...when someone reviews the play I'm in and singles me out as someone to say something bad about. That makes me feel great, let me tell you! The review is overall good, even if 2/3rds of it are basically just a rehash of the plot of the play and the reviewer relating herself to the play. The last paragraph she rushes to mention some of the actors and says this about me: "As the cowboy Ben, who leaves his wife, Julie Winston-Thomas is a little unbelievable and out of place in the production, but only because the script calls for it." Thanks! Especially since everyone who has seen the play has said that I was surprisingly believeable in the role, even though I'M NOT A MAN! In fact, my own husband said that was his favorite character I play, the most believeable. And he came the same night as Ms. Hadad! And trust me, he'd be honest. And what's up with insulting me and then saying "but only because the script calls for it"? Huh? Then why mention it at all!
I've actually never had this happen, exactly, although in high school I was in a UIL One-Act production of Dancing at Lughnasa where I was the only one of the sisters not to get an award. That kind of sucked. Although you don't remember Kate, she's the rock. No one remembers the rock. Sometimes I start to think I just can't act, but then I keep getting cast. So if I really sucked, no one would cast me, right? Especially those who had worked with me. Like if I just auditioned really well?
If you want to read the full review, it's here, but warning, it contains spoilers in the very first paragraph if you haven't seen the play. So you might want to wait. Or skip to the last paragraph when they talk about how much I suck. I'd like to point out that the director did not give me even one suggestion for my characterization of a man, beyond "watch how men swagger", I had to come up with it completely on my own. I never got feedback from her during the rehearsal process as to whether it was good or not. And as I am not able to view myself from outside myself, I wasn't able to change anything if it didn't work. So I maintain it's not really my fault that Ms. Hadad didn't like it. Oh well, I should at least consider myself lucky that the bitch who reviewed Bitten! didn't review this one, I'd probably be wanting to slit my wrists right now. Actually, she hasn't reviewed anything in a while, apparently they decided to take her off reviews. Hmm, I wonder why? Could it be her vitriol?
I'm having a hard time scaring up any excitement about doing the show tonight because of my bad review. Hopefully that will go away. And hopefully I'll remember my lines!
2 comments:
Is she kidding? Seriously. I know that I am outside of the theatre world, but I am at least on the fringes of the writing world and that was one of the worst written pieces I've seen in a long time. As if anyone cares all about her. Tell me about the play. And quit using all the italics. It's like she just transcribed a late night conversation she had. And please, please, please, can you break it into more paragraphs? Jeez.
Anyway, don't take it personally. It sounds like you're great and if Tim says so, you are. Maybe she was just threatened and confused by a woman playing a man's part, even though she talked at length about why they did that.
I feel for you. Some bitch-ass Chronicle reviewer decided to take up valuable review space complaining about my performance in a tiny little bit part in "Reefer Madness", with zero mention of my main part, and it about ruined my day.
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