Well, you can’t win them all and this review from Broadway World shows just how contentious and diverse critical responses to theatre can be!
After hearing from the Hillsboro Argus that “the actors dominated the stage,” we hear from Broadway World’s Patrick Brassell that the pace of the show wasn’t up to snuff and that the languid, idle style of delivery from most of the actors was “painful…” But, even in a review that took exception to our approach to the text, there is still a lot to celebrate!
Patrick Brassell, writing in Broadway World:
“The Great Gatsby is considered one of the masterworks of American literature. Many, many people have tried and failed to adapt it for the movies and for theater, including a disastrous mess directed by Baz Luhrmann this past summer. Simon Levy‘s adaptation is actually a skillful condensation of the events and dialogue of the novel, stitched together with some narration.”
and…
“Director Scott Palmer seems to have put his energy into the physical aspects of the production, which are impressive. The scenes move fluidly, with quotations from the novel projected on the scrim between scenes. (I don’t know if this is Palmer’s idea or the playwright’s, but it’s terrific.) …the costumes are phenomenal; Melissa Heller either has a Hollywood budget or a lot of well-dressed friends, because every costume was perfect for the period and for the specific character.”
And Mr. Brassell calls out company member Ian Armstrong who plays Nick, the bystander/narrator of the piece: “…he’s a delight to have around throughout the play. As Nick becomes more upset by the events around him, Armstrong very gradually lets loose of his voice, and when he finally explodes at the end, it’s worth the wait.”
Click here to read the full review and let us know what YOU think? Was the pace of the performance off for you? Did you find the early scenes too slow and overly articulated? Were the actors up to the task?
Leave your comments below!
My friend and I had the pleasure of enjoying the Bag and Baggage Production this afternooon and we loved it…. very creative and engaging! Don’t expect Baz Luhrmann…. It did feel a little slow in the beginning…. but once we got into the flow of the production, we were enthralled with Scott’s interpretation. Definitely encourage taking it in.