My last post included comments on the Reduced Shakespeare Company's Completely Hollywood (abridged) which just concluded a run at the Kennedy Center. I didn't like it and left at intermission. Some readers attacked me for not being specific in my "review." While I maintain that I was not in fact reviewing the piece, I will concede that I was not specific in my criticism. I will go one further and retract my use of the word "drivel."
The three actors are all quite talented and I applaud their ability, their hard work and what I perceived to be their spontaneity. Some of the writing was very clever and at least one of the sight gags was funny: the turning of the "camera" to make the actors seem to walk up a wall.
I am not fond of broad humor; I prefer subtlety. Let's leave it at that.
What's troubling is the amount of energy and venom a complete stranger would pour into his/her comment on my blog. I published several but held one back. An anonymous writer doesn't get to attack me personally -- not on my dime anyway. I have written before that we are not as nice a people as we once were. Amen to that.
Best wishes to the Reduced Shakespeare Company; I will go see them again when I can. Though I am not a reviewer, it's what I would do were I.
I didn't realize you were "reviewing", either. However, to be fair, if you are doing a send up of Hollywood, in order to go far enough to not be mistaken for a paean to its "art", would you not have to veer sharply into drivel, dreck, dross and other words beginning with awful? I'm just saying......
ReplyDeleteWhat IS with Anonymous these days? He/She/It pops up EVERYWHERE without warning to blast and sear with all the tepid intellect of a school yard bully (Did too!, countered by Did Not!) then runs into the gym to hide behind the bleachers. Shield us from such critics, Lord of the Scribbled Invective of the Latrine!
As for actors, well, had Olivier done "Killer Klowns from Outer Space", it's still "Killer Klowns from Outer Space. You can elevate the material only so far.