David Alan Grier as Pseudolus in Forum?

[NathanLaneStalker]

I just recently read that he was in the revival replacing Whoopi Goldberg. How was he? He dosen't seem to be the Pseudolus type...although I didn't think Whoopi was good either.

[theaterdude87]

I found this: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/34538.html

it is not a review but a little info.

[Craig]

I can't figure you out NathanLaneStalker. You post (quite a bit) asking questions but also making these wacky value statements without explaining your thought process.

David Alan Grier doesn't seem like the Pseudolus type? Why? What makes someone that type (in your opinion) and why wouldn't he fit that?

I caught Grier during his run and he was a lot of fun to watch and did very well in the role.

[NathanLaneStalker]

I post a lot of threads because I have a lot of questions. You can never learn to much about theatre.

I figure Pseudolus should be a little on the chunky side and well...he just doesn't seem like the kind of person who would play Pseudolus (and not because he's not fat.). I just can't picture him in the role. I couldn't picture Whoopi in the role either until I found some press reels. It's kinda like Tony Danza as Max, he dosen't seem like someone who would/could play him but yet, he is. That's just my honest opinion.

Thanks theaterdude87. And I'm glad to hear he was good in the role.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Take a theater history class or two, NathanLaneStalker. A lot of the board members DO know a lot about theater, but some of your questions, thoughts/comments are coming from almost zero knowledge in the industry.

[NathanLaneStalker]

....I have zero knowledge because I want to know how someone is in a role?

[BrodyFosse123]

David Alan Grier was also a replacement James "Thunder" Early during the original Broadway run of DREAMGIRLS.

[iluvtheatertrash]

You're making comments about people's performance, about how they're the wrong type but, really, what is the type?

[NathanLaneStalker]

It's hard to explain for me. Do you think Tony Danza wasn't miscast in The Producers? Or David Hasslehoff in Jekyll and Hyde?

Now, I'm not saying that David A. Grier was miscast (because I haven't seen him.) but those other people weren't the type for the characters....I don't know if that made sense....oh well.

And I have plenty on knowledge in theatre. I just simply said "You can never learn enough.".

[Craig]

Define type. Hasselhoff as a "type" was fine.. he just lacked the talent to pull it off LOL

There's nothing saying that Psuedolus has to be a "big" guy.. he just has to know broad comedy - which Grier is very adept in. You didn't answer my question as to WHY you think these people are not the types. Are you basing your assumptions on just body type? If so, you're picking the wrong role..

[iluvtheatertrash]

Thanks, Craig. You're much better with words than I am. Sorry if I was coming off the wrong way, NLS.

Craig said it best. I was assuming you were basing it off body type, which is definately inappropriate for the role.

[Broadway Bob*]

I saw Grier in ...FORUM and thought he was awful. His pacing was off, he looked like he was working his ass off. Okay, Pseudolus is a huge role and a performer does work their ass off, but they shouldn't look like it! I really did not enjoy Grier in the show at all.

PS In her book, BOOK, Whoopi talks a little about being in ...FORUM. One of the things I remember is her talking about the cast farting during the second act chase scene every night. Whoopi was good in the show, eventually. I heard rumor that, had the show stayed open a little longer, Carol Burnett wanted to come in that next fall. How amazing would that have been?!?

[NathanLaneStalker]

No, not JUST off body type...although that has to do with it a little....just the way he acts...It's just hard to explain, that's why I didn't explain it in the original post.

[ShbrtAlley44]

I would say that NathanLaneStalker expected a much more broadly comic actor, perhaps not being familiar with Grier's past comedy work. Perhaps someone with a larger presence. I think that's what he meant by "wrong type."

[Craig]

Perhaps I hit Grier on a good night. It was right after the Thanksgiving Day Parade which a few people were struck by balloons. He had some very funny adlibs and I thought did a great job

[areyoukiddingme]

Man oh man.

In a perfect world, it would be nice to imagine that any great actor could play any role. Unfortunately, that's not the way it works -- UNLESS you're talking about celebrities. NathanLaneStalker's question is perfectly valid. If I told you that Leonardo DiCaprio was going to play Pseudolus in Forum, what would you say? There's no doubt about it -- that role would not be a good fit for him. Now, he could do it and the show might be completely amazing in this reimagined form. However, I'm guessing the show would not be so great. He's not the right TYPE for the role. By type, I mean many things. How he looks -- if Pseudolus is that good looking what does it do to the show? Does it still make sense? How he acts -- Does Leonardo have it in him to do that type of comedy? What is his essence? Nathan Lane's essence isn't so far from Zero Mostel's so it's not so hard to imagine him in the role. Grier -- though he isn't necessarily that far off -- has a different essence. Whoopi seems like a much stranger choice. That being said, maybe she was excellent.

So, I don't know Forum well enough to comment on what "type" that character should be, but you can be sure that the show is BEST served with someone of a specific type. And it's quite possible, that DAG isn't that type. Lane and Mostel are cut from the same cloth. Grier is not. Perfectly legitmate question.

[DottieD'Luscia]

I didn't see the show with him, but I saw it with both Nathan Lane and Whoopi Goldberg in the role, and I actually preferred Whoopi. She was hiliarious. Her ad-libs were priceless (especially if someone walked in late).

[WalkOn]

I didn't understand what he meant by "type." That is a VERY broad term.

I started to wonder if it was a euphemism for "race."

God knows there a lot of people on this board who can't stand the idea of color blind casting.

[Calvin]

I also adored Whoopi in it, Dottie.

Now Rip Taylor, on the other hand...

[Craig]

Areyoukidding me

But he didn't ASK a question, he made a statement.

I agree you can't throw ANYONE into that role - that there IS a type, but I was seeking nathanlanestalker to explain what he meant and how HE perceives the type

[philcrosby]

To through some other light on this discussion, sometimes casting "against type" yields incredible results. One of the best "Seagull"s I ever saw starred Anita Gillette and Lewis Stadlen, both having their stock in trade in musicals and comedies and they were brilliant.

[dry2olives]

I saw David Alan Grier in Forum and thought he did a fine job. Of course, the performance I would have loved to see was his Tony nominated turn as Jackie Robinson in The First. There's a show I'm still kicking myself for missing.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Well, I'm sure he didn't mean "race" when he said "type." He just meant his "essence," as areyoukiddingme said.

[friedrichVT]

David Alan Grier is an hysterical comic actor with GREAT improvisational skills. The role of Pseudolus requires just THAT. Seems like a trend to have as many new posts on here regardless of their quality or thought taken ...Many love the attention they receive even if its in a negative form. A little research goes a LONG way. At very least try renting the movies of these musicals (if they exist) before making sweeping generalizations (almost always with a negative slant) about them.

[Calvin]

At very least try renting the movies of these musicals

In the case of Forum, that's not a good idea.