Sunday, November 2, 2008

Observation of the Day

Peter Filichia commenting in his October Leftovers column. I had to share it:


Saw A Man for all Seasons with a most unresponsive audience. How I remember experiencing the tense feeling in the house back in the early ‘60s when the same play unfolded. I suspect that back then, people had a better sense of honor and a feeling that “A man must stand up for what he believes is right.” After decades of our increasingly becoming jaded -- assassinations, Vietnam, Watergate, Enron, Lewinsky, steroids, and plenty of other scandals -- today’s audiences may not have as noble a mindset. Instead of being impressed that Thomas More is standing up to Henry VIII and won’t sign his loyalty oath, they may well be thinking, “Oh, just put your name on the thing, will you, and don’t ruin your life, not to mention your wife’s or your daughter’s.” Whatever the case, the cast is terrific in the Roundabout revival.

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