Thursday, May 6, 2010

Praise for Cast of Lettice and Lovage

Sunday, May 2, 2010
Excerpts from Michael Howley's review

The actress playing the role [of Lettice] must be an exceptional storyteller, and Ms. VanFossen... rises to an inspired portrayal.

ASF intern Melanie Wilson's... bubbly...vivacious presence serves well to counterbalance Miss Schoen's propriety

Ms. Monferdini [as Lotte Schoen]...is a delight. Her... changes are so subtle.

Mr. Bardolph, Anthony Cochrane ... in a wonderfully comic turn that is infectious.

....as we have been transported by their performances, we join these two exceptional women in their triumph.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

BRAVA!! TOI, TOI, TOI!!!

Spread the word: Fantastic shows in the REP SEASON at ASF! the best HAMLET people have ever seen, a great clear production of the rarely done ALL'S WELL and Tudor fun and hijinks in LETTICE AND LOVAGE.

We're back!!!!

FAN MAIL

Diana, dear:

I hasten to tell you that you were GREAT!!! I've just returned from your matinee where I went with Chip, Becky and their daughter, Allie. I LOVED your performance which had a perfect blend of the dear and the outrageous--a plateau to be strived for not only on stage but in real life!!! We chatted with Geoffrey both before the play and at intermission and we sat with Kay Blount, Red Blount's daughter, who also loved it. Her brother, Tom, who designed the theatre and I with my John who was also an architect, gave us a certain osmosis knowledge in the segment involving lousy architecture--and also the attitude of their priorities when a beautiful building was demolished--with people in it!!!

You depicted the blood and gore beautifully but I only wish you could also have told the tourists about Lord Cranmer's burning at the stake. I could see you standing there against the flames putting your hand out and having the hand severed in the fire and your taking the severed hand up with the other hand, holding it up to heaven and addressing God in no uncertain terms by saying, "As you are my witness, I have done all I could to see that the bloody prayer book is preserved as I envisioned it." Or maybe Lord Cranmer could have been visiting the house with the steps, got into fisticuffs with the Pope who just happened to be visiting and wrestled him down the stairs where the Pope was pinioned on the peak of his miter and was overheard to say, "My good man, this will cost you more indulgences than you can imagine." I have no idea why I came to your mind as you said I did whilst you were working up the character!

I did enjoy it so much and you do such a splendid job. All in my party were thoroughly enmeshed and enjoyed it greatly. That was a very difficult role and I'm now marveling about things like learning all the lines and being on stage the whole time and technicalties like that. They defy me. I cannot do any sort of public speaking--just rave to my closest friends and I am in awe of your performance.

Brava and Love,
Dodgie