Virginia Woolf Revival

[DramaTeach]

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Laurie-Metcalf-and-Eddie-Izzard-to-Star-in-WHOS-AFRAID-OF-VIRGINIA-WOOLF-Revival-20190413-facebook

Laurie Metcalf doesnt stop!

[WldKingdomHM]

Dead. Just take my money now, but do we really need this again ?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Love Laurie and Joe Mantello, but the body of the last revival is still warm. Plus, that revival was absolutely wonderful- it’s not like we need a palate cleanser to remind us what a good show this is.

[LightsOut90]

There are a handful of Albee plays that have yet to get first class broadway revivals including a Pulitzer winner and one that won Best Play the year it was produced, why are we doing this AGAIN not even 10 years after what by all accounts was an excellent production, while rare I feel like doing a revival of something less then 10 years after the prior production is kind of an insult to the prior artists.

is this great casting, probably (I dont know about Izzard as George but ok) is this really necessary, hell no. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Speaking of Albee, I would give anything to see Laurie tackle The Goat.

[LightsOut90]

^ Seriously in the time since that was originally produced we will have gotten THREE Broadway revivals of Woolf and not one revival of The Goat which I know is a hard sell but it won Best Play, or hell get a crack team together to figure out The Lady From Dubuque or The Play About The Baby (which has never played Broadway even after being a pulitzer finalist)

[Mike Barrett]

Well, I’ll be a new audience for this since so I’m excited, especially with this casting and team behind it. I assume this is what someone referred to the other day with a Laurie Metcalf revival playing the Golden next spring. They should just rename it The Metcalf

[quizking101]

Mike Barrett said: "Well, I’ll be a new audience for this since so I’m excited, especially with this casting and team behind it. I assume this is what someone referred to the other day with a Laurie Metcalf revival playing the Golden next spring. They should just rename it The Metcalf "

RIGHT?!?!

 

[bjh2114]

So when this inevitably runs at the Golden, do you think they'll change the name of the theatre to the Metcalf?  Put me in the camp of people who think this will be amazing but who also think that, between the GLORIOUS Morton/Letts revival 6 years ago and the solid (if overhyped) London production with Imelda Staunton 2 years ago, I'm a bit Woolf'd out.

[GottaHaveAGimmick]

Looking forward to Metcalf. Just to hear her say "If you existed, I'd divorce you!"

[JBroadway]

WOW....wow...Ok. A LOT to digest here. 

 

1. This will be Metcalfs 5th consecutive season starring on Broadway. Is this a record of some sorts? (I realize there are plenty of actors who have stayed in the same show for more than 5 seasons, but I mean for different shows). 

 

2. Someone pointed this out in the duplicate thread, but why is 3/4 of the cast British? Just kind of a strange move for a classic American play, being produced in America.

 

3. Eddie Izzard is a BIZARRE choice for this role, but I'm ready for something new and different! 

 

4. Patsy Ferran is a wonderful actor - for those of you who don't know her, you're in for a treat. 

 

5. I know lots of people love Russel Tovey, but I think he's a little overrated, and his American accent leaves something to be desired. Still, type-wise he's absolutely perfect for this role.

 

[ColorTheHours048]

I would be more inclined to bemoan another Woolf revival if it wasn’t A) one of the greatest plays ever written and B) Laurie freaking Metcalf. Who cares how long it was since the last (perfect) revival. Laurie. Metcalf. As Martha. We are not worthy.

[DoTheDood]

I really liked the recent West End revival of Virginia Woolf NT recorded with Imelda Staunton, so I'm super excited to see it come back to Broadway.

[AC126748]

Interesting to have an American-originating production with three foreign actors.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

My first thought was “is Metcalf playing George and Izzard playing Martha??”

I’m all for Metcalf’s yearly residency on Bway, and I’m sure she’ll be a spectacular Martha. But that last revival was unforgettable (mainly because of Letts and Mackinnon’s direction). But Laurie doesn’t really sell tickets, Izzard really doesn’t mean much over here, and the 2013 production had crazily low grosses.

[Someone in a Tree2]

"Why is 3/4 of the cast British? "

My first thought too. I know the play is set in New England, but that's a far cry from the UK. Richard Burton seems to cast a long shadow over this dialogue...

 

 

[BWAY Baby2]

Albee is a modern day Shakespeare- and Martha is a classic role- like Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet- that every actor longs to play. Can't wait to see what Metcalf does with this role- this is a classic play- and if it runs a year or so- it will make money, I would guess- since the production itself does not seem too costly. I say bring it on. I thought Iceman Cometh dwih Denzel was going to be uninspired- and it was one of the most powerful nights I have spent in the theater. Can/t wait for this VW- last time I saw it, Kathleen Turner was Martha- can't wait to see it again.But, I have to add- The Goat or Who Is Sylvia is my favorite Albee- saw it in West End two years ago with a great cast- and it was powerful and filled with meaning as always. 

[devonian.t]

Not convinced at all by this cast.

There are so many other Albee plays I'd be more excited to revived.  

Yawn.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "My first thought was “is Metcalf playing George and Izzard playing Martha??”

I’m all for Metcalf’s yearly residency on Bway, and I’m sure she’ll be a spectacular Martha. But that last revival was unforgettable (mainly because of Letts and Mackinnon’s direction). But Laurie doesn’t really sell tickets, Izzard really doesn’t mean much over here, and the 2013 production had crazily low grosses."

Keep in mind that this production is being produced by Scott Rudin, who is known for having his ways of advertising.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Keep in mind that this production is being produced by Scott Rudin, who is known for having his ways of advertising."

Right — but those ways of advertising didn’t recoup Doll’s House 2, Waverly Gallery, Carousel, 1984, A View From The Bridge, Glass Menagerie, Blackbird, and others (despite rave reviews for many of those productions).

[Mister Matt]

I much prefer the idea of The Goat than trotting out this play AGAIN.  I'm expecting another Gypsy production to be announced any day now.

[CurtainPullDowner]

WldKingdomHM said: "Speaking of Albee, I would give anything to see Laurie tackle The Goat."

Now I can't get the image of Laurie wrestling a goat out of my mind.

 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Keep in mind that this production is being produced by Scott Rudin, who is known for having his ways of advertising."

Right — but those ways of advertising didn’t recoup Doll’s House 2, Waverly Gallery, Carousel, 1984, A View From The Bridge, Glass Menagerie, Blackbird, and others (despite rave reviews for many of those productions)."

Wasn't A View From the Bridge co-produced by Lincoln Center Theater?

 

[carolinaguy]

Even if it’s too soon since the last revival, I’d still walk over hot coals to see Metcalf as Martha. And Joe Mantello is probably my favorite director working today.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Wasn't A View From the Bridge co-produced by Lincoln Center Theater?"

LCT was a co-producer on View, Glass, and Mockingbird. But that doesn’t really mean anything, they were still commercial productions.