Let’s ease into this series of reviews slowly… for who knows how this will end. I’m telling you, overrated yet dissapointing theater is a sick guilty pleasure of mine. BUT, before you write me off as “that girl,” I will say the following…
Regardless, back to Ms. Linney, this isn’t about me. I think we can all agree on my previous abrupt statement, yes? Even her co-star in the current production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, on Broadway at the American Airline Theatre (http://dangerousonbroadway.com/), Ben Daniels, called her “a national treasure.” And, again, who am I to argue. Shall I just lay it all there for ya? I will anyway…
Now before I begin, let me clear a few things up. Oh, I’m sorry, are you still reading through her impressive list of acting accomplishments? How rude of me, I’ll give you a minute. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll continue…
1.) I’m not one of those people that hates it when a movie star infiltrates the Great White Way
2.) Laura Linney is pretty fantastic…
3.) Seriously, I’m not one of those people that hates it when a movie star infiltrates the Great White Way
OK, whew, that being said, as one of her biggest fans I feel as though it is my duty to admit the following; Laura Linney is really not good in said revivial of Les Liaisons… Like… REALLY not good.
So what’s the problem here? It’s clearly not Ms. Linney’s inability to act in general, since – see above: she’s pretty fantastic. The Life of David Gale, anyone? Really, anyoner? Granted, she doesn’t have an Academy Award yet, but come on, we all know it’s coming.
Moving right along, the problem isn’t her acting chops in general, so maybe you want to say “Well, maybe she’s just not right for the Broadway.” Julia Roberts, put down the script please and step away from the stage. Anybody see Three Days of Rain? I swear there were a few more people in that theater besides myself. Yikes. My point now is that Laura Linney, unlike some other pretty women from Hollywood, has lots of stage credit to her name, and well received stage credit at that. Did you see her in The Crucible? Phenom!
So, let’s rule that out entirely, it’s not her inability to act (OBVIOUSLY), and it’s not the fact that she’s just not right for the stage. So what the hell went wrong?
The answer – the direction. Again. As seems to be the case with Roundabout-produced revivals this season (cfr. the Sunday in the Park With George fiasco). Rufus Norris can now join the ranks of the esteemed (read: extremely hated by me) Sam Buntrock, as another director I would love to beat. Violently.
I’m getting to that bad place; let’s switch gears for a second. I’m going to do you all a favor and provide you a sneak peak into this production and save you your sanity and a good $50.
So in short (long?), another British director gets added to my list of people I would love to expunge from the race for ruining what could have been another wonderful theatrical experience (well, let’s not overstate that… actually, lets, why not. Laura Linney, that great talent he had at his creative disposal, is completely misdirected, in case you didn’t pick up on that, but the whole thing really is a pretentious snoozefest, Ben Daniels aside. He’s a lot of fun.)
In conclusion… way to drop the ball, Rufus! Way to go!
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