and well, I really enjoyed it, and I think the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. I agree both Sherie and Lili were superb.

"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/8/06 at 10:40pm

You could tell that most of the people in the theatre hated in when I went a couple of weeks ago. There was tons of bickering and negative energy at intermission.

I actually really enjoyed it. It was strange, and went about a million different places, but oddly enough it worked for me. I got a lot out of the experience. I never knew what to expect next, aside from the gorilla porn speech which is so overdone at auditions.

And unlike some others who enjoyed it as well, I thought the young actors were great.

re: audience fear and loathing at 'Landscape'

Posted: 5/9/06 at 12:48am

Could I bother someone to post a review of Paul Iacono? I'm not sure how big his role is, but I used to go to school with him, and I'm curious as to how he's doing in the show.

"It's not for sissies, contrary to popular belief." - Tommy Tune, on musical theatre.

My avatar: Yummy, no?

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