Despite some fancy camera work and close-ups, this production only goes skin-deep. Wilde himself was an aficionado of artifice, which makes the irony here all the more painful, since this pr…
Williams' cine-style quickly grows distancing and repetitive. Too often, Snook herself is out of view, available only by video; a few times she even leaves the stage entirely, leaving us alo…
Fast, clever, delicious, and performed by Snook with the giddy virtuosity of Simone Biles executing a floor routine, it reaches the gut and the heart lightly, thrusting like a fencer, by way…
It's a theatrical tour-de-force, as well as an impressive feat of video engineering. But, unlike the title character, its imperfections are all too apparent. The post The Picture of Dorian G…
But what the worthwhile play offers " and I know there are many who pooh-pooh screens onstage as a rule " is the childlike wonderment of not understanding the logistics of what you're lookin…
Equal parts acting masterclass, tech wizardry, illusion and clockwork stage management, all costumed and set designed with the wit and color schemes of the most vivid Cindy Sherman photograp…
At this point, theater purists may throw up their hands and demand: Why pay inflated Broadway prices for what is essentially two hours of TV? To my mind, it's sublime spectacle with impeccab…
Snook's performance in Kip Williams's self-penned production is powerful in every way, an exquisitely crafted melange of determination, drive and cheekiness. On the night I saw the show, she…
Much of this legerdemain derives from Marg Horwell's wonderfully ornate Victorian costumes and the uncredited hair and makeup designs, which are remarkable. These changes in pre-recorded phy…
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In short, as I felt the production's blunt force more and more, I grasped its aura and aims less and less. The post Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal Are Prey and Predator appeared first…
This "Othello" is still a once-in-a-lifetime experience " be it for this towering cast or its relatability to this current social moment. The depth is all there, but this production simply d…
It's weird. "Othello" isn't witty "Hamlet." The play is not even as funny as "Macbeth." Maybe it's because they're in the presence of celebrities. But I get the sense that the viewers are se…
As much as you may think you need what Othello calls "the ocular proof," the production is not a must-see. The post Othello appeared first on Did They Like It?.
The tale of Othello is as old as time, but it's the timing and the telling that elevates this ancient classic. Thanks to a bravura company, the telling is first class. The post Gyllenhaal Sl…
This Othello is…fine. Directed by Kenny Leon in a manner that can only be described as haphazard, there's nothing horribly wrong about it, and it's certainly thrilling to see the two leads…
There's nothing wrong with updating a Shakespeare classic from over 500 years ago to reflect modern times and sensibilities. But if you're going to do it " then do it! Director Kenny Leon's …
Directed by Tony winner Kenny Leon, who guided Washington to a Tony in 2010's Fences, this austere, underwhelming take on Shakespeare seems to acknowledge that people are not paying for a re…
Playing the Venetian general often disparagingly referred to as "the Moor," Washington emanates the steely charisma of a man who has risen above casual racism by virtue of his military prowe…
Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays Iago, certainly gives the Moor of Venice plenty to fight against, if he chose to do so. Here is far and away the most dynamic performance of the night, a riveting,…