A Time To Kill: A Mess

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/8/13 at 11:52pm

I went to "A Time To Kill" tonight.

Sorry to start yet another thread, but I just wanted to bring something up: At tonight's performance, Tom Skerritt enters, I think the second or third scene he's in, and mutters something and mutters a curse word, and then exits. Ashley Williams, such a fine actress (yes, that's sarcasm), takes a second and then says "What's happening?" at the top of her lungs. Sebastian Arcelus, a decent actor, is trying to stay in the moment and says "I don't know." A pause later and Skerritt re-enters with a piece of paper - used later in the scene - and mumbles some stuff and eventually the scene shifts back into gear.

Similarly, Fred Dalton Thompson could not speak a line to save his life. He fumbled over just about every line delivery.

Ashley Williams. What are you doing? What was that performance? Is she acting out because the Times called her "bland?" Because now she's just crazy. Every line has some pause or crazy inflection. She didn't once come across as this super smart talented lawyer. And the costumes didn't seem to suit the character's personality at all. Her and Tonya Pinkins both had trouble exiting the stage left door.

What a crazy show. I will admit I was immensely entertained as I've never read the book or seen the movie. But it could have been so much better. I think Patrick Paige and John Patrick Thompson were the saving graces. They were both great, but everyone else was just so bland.

The set was cool, but I felt like all those constant scene changes slowed the momentum of the piece. Something exciting would happen or some big reveal and then black-out...revolving stage.... slow country music....and go. There is def. a better way to stage those transitions that still keeps the audience engaged.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 12:12am

Good thing it's closing next week, then.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 12:17am

Just surprised to see it in this state on Broadway.

I was so angry at all of Ashley William's line. They were just so...stupid. Her choices were just stupid. Why did no one tell her? I mean, I know she's not working with a lot, but c'mon.

[AndersonTours]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 12:19am

You liked it more than I did. The night I saw it, I couldn't find one damn redeemable thing about the show except the burning cross!

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 1:58am

The reviews were uniformly dreadful. Are you really surprised it wasn't very good?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 1:39pm

Forgetting a prop onstage sucks. And when you're in a bomb of a show, it can be hard to focus when all you want to do is go home. Thankfully for Mr. Skerritt, it's almost over...

[aaronb]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 3:42pm

I actually enjoyed this show--in the way you can enjoy a really emotionally manipulative movie if you don't take it too seriously. Though I was quite shocked at how poorly prepared Fred Thompson was.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 3:46pm

After seeing it's first incarnation at Arena Stage a couple of years ago, I was surprised it even went to Broadway.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/9/13 at 11:16pm

It's not that I hated the show. I actually agree, aaronb. I mean, I knew I was being manipulated in a Lifetime-movie sort of way, but I found the actual trial and all the lawyer one-upping really interesting. At intermission, I was into the story. I just hated how it was presented. How every scene would stop and then there's a 3minute set change with same music and nondescript projections. How so many people were just not even trying or forgetting lines. How miscast some of the people were. And why did Sebastian look so pear-shaped in all of his outfits? Isn't he suppose to be this sexy street-lawyer? I didn't get an ounce of sex from him or his love interest. I expected her to slink onto the scene, but instead she came off as your goofy cousin.