"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
I saw the matinee yesterday. Keeping in mind that it was only their second performance, I was quite impressed. Julie White and Stephen McKinley Henderson are consistently great through tout the show. Both are giving a more subdued performance that climaxes in the final bit to great effect. Jayne is still packing in the punches and is hilarious and touching. I wasn't a fan of Erin's interpretation of Emmy. I now understand just how difficult that part is and how fantastic Condola was in it. It takes someone who can play wise, intelligent and intentional at the same time. I think Erin will get there but isn't there yet. I recommended to a friend to wait at least two weeks for everyone to settle in.
Had a friend who saw it yesterday and said that Julie was really struggling with lines throughout the show. She called for line five times and then during her scene with Emmy, apparently got visibly frustrated and walked off stage mid -scene and was gone for two minutes while Erin Wilhelmi waited. Hopefully things will get better with more shows under their belt.
BeingAlive 2 said: "Had a friend who saw it yesterday and said that Julie was really struggling with lines throughout the show. She called for line five times and then during her scene with Emmy, apparently got visibly frustrated and walked off stage mid -scene and was gone for two minutes while Erin Wilhelmi waited. Hopefully things will get better with more shows under their belt. "
Seriously?? She needs to be careful because I've seen some actors get in trouble with equity over this kind of thing. I think it'll get better though as the show continues.
Oh, God, poor Ms. White. If the above post is accurate, why not let the understudy, who is up to speed, go on and play the role until an actor is ready to go on? That role is huge and I'm not surprised White isn't up to speed yet.
BeingAlive 2 said: "Had a friend who saw it yesterday and said that Julie was really struggling with lines throughout the show. She called for line five times and then during her scene with Emmy, apparently got visibly frustrated and walked off stage mid -scene and was gone for two minutes while Erin Wilhelmi waited. Hopefully things will get better with more shows under their belt.
"
Your friend saw the show the day before your post, so your friend saw it Friday 7/28? I saw the show that night and Julie never called for line. Not once. Her voice was audibly strained and she had a glass bottle of water in her purse that she'd take sips from between scenes. But she never called for line. And she never walked off stage. She was on stage the ENTIRE show. I thought she was fantastic! She's definitely still settling into the role but nothing like what your friend reported.
@BeingAlive2: if what the above poster says is true, and I'm inclined to believe them since they were there and you were not, I would refrain from ever posting something your friend said again. Posting false info and accusations like that is absurd, rude, and makes you into a total asshole.
VotePeron said: "@BeingAlive2: if what the above poster says is true, and I'm inclined to believe them since they were there and you were not, I would refrain from ever posting something your friend said again. Posting false info and accusations like that is absurd, rude, and makes you into a total asshole.
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Woah woah. Maybe his friend overreacted and made a bigger deal than it actually was, it happens... it doesn't mean that he was intentionally posting false information and he's an asshole... he was simply posting what he told by a friend.
VotePeron said: "@BeingAlive2: if what the above poster says is true, and I'm inclined to believe them since they were there and you were not, I would refrain from ever posting something your friend said again. Posting false info and accusations like that is absurd, rude, and makes you into a total asshole.
I sincerely apologize. I actually think I got the day wrong and they were there either there the day before that or the performance before. But I understand how posting friend's accounts could be risky and misleading. My apologies.
VotePeron said: "@BeingAlive2: if what the above poster says is true, and I'm inclined to believe them since they were there and you were not, I would refrain from ever posting something your friend said again. Posting false info and accusations like that is absurd, rude, and makes you into a total asshole."
This really was not an ok response. The only "asshole" here is you.
Saw this again on Sunday. I liked the play even less this time around than the first time. Frankly, as much as I love Julie White, I didn't believe a word she was saying, nor do I think she did herself. Without the raw desperation and moral conviction Metcalf brought to the role in spades, the whole play kind of falls apart. That being said, the actual text works the best for me in the interpersonal moments between characters and not the ideas they represent. That's why Jayne Houdyshell is ultimately the MVP of this production. Her scenes with Nora keep the whole piece grounded, in my opinion, and the other scenes where we're bombarded with moralizing and lecturing just kind of sit there.
Personally, I would've loved if this idea had the luxury of two acts to stretch its legs a bit. Preferably with more conflict and less tidiness. For all the mess we're witness to, each scene very cleanly transitions to the next, right up to the final moments. There is something to be said for keeping plays trim and giving us just the meat, but sometimes I feel that - in pursuit of brevity - a lot of contemporary playwrights lose what could be the beating heart. That feels very much the case in terms of Lucas Hnath's work here.
Long story short: Julie White is good and I will continue to see any and every performance she gives, but Laurie Metcalf was truly singular in this role and likely will never be matched.