LOVE LETTERS With Bryan Cranston & Sally Field Streams Tonight 5/21- Page 2

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 5:55pm

I just finished watching it and wow this ranks among Sally Field's finest performances ever

[EthelMae]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 11:00pm

Is it still up somewhere? When I last looked it was down. Thx.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 5/26/20 at 7:51am

Sally Field surprised me in a good way.  I thought her brand of quirky passion worked well for the role.  I wasn’t as impressed with Bryan Cranston.  His line deliveries were fine but I needed him to connect more with the audience.  I know that the letters are read by the actors, but I think the play works best when they alternate between reading and speaking directly to us.  Sally Field handled the mix well; I felt the words came from her and not the written page.  Brian Cranston read the script to us, as if this was the first time he saw it.  In this play the actors facial expressions often tell the real story.  We missed that.  I needed to see more of his eyes and and less of the top of his head. 

[Skip23]

Posted: 5/26/20 at 3:38pm

Rumpelstiltskin said: "Sally Field surprised me in a good way. I thought herbrand of quirky passion worked well for the role. I wasn’t as impressed with Bryan Cranston. His line deliveries were fine but I needed him to connect more with the audience. I know that the letters are read by the actors, but I think the play works best when they alternate between reading and speaking directly to us. Sally Field handled the mix well; I felt the words came from her and not the written page. Brian Cranston read the script to us, as if this was the first time he saw it. In this play the actors facial expressions often tell the real story. We missed that. Ineeded to see more of his eyes and and less of the top of his head."

 

Yes, it felt like Cranston wasn't familiar with the script.  He just didn't connect with the character nor the audience.

 

Field was a bit better, but I never got the entitled-but-out-of-control aspect of Melissa I always look for.  Sally isn't quite that persona.   This show is sneaky.  It's harder to bring out these characters than one thinks.  Casting helps a lot (doesn't it always?).

 

I also think it would have been better to see both people at all times. To get their reactions without having talking heads thrown in our faces.