Mothers and Sons

[foxy]

Thanks for the link back to skynyc's review. I didn't see that production unfortunately. I have no idea how it compares to the HBO movie and really have no interest in reviewing it. Whether it's good theater or not is almost beside the point. It's simply too important a topic to be ignored today. If you haven't been touched by the disease personally that's wonderful but to write it off as another gay man's problem for what he may have done is a tragic mistake. Too many young people are under the mistaken belief this is manageable condition and are engaging in unsafe behavior. AIDS has not gone away.

[skynyc]

I watched the HBO version with a group of friends, one of whom was a major player in the events of the time...actually in Larry Kramer's living room for the first meeting and among those who was there when Mr. Kramer was pushed out of GMHC. His commentary before and after was extraordinary.

 

I didn't love the HBO version, but I am so glad that it was made. Thanks to Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story, etc.) for wanting to direct it...and Brad Pitt for investing the $$$. Julia Roberts played the role which I have seen Ellen Barkin and Joanna Gleason play on stage, and while I didn't love her in the role, I am glad she did it...adding cachet to the movie.

 

The screenplay was written by Kramer, who kept much the same, but moved some elements around. While some of the depictions didn't quite work for me, the added visuals to some of the monologues were devastating...particularly Bruce's recounting of taking his dying lover home on the plane...only to have him die en route and put out with the garbage. And the scene with Mark Ruffalo helping a severely weakened Matt Bomer in the shower was very real...I can remember doing that on several occasions.

 

The performances for the most part were pretty amazing, particularly Joe Mantello's Mickey and the Bomer and Montello. And Jim Parsons as Tommy...ever calm and organized in the face of the devastation...perfection.

 

The show queen in me loved seeing Danielle Ferland as a grieving young lesbian who gets involved in the early days...she was the original Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods, and the little girl in Sunday in the Park with George. We joked that it was too bad that they couldn't have written in the line for her: "I really hate to ask it, but do you have a basket." Or even "I want my glasses."

 

I understand that Larry is not doing well, and was unable to attend the premiere, or any of the publicity screenings. I wish him well...his anger and persistence changed many lives.

[Frankly Rich]

Thanks for the link back to skynyc's review. I didn't see that production unfortunately. I have no idea how it compares to the HBO movie and really have no interest in reviewing it. Whether it's good theater or not is almost beside the point. It's simply too important a topic to be ignored today. If you haven't been touched by the disease personally that's wonderful but to write it off as another gay man's problem for what he may have done is a tragic mistake. Too many young people are under the mistaken belief this is manageable condition and are engaging in unsafe behavior. AIDS has not gone away.

 

Above I said "But I agree with foxy, the AIDS crisis is still here and attention must be paid. " Then I brought back skynyc's review of the 2011 production, yet see foxy discarding it. I disagree with him. I think that each time it is produced, wither live or on HBO, it reaches an audience who needs to hear the story and will hopefully take it as a battle cry to deal with today's realities with AIDS.

[foxy]

I'm sorry. I wrote that poorly. I wasn't discarding skynyc's review. What I meant to say was that I was not interested in writing a review of the HBO movie and comparing it to the play which I didn't see. I'm sorry for the confusion. Skynyc writes incredibly insightful reviews and I would never discard them.

[Frankly Rich]

foxy, it was probably me who misunderstood you. I think we can both agree that however the message on AIDS gets out, it's good.

[Frankly Rich]

Ben Brantley's review of Mothers & Sons quotes this: As one character says, of the time when to be told you had AIDS was effectively a death sentence: “First it will be a chapter in a history book, then a paragraph, then a footnote. ... It’s already started to happen. I can feel it happening. All the raw edges of pain dulled, deadened, drained away.”

 

I watched Andre's Mother tonight and it was a bit of a trip back in time. It worked very hard at sentiment. Weren't we all feeling quite sentimental in 1990 when we were not feeling fear? I don't know that we needed to be prodded. Sada Thompson was just excellent as this block of ice. Richard Thomas was so earnest. I didn't remember any of it from seeing it back then. I'm glad I watched it, because it does help keep that footnote away. Unlikely as that is for me.

[Frankly Rich]

Closing notices have gone up for June 22d.

[skynyc]

It was originally supposed to close on June 8th...the day of the Tonys. It extended to July 5th not long after it opened, so they technically did get a longer run than originally expected.

I do fear that it merely cost investors two more weeks of expenses.

They are hoping to tour it.

[actor61]

Your friend is exactly right. She does have one schtick and she does it really well but you should have seen her Cagney and Lacey version of GYPSY in which she sang about as well as I do in the shower.

 

I saw her in "Gypsy" and thought she was thrilling - except when she sang. She was so flat in some of the numbers that I half expected the pianist in the pit to plunk out the right note for her so she could get back on pitch. In the scenes, though, she was a fierce, funny, terrifying Mama Rose. Then, she did the mother in that Godawful t.v. version of "Bye Bye Birdie" and I was slack jawed at the awfulness of her. I won't even mention Jason Alexander's performance. I like Tyne Daly in certain things and I'd love to see "Mothers and Sons" in which, by all reports, she's pretty good. What I admire about her even when I'm not liking what she does is her commitment to the theatre and to acting. Much like Judith Light, who is very hit or miss as well. The 2 of them are deeply committed to what they do and you can see them striving 100% to be good at what they do. The fact that they miss the mark is just part of the process. I love the way they both made a gazillion dollars in t.v. series and then headed right back to B'way. I'd do the same if I got the break. People look down at t.v. stars raking in the cash but it pays for projects in which they can really act. I'm sure Neil Patrick Harris is lovin' the loot fro How I Met Your Mother because it pays the way to do Hedwig at a fraction of his salary and win a Tony for it. I really respect anybody who "takes the money and runs" back to doing quality work. I just wish it would happen to me!!

[bostonman]

I saw her in "Gypsy" and thought she was thrilling - except when she sang. She was so flat in some of the numbers that I half expected the pianist in the pit to plunk out the right note for her so she could get back on pitch. In the scenes, though, she was a fierce, funny, terrifying Mama Rose.

 

I remember getting that recording (not having seen the production) and finding her basically unlistenable. Some people (and some who should know better, IMO) who had seen the show told me "oh, but you had to SEE her - she sounded much better onstage." I always had my doubts about that...

[Daverwr]

I'm afraid it is the first casualty of the (non) Tony's. Too bad, it looked good.

[uwsman2]

It is good, and there is a week left to see it.