RED in Los Angeles

[+ Lucky]

One of my favorite plays from last year is set to play in LA at the Mark Taper forum. The run is August 1st to September 9th. The star of the New York production, Alfred Molina, reprises his role. Jonathan Groff replaces Eddie Redmayne.

The show looks to be selling out fast. I was able to get a great seat for $45, a lot less than the New York price.

 

If you are unfamiliar with the show, take a look at the reviews listed below. In short, it is about the artist Mark Rothko, but that does not begin to tell you how good it is. If you are near LA and a theater lover, get a ticket soon!

 

I did a post summarizing the reviews on RED in New York:

 

[h=2]RED Reviews[/h]

The NY Times, as I expected, loved Red. Ben Brantley calls the play "intense and exciting." He admires the acting of Alfred Molina and Ken Redmayne, pointing out that Redmayne just won the British equivalent of the Tony for his role.

 

http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/04/0...02red.html?hpw

 

The NY Daily News gives it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "talky" but "fascinating." Of Molina, they say that he "mesmerizes from word one." Redmayne only gets a "moves nimbly."

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...s_neuroti.html

 

Only 2 and 1/2 stars from the NY Post, which is a compliment, actually, given their low standards of intellect. The reviewer says:

"Red" looks great, and Molina and Redmayne give superb performances. But the play never takes off because it flatters its audience's intellect instead of challenging it. Blathering about art doesn't automatically result in art -- or entertainment, for that matter.

elisabeth.vincentelli

@nypost.com

Read more:

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainmen...#ixzz0jx5GWDk1

 

Sounds like someone is trying to act uppity here.

 

Variety also loved the show. The reviewer, Marilyn Stasio says that

"The turning point of the play, staged with operatic grandeur by Grandage, is so intense that anyone who leaves the theater should be shot." No intellectual uppitiness there!

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117...goryId=33&cs=1

[EXPAT]

I saw it in NYC. I loved it. I would be interested in seeing it with Jonathan Groff. I've loved him in everything I've seen him in. I also met him once at an after party during the first run of his first musical. I didn't realize this was coming to LA. I don't get the Times anymore so I don't pay attention to what is coming and going in the LA theatre.

[+ Lucky]

I do get the LA Times on Sunday and did not notice this there. It was in an email from theatermania.com. It will be very interesting to compare Jonathan's performance to Eddie's. Will he and Alfred be as in sync as those two were? Probably!