The Revisionist

[uwsman2]

Now playing at the Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village. I saw it today. Jesse Eisenberg (of "The Social Network") wrote and co-stars in this play. Vanessa Redgrave is the other co-star. Eisenberg can be sort of off-putting, since he brings the same manner of moving and speaking to every role and if you don't go for his too-fast clipped speech, you won't be very happy with this. But Vanessa Redgrave is INCREDIBLE in this role. If you go, prepare to just fall in love with her character of an elderly Jewish Polish woman who survived the Holocaust by being hidden by a gentile family in a small Polish town. There are problems with the play, and it is a mite expensive for off-Broadway, but she is worth seeing.

[+ Gar1eth]

Now playing at the Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village. I saw it today. Jesse Eisenberg (of "The Social Network") wrote and co-stars in this play. Vanessa Redgrave is the other co-star. Eisenberg can be sort of off-putting, since he brings the same manner of moving and speaking to every role and if you don't go for his too-fast clipped speech, you won't be very happy with this. But Vanessa Redgrave is INCREDIBLE in this role. If you go, prepare to just fall in love with her character of an elderly Jewish Polish woman who survived the Holocaust by being hidden by a gentile family in a small Polish town. There are problems with the play, and it is a mite expensive for off-Broadway, but she is worth seeing.

 

I'm not sure I could stomach watching Vanessa Redgrave play a Jewish character. I'm not saying she isn't a great talent. But her politics and beliefs have made her persona- non - grata to me- much as I chose not to watch Mel Gibson.

 

Gman

[skynyc]

I will agree with uwsman on this one...Jesse has written himself a thoroughly unlikeable, self-centered character, in a decent attempt at writing a play. But if he wasn't an Oscar-nominated actor with connections to Ms. Redgrave, this piece would not be playing in the village. She does a commendable job playing a lonely elderly woman, and I have seen her numerous times, but never so close...second row of a tiny theater. At an intermission-less 100 minutes, the show is too long, and there are some huge gaps of credibility. And even her skill as a performer was not enough to sell me on all the vodka-drinking, pot-smoking, leg-shaving, and tofu-eating and it's pretty predictable outcome.

 

I was fortunate enough to be taken, but I agree that it was expensive for off-Broadway.

[+ beethoven]

Interesting point about Vanessa Redgrave. I'd just add that although her politics are repugnant to me, she is not a repulsive bigot like Mel Gibson. I boycott anything he does, but I think that Vanessa Redgrave's politics ought not to interfere with enjoyment of her art. Sort of similar to Wagner's operas. And, sadly, the Muslim countries that won't allow music by Jewish composers or performers.

[edjames]

It was a fascinating performance. Redgrave was at the top of her game. The story is interesting and very funny at times. Watching Redgrave get her gams shaved was hysterical. Yes, Jesse Eisenberg has written an unsympathetic part for himself and he pulled it off well.

 

Completely sold-out! Rumor has it this production will move to Broadway, but I'd bet it'l be fall 2013 or spring 2014.

 

ED