How To Succeed In 2011We can now move a show from the "
Definitely Maybe" column over to the "
Confirmed" side among Broadway shows planned for the 2010-11 Theatrical Season.
Yesterday, the producers of the new revival of
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying announced that the musical would begin previews at the
Al Hirschfeld Theatre on February 26 and open March 27. As far away as those dates are, tickets will go on sale
today to American Express cardholders.
Rob Ashford will direct and choreograph this second Broadway revival of
Frank Loesser's nearly 49 year old tuner. This production is particularly noteworthy because
Daniel Radcliffe will make his Main Stem musical debut.
The original
1961 musical not only earned Loesser and
Abe Burrows (book) the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but also that year's Tony Award for Best Musical. Additional
How To Succeed did just that by earning six other Tonys including for
Robert Morse (Best Actor) as J. Pierrepont Finch and
Charles Nelson Reilly (Best Featured Actor) as Bud Frump. The illustrious cast also featured
Rudy Vallee and very young
Donna McKechnie in her Broadway debut. The production closed at the
46th Street Theatre (later renamed the Richard Rodgers Theatre) on March 6, 1965, after 1,417 performances.
Just over 30 years later, on March 23, 1995, the very
first Great White Way revival would open at the same, albeit renamed, theatre as the original.
Matthew Broderick, who was born six months into the original production's run, would win the show's sole Tony for his portrayal of Finch. Other notable castmembers included
Megan Mullally,
Victoria Clark and
Lillias White. That production would last 548 performances before closing on July 14, 1996.
When Ashford's latest arrival opens nearly 15 years to the day after the last revival did, will its J. Pierrepont Finch make it three for three in winning a Tony for that role? If Radcliffe can sing and dance, he may just be in it to win.
Talk about succeeding on Broadway, but I'll bet no one will accuse him of not trying.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: Broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, First Word On New Show, Frank Loesser, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Musical, Revival, Rob Ashford
Casting Couched In RumorsI love my friends.
They know I don't normally traffic in gossip, but they keep sending rumors my way anyway.
RUMOR:Angela Lansbury will defy her own self-imposed stage retirement by taking on the role of Madame Arcati in the upcoming Broadway revival of
Noël Coward's
Blithe Spirit.
TRUTH:While no further casting has been announced beyond
Christine Ebersole and
Rupert Everett (in his Broadway debut),
Variety's original September 29 story on the revival
stated:
No further casting has been announced, although Angela Lansbury and Rupert Everett are said to be on the wish list.
Given that director
Michael Blakemore managed to snag Everett since that initial report, spirits (and hopes) are running high that it's only a matter of time before Lansbury says yes.
UPDATED (10/14/08, 9:30 a.m.): According to Playbill (hit tap to SarahB), Angela Lansbury will
return to the Broadway boards in Blithe Spirit. It is true!RUMOR: Cheyenne Jackson's first post-
Xanadu ride across a Broadway stage will be as Sky Masterson in the
upcoming Broadway revival of
Guys And Dolls, which has already cast
Oliver Platt as Nathan Detroit.
TRUTH:Sure, the
message boards on Broadway World are fanning the flames, no doubt fueled in part by
Michael Musto's August dreamcasting of Mr. Jackson as Sky, as well as a little dish from
Perez Hilton, who says:
Other cast members have not yet been announced, but we're hearing hottie Cheyenne Jackson will be part of the revival.
But to date, there's really nothing to substantiate the rumor, nor is there anything to negate it.
RUMOR: Teen heartthrob
Zac Efron will replace
Daniel Radcliffe in the current Broadway revival of
Equus. TRUTH:
Efron tells
People:
No. I think it's a great role but I was not approached.... (But) I think it's important to always diversify, change it up and play different characters.... I think doing musicals all the time would get stale.
TALLY:One rumor is
true, another is squelched and the third remains just that for the time being.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit, Broadway, Cheyenne Jackson, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Guys And Dolls, Rumor, Zac Efron
Equus (The SOB Review) - Broadhurst Theatre, New York, New York**1/2 (out of ****)Such microscopic detail has been given to
Daniel Radcliffe's first full frontal stage outing via
Equus that all focus on the revival's dubious storyline has been obfuscated.
At its very core,
Peter Shaffer's disturbing play -- about a young stable boy trading his love for Jesus with his worship of horses, only to gouge their eyes out when he can't engage in normal human contact -- gives enormous credit to psychobabble quackery while ironically attempting to discredit deeply held religious beliefs. Shaffer's preachy, provocative work merely trades one set of beliefs with another.
Nevertheless,
Thea Sharrock's taut reins provide a highly stylized, theatrical, and yes homoerotic mounting that is visually astonishing. As the designer of both set and costumes, it's clear that
John Napier's focus was on the latter, especially given this revival's sensually strapping stallions played by
Lorenzo Pisoni (Nugget),
Marc Spaulding,
Collin Baja,
Tyrone Jackson,
Spencer Liff and
Adesola Osakalumi.
In a stunning departure from his beloved portrayal of Harry Potter, in which the world has watched him grow up, Radcliffe draws a line in the sand with his chingle-changle, letting the world know that he is most definitely an adult. In taking on the difficult role of Alan Strang, Radcliffe not only rises to the challenge, but triumphs over ever being typecast in the future. One can only hope that Radcliffe will continue in that great British tradition of balancing his acting career between movies and the stage.
Radcliffe certainly benefits by playing opposite
Richard Griffiths as Alan's psychiatrist Martin Dysart. With a performance marked with soft-spoken subtlety, especially given his character's ultimate descent into his own delusions, Griffiths once again proves a master of the stage. (However, I would add here that whenever this Tony-winning actor was facing away from me
and speaking, I could barely register what he was saying. A deficiency perhaps in
Gregory Clarke's sound design?).
Can I enthusiastically recommend this mounting of
Equus? Because of the subject matter itself, my response, unfortunately, is "Neigh." But for anyone wishing to see sheer stagecraft at its best, by all means see it.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Harry Potter, John Napier, Peter Shaffer, Play, Revival, Richard Griffiths, The SOB Review, Thea Sharrock
No Horsing Around With Equus Critical ResponseLast evening, the second Broadway mounting of
Peter Shaffer's
Equus opened at squarely the
Broadhurst Theatre. The
Thea Sharrock-helmed transfer from London stars
Daniel Radcliffe and
Richard Griffiths. Overall, the critics were enamored with Radcliffe's turn, even if they found the material dated.
Concluding that Radcliffe's "delivery here is as confident and compelling as his febrile physicality -- whether fully clothed and wary or naked and defenseless,"
Variety's
David Rooney asserts that the performances eclipse the material: "Daniel Radcliffe significantly helps overcome the fact that Peter Shaffer's 1975 Tony winner doesn't entirely hold up. The play is an astute career move for the 'Harry Potter' frontman as he confidently navigates the transition from child stardom to adult roles -- and Radcliffe's performance provides
Equus with a raw emotional nerve center that renders secondary any concerns about its wonky and over-explanatory psychology."
While noting that Sharrock's direction "in many respects lacks the power that flowed through John Dexter's original staging,"
Clive Barnes of
New York Post heaps praise on Radcliffe in his three out of four star review: "Despite his almost total lack of stage experience ... Radcliffe, with his luminously intense eyes and fragile but wiry body, looks wonderfully right as Alan, the 17-year-old British boy besotted by everything equine. His acting, beautifully understated and withdrawn, has just the right manner for this horribly mixed-up adolescent, at the prey of a wayward religiosity and a twisted sexuality cemented together with suburban hypocrisy."
Deeming this an "oddly arid revival,"
Ben Brantley of
The New York Times delivers praise for the performers, while casting doubt on the show's premise: "Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Radcliffe ... are delivering utterly credible and often affecting performances. And I was always thoroughly engaged by their scenes together, which generate the genuine tension of clashing minds longing to meld. The problem with such well-considered acting is that it throws a clear and merciless light on the hokum of the play as a whole."
Ultimately proclaiming the production "haunting and powerful,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News applauds the performances, but also takes issue with the script in his three out of five star critique: "Yes, (Radcliffe)'s terrific and gives a passionate performance as Alan Strang, the 17-year-old stable hand who worships -- and blinds -- six horses. Yes, he's nude in a scene, but not gratuitously. And yes, he's (at least partially) in good company in the revival of Peter Shaffer's play, which intrigues but shows its age.
Calling this a "more than serviceable Broadway revival" that's "directed here a bit too flashily,"
The New York Sun's
Eric Grode offers a mixed review: "It is ironic and a bit unfortunate, then, that Mr. Radcliffe's performance is by far the more controlled and Mr. Griffiths's the looser.... In general, however, Mr. Radcliffe accentuates the strains of evasion and scorn common to all adolescents without slighting the deeper veins of unrest. And even though Mr. Griffiths falls back on rumpled-academic shtick here and there -- with much rubbing of the eyes and scratching of the head as he ruminates -- he also gives Dysart a welcome burst of energy whenever his assumptions are jostled."
UPDATE (September 27, 2008, 11:10 p.m. EDT): Calling the "work a team effort, a triumph even,"
Back Stage critic (and
Clyde Fitch Report blogger) Leonard Jacobs writes: "Sometimes theatre professionals and audiences recall great original productions with an 'I was there, you weren't' mentality that excludes the unfortunate and the unborn.... [I]t's inevitable that director Thea Sharrock's stirring revival of Peter Shaffer's
Equus will be compared with John Dexter's original 1974 staging of the play, for which Dexter and Shaffer won Tonys. But how wrong-headed it would be for this brooding, marvelous play and this revival's gifted lead actors to be viewed on anything but their own well-deserved terms.... As the play delves ever deeper into Strang and his psyche, Radcliffe visibly churns with the feelings erupting inside him. Here, too, Griffiths is gracious, almost loving toward his co-star."
I'll be taking in a performance over the next couple days and will let you know whether I share any of the critics' sentiments.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Play, Revival, Richard Griffiths, Thea Sharrock, Transfer
Equus' Barn Door Opens
Equus' Barn Door OpensThis evening, all of Broadway's eyes will be squarely focused on Rialto's
Broadhurst Theatre as the first Great White Way revival of
Peter Shaffer's
Equus finally opens.
What makes
Thea Sharrock's mounting of particularly compelling interest is that it pits
Daniel Radcliffe, as psychotic stable boy Alan Strang, against
Richard Griffiths, as the psychiatrist attempting to help him.
The original Broadway production of
Equus opened at the
Plymouth Theatre (now the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre) 31 years ago. This first revival comes galloping to the Main Stem boards after first opening at London's Gielgud Theatre early last year to
mixed reviews.
Will New York critics respond similarly? Find out tomorrow as I provide my critics' capsule.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Opening Night, Play, Revival, Richard Griffiths
Broadway Preview: EquusNearly 31 years after the one and only Broadway production of
Equus opened at the
Plymouth Theatre (now the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre),
Peter Shaffer's disturbing play is set to commence its Rialto revival at the
Broadhurst Theatre on September 5, with an opening scheduled for September 25.
What makes this staging of particular widespread interest is that a naked
Daniel Radcliffe (yes,
Harry Potter himself) will make his Broadway debut as Alan Strang, a psychotic young stable boy who finds sexual pleasure in blinding horses and riding them.
Radcliffe reprises the role he first took on across the pond in the early 2007, ahem,
mounting in London.
Thea Sharrock helms this transfer as she did in the West End, and
Richard Griffiths will once again portray Strang's doctor, Martin Dysart. Additionally, it was announced just last week that
Kate Mulgrew will join the cast as Hester Salomon.
Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play in 1975, the original
Equus opened October 24, 1974 and ran for 1209 performances before closing on October 2, 1977. The play's original cast was nothing short of breathtaking, featuring such major theatrical names as
Anthony Hopkins,
Roberta Maxwell,
Marian Seldes and
Frances Sternhagen. Director
John Dexter took home a Tony for Best Director, while
Peter Firth was honored with a Tony for his portrayal of Strang.
When this revival of
Equus opened at London's Gielgud Theatre in early 2007,
critics were mixed in their assessments. But given the high profile status of Radcliffe, the show offered a box office bonanza.
Expect the same, plus perhaps a more mature Radcliffe when this transfer is finally trotted out for Broadway critics and audiences alike. While he'll bare his soul and everything else, just don't expect the young star to sign any autographs.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Broadway Preview: A Tale Of Two Cities (June 28, 2008)
Broadway Preview: for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf (June 25, 2008)
Broadway Preview: [title of show] (June 24, 2008)
Broadway: What's Next (June 20, 2008)
Broadway Transfer For Equus Mounts In 2008 (April 20, 2007)
Labels: Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Harry Potter, Kate Mulgrew, Peter Firth, Peter Schaffer, Play, Revival, Richard Griffiths, Transfer
Things I Learned At The Tonys...As noted a couple days ago, I had the enormous pleasure of taking in the
American Theatre Wing's 62nd Annual
Tony Awards hosted by
Whoopi Goldberg on Sunday evening. And may I just state for the record that I thought Whoopi made an excellent host.
I learned so much, not only about all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into this production, but also just how much
more fun actually being there can be. It's not just seeing the nominees and presenters in person, but the chance to see those amazing performances live one more time. It's also the nonstop buzz you feel from the moment you step onto the red carpet right up until you receive your Tony
swag bag upon departure from the Gala.
But there are other things I learned along the way, either from personal experience or overheard from others...
...Tonys weigh more than I thought they would ... Don't bother asking Harry Potter-cum-Broadway star
Daniel Radcliffe for an autograph ... It's perfectly fine to congratulate
S. Epatha Merkerson on her Tony nod (she was beaming as she escorted her mother around), just please
don't even think about approaching her in the ladies' room (and please don't approach me in the men's room, either) ...
John Waters was really
just kidding last year when he suggested he was working on a script called "Last Stall To The Left" about
Senator Larry Craig ... The restrooms
are "the great equalizers" at the Tonys (as I learned from my new friends Daniel and Donna from Lexington, Kentucky)...
...Not only does
Gypsy director
Arthur Laurents know a thing or two about pacing a show, he's pretty fast on his feet for a man of 90 years ...The orchestra is nowhere to be seen during the Tonys, prompting the justifiable wrath of
Patti LuPone during the dress rehearsals when she could not hear the music as she tried singing "Everything's Coming Up Roses" ... Speaking of dress rehearsals, only a few of the presenters were no-shows, including
Alec Baldwin,
Harry Connick, Jr.,
Laurence Fishburne and
Marisa Tomei ... Could be that last star's no-show that prompted
Lily Tomlin to mimic her actual appearance ... The morning rehearsals were just a tad too early for
Stew, who made his feelings known as the
Passing Strange troupe concluded rehearsing "Keys"...
...The ever gracious
David Pittu has written a show he's getting ready to premiere at the Atlantic ... across the Atlantic,
August: Osage County will make its West End debut this fall ... English actor
Mark Rylance lived in my hometown of
Mequon - Thiensville, Wisconsin during his formative years (since we're about the same age, I can't help but wonder if we ever met way back when) ... speaking of formative years,
Keith Carradine is
very proud of his progeny
Martha Plimpton (he served as her Tony Awards escort, appropriate given it was Father's Day)...
...The technical Tonys were skillfully hosted by the witty, dynamic duo of
Julie White and
Michael Cerveris ... even Tony winning stars like White can get excited about the chance to see other stars like Connick ... thanks to Cerveris, I finally learned how to properly pronounce
Les Liaisons Dangereuses ...
Laura Linney was gracious when at least one person told her they thought she was terrific in that play they can't pronounce ... "
Project Runway" winner
Christian Siriano's name was on the lips of countless young fans who were thrilled to meet him, while big stars like
Glenn Close walked right on by unbothered...
...Awards do occasionally get bent, just ask
Catherine Zuber ... As this year's winner for Best Costume Design for a Musical, Zuber was overheard telling someone complimenting her on her apparel choices (or lack thereof) for
Matthew Morrison, "I'm no dummy" ... In person,
In The Heights'
Olga Merediz looks to be about half the age of Abuela Claudia, the role for which she earned her Tony nod for Best Featured Actress in a Musical ... Speaking of
In The Heights, creator and lead actor
Lin-Manuel Miranda looks substantially younger without his trademark ivy style cap, and he was practically floating through the Gala crowd while on Cloud 9 all evening.
Here's toasting all the nominees and winners. I'd like to thank them for a truly spectacular year on Broadway. It's one that I'll never forget.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Tony Awards: Win Place Show (June 16, 2008)
Tony Time (June 15, 2008)
Strange: Passing In The Heights For Best Musical? (June 13, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Who Will Win (June 10, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part III (June 6, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)
Labels: August Osage County, Catherine Zuber, Daniel Radcliffe, David Pittu, John Waters, Laura Linney, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Rylance, Martha Plimpton, Patti LuPone, S. Epatha Merkerson, Stew, Tony Awards
Broadway Transfer For Equus Mounts In 2008
It is reported that the show will go on tour throughout the United Kingdom for twelve weeks and then embark on a transfer: first to Broadway and then to Australia. The Rialto transfer is reportedly planned for 2008.
The story also notes that the revival -- most famous for its star
Daniel Radcliffe showing his
Harry Potter acumen is no flash in the pan -- easily recouped its investment in a quick eight weeks. Whether Radcliffe and
Richard Griffiths will be coming stateside remains to be seen.
Expect box office gold should Radcliffe reprise his role in New York. Fortunately, Radcliffe will have turned 18 by then.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories: Labels: Broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, First Word On New Show, London, Play, Revival, Richard Griffiths, Transfer
The Hits From Coast To Coast
Ever since finally installing a statcounter on Steve On Broadway (SOB) last month, I've been intrigued by which stories are being read the most. In a bit of shameless self-promotion, here's the top ten according to you and other readers, along with some thoughts as to why these stories struck a chord (and for your added convenience, I've provided links to each of the original postings):
10. Were Critics Faithful To Betrayal? - Through May 27, Chicago's Steppenwolf is the place to see the company's incarnation of the Harold Pinter classic. This posting captures the reviews by the
Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones and
Chicago Sun-Times' Hedy Weiss.
8. (tie) Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) - I learned with this story that if you load up an item with all kinds of varied information, ranging from a sequel to
The Phantom Of The Opera to discussions of Daniel Radcliffe's on-stage nudity to
Xanadu's casting (minus, Jane Krakowski, of course), you're bound to get readers. But I also took an unnecessary shot at John Doyle and indicated that Kristen Bell would replace Krakowski; I was wrong on both counts. So sorry!
8. (tie) Curtains (The SOB Review) - With this tuner from Kander & Ebb
and Holmes now in previews (with an opening set for March 22), is it any wonder that buzzomaniacs are wondering what others are saying about the show? I took in the tuner way back last summer in LA and loved it, as evidenced in my four-star SOB Review! Can't wait to see it again on Broadway, either.
7. Curtains Meets The Critics - Just as folks are searching for buzz on the aforementioned show, apparently they also want to know what the Left Coast critics have said. You can get it all via my Critics' Capsule on the show.
6. Holliday: You're Gonna Love Me...Again! - Apparently the fan base of
Dreamgirls just can't get enough of all things Jennifer Hudson
or Holliday. Just as hopes for a new Broadway revival with Miss Hudson are running high, suddenly Miss Holliday snaps us back to reality with the announcement that
she's gonna play Effie Melody White
again...in Atlanta this summer.
5. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical (The SOB Review) - Welcome to all my Aussie cobbers who have visited this Yank's site to learn just how good the musical version of one of your fave pictures is! Well, what was initially going to be a limited run show at Sydney's Star City Casino through last October has continually expanded its run thanks to its fair dinkum popularity. I saw it in December as a Chrissie prezzie, and the performance was chock! Tickets are now selling through June 10. Good onya!
4. The Glass Menagerie (The SOB Review) - Welcome back to all you Randy Harrison fans worldwide who flocked to see how supposedly "not very positive" I was in my review of your favorite from "Queer As Folk." Well, while I may have quibbled with his meandering accent, I thought he comported himself "reasonably well, particularly in going toe-to-toe with Amanda (Harriet Harris)." You still have until March 25 to fly into Minneapolis to see this production that I awarded 3 1/2 stars out of 4 -- a great show in my book.
3. Dye Is Cast For Legally Blonde Reviews - With Left Coast critics singing this new tuner's praises and with Broadway previews less than a month away (April 3), it's no wonder that Google searches for any tidbit on
Legally Blonde are more common than split ends.
2. Betrayal (The SOB Review) - I was considerably more enthusiastic about the aforementioned Harold Pinter play at Steppenwolf than the critics. Maybe that's why so much traffic came my way. Just for the record, I gave this good, solid production 3 out of 4 stars.
1. The Pirate Queen (The SOB Review) - Two nights ago, this new musical began preview performances on Broadway...less than three months after taking a pretty severe beating from the Chicago critics. I was there on its Windy City opening night and could only muster up a two-star review. While I had hoped the production would have improved, I'm already reading comments from others (like Mike at
The Lunar Gemini), who aren't very impressed. Is there still hope of a salvage operation prior to its April 5 opening night? My bet at this point is it's going to sink.
Thanks to you, dear reader, for checking out
Steve On Broadway. And whether you agree wholeheartedly or think I'm full of it, you're always welcome to leave comments and join the discussion!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Betrayal tickets.Click here for Curtains tickets.Click here for Dreamgirls (Atlanta) ticket information.Click here for Equus tickets.Click here for Legally Blonde tickets.Click here for Priscilla Queen Of The Desert tickets.Click here for The Glass Menagerie tickets.Click here for The Pirate Queen tickets. Labels: Betrayal, Broadway, Curtains, Daniel Radcliffe, Dreamgirls, Equus, Jennifer Holliday, Jennifer Hudson, Legally Blonde, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, The Glass Menagerie, The Pirate Queen, Xanadu
Did Critics Take To Remount Of Equus?Two nights ago, 17 year old actor
Daniel Radcliffe made his West End debut in the new revival of
Peter Schaffer's
Equus.
Alongside veteran actor
Richard Griffiths as his shrink Dysart, Radcliffe has taken a major departure from his previous roles by portraying a psychotic stable boy named Alan Strang, who enjoys sexual gratification while riding horses he has blinded. The reviews were across the board.
In offering up four out of five stars,
The Guardian's
Michael Billington appears to be the most enthusiastic: "The revelation of this revival is that Daniel Radcliffe really can act....His performance also helps to camouflage the fact Peter Shaffer's celebrated ritual drama sometimes betrays its early 1970s origins....Griffiths lends the part his own air of vulnerable humanity; and by the end, although I dispute Dysart's arguments about reductive normality, I was moved by Griffiths's genuine affection for his patient."
Although he takes issue with the source material,
Charles Spencer of
The Telegraph says this
Equus "packs a terrific theatrical punch in
Thea Sharrock's powerful revival...Daniel Radcliffe brilliantly succeeds in throwing off the mantle of
'Harry Potter,' announcing himself as a thrilling stage actor of unexpected range and depth....Despite minimal previous theatrical experience Radcliffe here displays a dramatic power and an electrifying stage presence that marks a tremendous leap forward....Richard Griffiths...once again reveals what a superb actor he is. He conducts the psychotherapy sessions with Radcliffe with a beautiful tenderness, understanding and humour that proves deeply moving."
In offering three out of five stars,
The Times'
Benedict Nightingale is lukewarm: "Radcliffe proves an assured actor and makes a perfectly able equimaniac. He can do aggression and pain, and, oddly, is lacking only in the sense of magic and wonder the part demands. The second is that, though gripping and theatrically skilful,
Equus is at root dated, pretentious and even a bit pernicious."
Although he says the premise "works as theatre" in his three-out-of-five star review,
Nicholas de Jongh of
The Evening Standard appears chafed: "Richard Griffiths is far too affable, winsome and relaxed as the psychiatrist Dysart....Griffiths...packs no emotional punch...while Radcliffe's touching, little-boy lost Alan never convinces you he is wild with desire for horses or girls."
In a mostly negative review,
The Independent's
Paul Taylor notes: "In the event, Radcliffe acquits himself well. He is not the most expressive of actors, and his stage presence will take time to evolve; but from the moment he enters the psychiatrist's office, shoulders hunched, eyes narrowed and singing advertising jingles to avoid questioning, he cuts a compelling figure. As the evening goes on, there are moments when he touches, even if not tugs at, the heart strings....If the production is well served by Radcliffe, he is not that well served by the production....As the psychiatrist, Richard Griffiths commands the stage as he always does; but his was not an interpretation I warmed to."
Of course at this stage, the reviews are rather inconsequential. Nothing will stop the throngs of "Harry Potter" fans and those curious over the unveiling of a new stage star from seeing this show.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Barely Trotter? Daniel Radcliffe Set for Equus Mounting (July 28, 2006)
Labels: Critics' Capsule, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Harry Potter, London, Play, Revival, Richard Griffiths
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II)...Do we
really need a sequel to
The Phantom Of The Opera? I thought
Cats were supposed to have nine lives, but isn't two phantoms one too many? What can
Sir Andrew possibly do for an encore? Implode the opera house?
You can weigh in via the new SOB Poll found on the right-hand side of the site.
...Wasn't it a relief that temperatures finally began to warm up and
inspire more people to go to the theatre last week? And how about
Spring Awakening's amazing bump up at the box office! Not only has the tuner finally scored a capacity of over 90%, but it's also among the top five Broadway shows in that category. The great word of mouth is finally catching up with the show.
...Isn't the prurient interest in all things
Daniel Radcliffe just a little bit unseemly for someone who's still 17 years of age? If I have to see one more picture of his bare bum, I'm going to turn myself in.
With talk that his full frontal turn in
Equus might transfer to the States, hopefully Radcliffe will have the temerity to first celebrate a birthday before an official Broadway mounting.
...Don't all those
Olivier Awards for
Sunday In The Park With George make you wish that its Broadway transfer were sooner than later? And wasn't it amazing how two Tony Award-winning Best Musicals --
Avenue Q and
Monty Python's Spamalot -- were snubbed in honor of
Caroline, Or Change, which despite being Tony-nommed, it ultimately lost to
Avenue Q.
...Can the already announced
Xanadu musical really find the appropriate mix of tongue-in-chic relevance with
Kristen Bell, now that
Jane Krakowski won't be riding her roller skates across a Broadway stage this spring? Thankfully, we can still see the latter on "
30 Rock" -- arguably the most hilarious show on television.
...Isn't Rocco at
What's Good/What Blows In New York Theatre just about the funniest theatre blogger around? Today's entry on "What My Mom Says About..." is priceless. Rocco, I think our mothers would get along just fine (and by the way, that's a great wide-eyed photo, presumably of you!).
...Why do directors and/or producers think that a novel winning formula for one show will work for another?
John Doyle has already been burned for attempting to parlay his success from
Sweeney Todd in requiring his actors to double as musicians one too many times (
read: Barnum) even after the novelty wore off with critics via
Company. But now,
Doug Hughes appears to be copying
Spring Awakening's unique onstage audience seating formula for his upcoming revival of
Inherit The Wind. Still, I guess it would be rather cool to be able to say you were on stage with
Brian Dennehy,
Christopher Plummer and
Denis O'Hare, now wouldn't it?
Tell me what you think!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Is It Just Me, Or... (June 24, 2006)
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Box Office, Broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Inherit The Wind, Is It Just Me, John Doyle, SOB Poll, Spring Awakening, The Phantom Of The Opera
Barely Trotter? Daniel Radcliffe Set for Equus MountingApparently determined to shed more than just his "
Harry Potter" movie image, 17 year old actor
Daniel Radcliffe has officially been announced for the leading role in the new West End revival of
Peter Schaffer's
Equus due to open February 27, 2007. Radcliffe will portray Alan Strang, a psychotic young stable boy who blinds horses with a spike, only to ride them while performing sexual acts in the all-together. Radcliffe will be joined by
The History Boys'
Richard Griffiths as psychiatrist Martin Dysart -- the two performed together in four of the "Harry Potter" movies.
On
Radcliffe's Web site, the young actor is quoted as saying:
"I'm really excited to be part of this production. I'm thrilled to be working with Richard Griffiths again. This is obviously a huge departure for me as an actor, but Equus is such an amazing play that this really was an opportunity not to be missed. Rehearsal starts in January and I'm very much looking forward to working with Thea Sharrock who is an incredibly talented director and only hope I do the role justice!"
The original Broadway production of
Equus opened at the
Plymouth Theatre (now the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre) on October 24, 1974 and ran for 1209 performances before closing -- at the
Helen Hayes Theatre -- on October 2, 1977.
Peter Firth won a Tony for his portrayal of Strang, but he subsequently retreated from the American stage with the exception of a replacement role as Mozart in
Amadeus.
Equus' stellar original cast included
Anthony Hopkins,
Roberta Maxwell,
Marian Seldes and
Frances Sternhagen. Overall, the play was nominated for five Tony Awards and in addition to Firth's win,
Equus was named Best Play of 1975, while the late
John Dexter won for Best Director.
The deeply disturbing and controversial
Equus has never been remounted on the Broadway stage, although it was translated to film in 1975 with Firth reprising his role opposite
Richard Burton -- both were Oscar nominated.
Perhaps not since
Julie Andrews exposed herself in the film "
S.O.B." has there been a larger attempt to break away from such a wholesome image. The big question is whether Radcliffe will be up for the challenge.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Labels: Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, London, Play, Revival
