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Michael Giltz
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Theatre , Ben Stiller , Christopher Abbott , Edie Falco , Jennifer Jason Leigh , John
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Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: Ben Stiller Returns to
Broadway
The House Of Blue Leave * 1/2 out of ****
Walter Kerr Theater
History is repeating itself on Broadway. Ben Stiller made
an auspicious Broadway debut in a revival of The House
Of Blue Leaves 15 years ago. Almost to the day, he stars
in a new mounting of John Guare's blackly comic play.
And Christopher Abbott, the young actor playing Ronnie(the same role Stiller first essayed) holds the audiencespellbound with his second act monologue.
It's a vivid, wonderful moment that stands out all the
more in this hapless, muddled production that isnotably lacking in good news for fans of Stiller or Guare.
The story is absurdist, with Stiller starring as a miserable married man and would-be songsmith saddled
with a nutty wife called Bananas (Edie Falco) and a girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh) pushing him to get
out of Dodge (or in this case, New York) and head for LA where his gifts as a composer will beappreciated. Meanwhile, the Pope is in town for a visit and everyone wants a glimpse, including Stiller'sson Ronnie (AWOL from the military and with plans to assassinate the pontiff) and a gaggle of nuns whostumble into their apartment after getting stranded on the roof of his building.
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A certain energy builds very briefly in the second act with all the nuns creating a little chaos, aided
immeasurably by the presence of Mary Beth Hurt (as the lead nun) in a tiny part not worthy of her talent.By and large no one seems to know what show they're in. My guest thought Edie Falco was the one whocaptured the wounded but hilarious tone of the play right and indeed she scored a Tony nomination forher work. I felt she was just as adrift as Stiller and Leigh. I blame the director David Cromer, who didsuch a marvelous job with the recent revival of Our Town . That show featured a genuine theatrical coup
with its production design.
Here Cromer hopes for the same effect with a set that slowly pulls apart. Unfortunately, the effect is so
drawn out and mild that all you really remember is the creaking and groaning of the set that overshadowsthe dialogue for the last 10 or so minutes of the show. It doesn't help that the set by Scott Pask isespecially ungainly, with a bathroom sink shoved into one tiny corner for no apparent purpose and twoapartment doors stacked on top of each other at the other end of the stage apparently to fill up space.
The stage itself juts crudely out into the audience for no reason other than to contain a very unnecessary
second piano that pops up out of the ground for the opening scene and is then swallowed back up again
for the rest of the show. Why not just use the piano already on the stage?
I was looking forward eagerly to this production since I missed the legendary 1986 version. But what
looked good on paper looks merely flat on stage. Still, if Abbott proves the find he appears to be in thatone riveting scene, the show will be able to hold its head high and say, "You saw him here first." Just likethey did with Ben Stiller so many years ago.
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion
makers as guests. It's available free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also
available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and
reviews .
Note: Michael Giltz was provided with tickets to this show with the understanding that he would bewriting a review.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
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SweetJeffrey I have a free ticket to see Ben Stiller on Broadway ("House of Blue
Leaves") tomorrow at 2pm. Matinee show.
23 hours ago from Echofon
AndrewBenvenuti Saw The House of Blue Leaves on Broadway last night. Ben
Stiller was mediocre at best but Edie Falco was exceptional.
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ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA COMEDY MUSIC TV CELEBRITY KIDS MOVIEFONE
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FRONT
PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY STYLE WORLD FOOD HEALTHY
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Michael Giltz
Freelance writer and raconteur
GET UPDATES FROM MICHAEL GILTZ
Follow
Theatre , Ben Stiller , Christopher Abbott , Edie Falco , Jennifer Jason Leigh , John
Guare , New York Around Town , Broadway , Theater , Entertainment News
3
32
2
0React
Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: Ben Stiller Returns to
Broadway
The House Of Blue Leave * 1/2 out of ****
Walter Kerr Theater
History is repeating itself on Broadway. Ben Stiller made
an auspicious Broadway debut in a revival of The House
Of Blue Leaves 15 years ago. Almost to the day, he stars
in a new mounting of John Guare's blackly comic play.
And Christopher Abbott, the young actor playing Ronnie(the same role Stiller first essayed) holds the audiencespellbound with his second act monologue.
It's a vivid, wonderful moment that stands out all the
more in this hapless, muddled production that isnotably lacking in good news for fans of Stiller or Guare.
The story is absurdist, with Stiller starring as a miserable married man and would-be songsmith saddled
with a nutty wife called Bananas (Edie Falco) and a girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh) pushing him to get
out of Dodge (or in this case, New York) and head for LA where his gifts as a composer will beappreciated. Meanwhile, the Pope is in town for a visit and everyone wants a glimpse, including Stiller'sson Ronnie (AWOL from the military and with plans to assassinate the pontiff) and a gaggle of nuns whostumble into their apartment after getting stranded on the roof of his building.
MOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2
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Refuses To Resign
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NSFW PHOTO: Rooney Mara Goes
NUDE In 'The Girl With The Dragon
Tattoo' Poster
Zach Galifianakis Reveals Major
Details From Third 'Hangover' Film,
Disses Ke$ha
Bad Guy?
Like 39
Posted: 05/10/11 07:23 PM ET
SHARE THIS STORY
Submit this story
Get Entertainment Alerts
Sign UpPHOTO GALLERIES
Like 18K
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A certain energy builds very briefly in the second act with all the nuns creating a little chaos, aided
immeasurably by the presence of Mary Beth Hurt (as the lead nun) in a tiny part not worthy of her talent.By and large no one seems to know what show they're in. My guest thought Edie Falco was the one whocaptured the wounded but hilarious tone of the play right and indeed she scored a Tony nomination forher work. I felt she was just as adrift as Stiller and Leigh. I blame the director David Cromer, who didsuch a marvelous job with the recent revival of Our Town . That show featured a genuine theatrical coup
with its production design.
Here Cromer hopes for the same effect with a set that slowly pulls apart. Unfortunately, the effect is so
drawn out and mild that all you really remember is the creaking and groaning of the set that overshadowsthe dialogue for the last 10 or so minutes of the show. It doesn't help that the set by Scott Pask isespecially ungainly, with a bathroom sink shoved into one tiny corner for no apparent purpose and twoapartment doors stacked on top of each other at the other end of the stage apparently to fill up space.
The stage itself juts crudely out into the audience for no reason other than to contain a very unnecessary
second piano that pops up out of the ground for the opening scene and is then swallowed back up again
for the rest of the show. Why not just use the piano already on the stage?
I was looking forward eagerly to this production since I missed the legendary 1986 version. But what
looked good on paper looks merely flat on stage. Still, if Abbott proves the find he appears to be in thatone riveting scene, the show will be able to hold its head high and say, "You saw him here first." Just likethey did with Ben Stiller so many years ago.
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion
makers as guests. It's available free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also
available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and
reviews .
Note: Michael Giltz was provided with tickets to this show with the understanding that he would bewriting a review.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
Sponsored Links
Mom Is 55, Looks 30...
Clever Mom Reveals $5 Wrinkle Trick That Has Botox Doctors Furious!
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www.Life-stylechoices.com
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Exposed Weiner
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liveblog: Steve Jobs talks iOS
5, OS X Lion, iCloud and
more!
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The Center for Public
Integrity FACT WATCH: Sarah
Palin's Twist on Paul Revere
E. Coli: Blame The Meat, Not
The Sprouts
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Nintendo's E3 2011 keynote!
Engadget: Engadget,
broadcasting live from
WWDC!
DON'T MISS HUFFPOST BLOGGERS 1 of 5
Steven Chu
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Dan Rather
Taking on TARP
More Celebrity News at People.com
Like 1K
Like 13K
Like 475
Like 1K
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READ MORE
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For my money, this year's Academy Awards telecast was the funniest in ages. No,
not because of the show itself, but because I watched the show sitting next to BillMaher at the Vanity Fair dinner at the Sunset Tower Hotel.
Marc Ruxin: The Bestest 2010 -- Filmmage
Every year is a great year for films if you are willing to look hard enough. It wouldappear that the broad unifying theme among my favorites for 2010 would be bleak,
gritty, and hyper-real films that depict a realistic human condition.
Regina Weinreich: House of Blue Leaves on Broadway: No Kindness From
Stranger
Bananas may be bananas in the revival of John Guare's play The House of Blue
Leaves directed by David Cromer at the Walter Kerr Theater,...
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SweetJeffrey I have a free ticket to see Ben Stiller on Broadway ("House of Blue
Leaves") tomorrow at 2pm. Matinee show.
23 hours ago from Echofon
AndrewBenvenuti Saw The House of Blue Leaves on Broadway last night. Ben
Stiller was mediocre at best but Edie Falco was exceptional.
First Look: Pink and CaryHart Step Out with
Daughter
Alec Baldwin 'Wouldn't
Rule Out' Run for NYCMayor
Jennifer Love Hewitt:
Worst Actress In
Hollywood?
Alec Baldwin Eyeing Run
For Mayor Of New York
City: Report
Aww! Daniel Radcliffe,
Emma Watson & Rupert
Grint's First Ever Scene
Together
Like 192
Zach Galifianakis Reveals
Major Details From Third
'Hangover' Film, Hates
Fame
Like 86
stark
un nuevo estudio determina que
Monsanto sabía desde 1980 que su
herbicida Roundup produce
defectos de nacimiento:
http://huff.to/llwsR3
questlove
Nick Offerman wants Oprah to play
Ron Swanson's ex-wife Tammy
Emma Watson:
Guys Are
Intimidated By
Me,...
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Bond Girl In 'Bond...
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Ben Stiller On Broadway: My Review - New York News - La Daily Musto
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More in Entertainment...
Buy a link here Sponsored Links
53 yr Old Mom Looks 30
Clever Mom Reveals $5 Wrinkle Trick That Has Botox Doctors Furious!
ConsumerHealthAlerts.com
HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES
Jennifer Love
Hewitt
Movies
The
Kardashians
Homelessness
Natural
Disasters
Kenya
Healthy Living
Health News
Poetry
Video Buy a link here Sponsored Links
Mom Is 55, Looks 30...
Clever Mom Reveals $5 Wrinkle Trick That Has BotoxDoctors Furious!
ConsumerHealthAlerts.com
SHOCKING $9 Car Insurance
Auto insurers don't want you to learn this 1 Loop-Hole$9/wk Insurance
www.Life-stylechoices.com
"I Look 30 Years Younger"
TODAY ONLY: Try the #1 Doctor RecommendedWrinkle Therapy!
FDXNews8.com
MORE BIG NEWS PAGES »
ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA COMEDY MUSIC TV CELEBRITY KIDS MOVIEFONE
Advertise | Log In | Make HuffPost your Home Page | RSS | Careers | FAQ
User Agreement | Privacy | Comment Policy | About Us | Contact Us
Copyright © 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. | "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Part of HuffPost News
1 day ago from web
One. What do u think? RT
#OprahSwanson !
http://huff.to/kpvPCp #ParksandRec
FRONT
PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY STYLE WORLD FOOD HEALTHY
LIVINGIMPACT MORE LOCAL