Severus Snape is on Broadway! Well, not really the master of potions, but the actor that plays him, Alan Rickman, is returning to Broadway in a play entitled Seminar. Last week, I has the opportunity to attend the play, a comedy about four young aspiring writers who participate in a private seminar, which is taught by the intelligent yet arrogant Leonard, a literary icon. Starring notorious actors Alan Rickman and Jerry O’Connell, this dark comedy presents many complex themes, including sex, love, and the power of writing.
Alan Rickman is unquestionably the star of this play and a muse for the supporting actors. Therefore, if you are an Alan Rickman fan (which means you are probably also a Harry Potter fan) and you find Alan Rickman’s voice to be pleasing to your ears, then you should see this play. In fact, at certain points throughout the play, Rickman channels his inner Snape, criticizing his students’ works.
Rickman’s supporting cast also contributes to the comedic essence of the play. Supporting actor Hamish Linklater, notorious for his role on the television show, The New Adventures of Old Christine, makes his Broadway debut in this modern play. Linklater’s successful debut has to do, in part, with the way he interacts with his fellow actors. The interplay between Hettienne, Linklater, O’Connell, Rabe and Rickman gives the play an edgy and modern quality, which creates for constant laughs throughout the play.
Obie Award winner Sam Gold succeeds in effectively directing this play. As well, Gold keeps the play moving along at a brisk pace, yet he still leaves enough time for the audience to appreciate the beauty of the play and Theresa Rebeck’s writing.
NYU freshman Shelby Brage thought the play was particularly successful because it “was very creative and something extremely different than a lot of plays; usually they are strictly about one thing… but this combined a lot of different things, which established many complex emotions and made the play unpredictable!” The characters’ relationships with each other become more complicated as they begin to confront the reality of the cut-throat writing business.
The only negative aspects of this play are the nudity scene and the abundance of vulgar language expressed throughout. First of all, the topless scene by Hettienne Park offers nothing for the play. The play can succeed effectively in expressing its theme of sex without the scene. Rickman’s profane language is a bit excessive and at times, just distracting.
[image via]
NYULocal
Read more: Alan Rickman/Professor Snape Wows Audiences In Seminar · NYU Local http://nyulocal.com/entertainment/2011/11/09/alan-rickmanprofessor-snape-wows-audiences-in-seminar/#ixzz1dEzijRtS
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
No comments:
Post a Comment