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Butley Reviews
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Butley: Madman or Sad Man? Review by: Beth M, Nov 7, 2007 |
The witty, literary and extremely ferocious barbs flow furiously in all directions in the office shared by Ben Butley and Joey Keyton in the English department at London University.
But from the very beginning of the play when Butley enters the office after a school break, one can see the emerging portrait of a man who appears to be broken--a disheveled drinker who can no longer function in his life and work.
As all readers on this ... read more site undoubtedly know, in one day Butley learns that his wife, Anne, with whom he has a fairly brief marriage, but one just long enough to produce a child, plans to marry his friend Tom, whom Butley refers to as "the most boring man in London;" and that Joey, his former student turned colleague, with whom he has been sharing a flat and a relationship, is going to be moving in with Reg, a London publisher, with whom he has just returned from a visit to Reg's family in Leeds.
Butley's deep jealousy emerges, followed by an intense '"interrogation" and tirade about the trip and Joey's relationship with Reg, who had continually refers to as "Ted."
Butley learns that Joey will be having dinner with Reg. Here one gets a glimpse of Butley's acute loneliness, as he lets it slip that he doesn't want to spend another evening eating alone after Joey's four day absence. He also mentions that no one seems to call him and acquaintances have drifted away.
By using brilliant, offensive, and often playfully rhythmic verbiage, Butley seems to manage, for much of the play, to hide his brokenness and sadness. One might perceive the nasty, clever and unrelenting darts throughout the play as a kind of defense, behind which Butlery seems to hide, and which allows him to deflect from what is really going on beneath the surface.
Butley seems to be in a perpetual state of drunken rage, with dashes of sarcasm. He rails vehemently against just about everyone in his life, except perhaps for Edna Shaft, a highly respected senior tutor at the University, but whom he ultimately hurts profoundly by offering, without telling her, to take on a seemingly highly interesting student named Mr. Gardner, who is distinguished by the hat with feathers that he wears, after he had complained that he was getting nothing out of the seminars taught by Edna. We do not meet Mr./ Garner until the end of the play.
Butley appears to reveal some of his deep seated psychological pain when he shares with Joey that he has taken on Mr. Gardner as a tutee (despite the fact that he has consistently ignored his responsibility to his students) because he is about to have "some vacancies" in his life (referring most specifically to Anne and Joey). Here is where I feel that Butley's defenses appear to begin to break down.
When he meets with Mr. Gardner, he is rather consciously and almost desperately trying to recreate the beginning of his relationship withy Joey, which began when Joey was his tutee. But with his usual nastiness, Butley ends up throwing Mr. Gardner out of his office, with the profoundly sad realization that he can no longer "play the game."
Once alone in the office, after Joey has left with Reg and Mr. Garnder has departed, Butley finally breaks down and sobs. The true Butley appears now to come to the surface, with all of his defenses gone.
While I wish that I had been sitting close enough to really see Butley's facial expression of deep sadness, this was sufficiently visible even from the back of the orchestra. I noted the sadness in Butley's eyes on the cover of the playbill, something I didn't notice before the play began.
Butley seems to me to be a portrayal of a man broken by the precariousness of the relationships which he so desperately needs, but which all end as the result of his constant viciousness and insults. This sad and troubled soul has, in the end, driven everyone out of this life and is now alone. It would seem that Butley has at last become in touch with |
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Recommended for:
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| 2 |
Absolutely Terrible and Painful... WOW!!!! Review by: Neal , Feb 8, 2007 |
| The snooze button got a workout during this unexciting performance. I literally fell asleep next to my already napping father. One of the worst on Broadway! I should have scalped the tickets and bought 10 I Love NY tee shirts. I strongly recommend seeing Mary Poppins and The Drowsy Chaperone. No amount of acting could save that script and Nathan Lane should know when to quit on this one. |
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| 3 |
One Big Letdown --- Withering at the Box Office. Review by: RALPHIE, Jan 8, 2007 |
I had high hopes for another great show with NATHAN LANE, but this definitely was not a great play; or even a good play. It was a waste of time and money, and shame on any critics who said otherwise.
Broadway audiences are geared-up to laugh, and laugh they do, even during this tragedy about a man's life going down the tubes all in one day. It's OK, though. Nathan Lane's character is a jokester with a sharp wit --- the ... read more only redeeming quality of the play.
Ultimately, we the audience will care nothing about any of the five central characters. We will not care about Nathan Lane because he's a nasty person and a two-timer. Yes, a gay man with a wife and a male lover on-the-side is also a cheat. Gays aren't exempt from moral judgement. His soon-to-be ex-lover, his soon-to-be ex-wife, his ex-lover's new boy friend, his ex-wife's new husband --- all of these characters are without the measure of debth necessary to make us care. The only sympathetic characters are Butley's hapless students who keep getting the door slammed in their face because Butley is too drunk or too busy with his self-created mess of a life.
Butley was written a generation ago and was an attention getter because of the then-rare homosexual theme. Right now there are 14 Broadway shows listed here at Broadway Box that have gay themes; that's 75%. Well guess what? That's just too much homosexuality. And also guess what? I'm a guy and I like girls!!! They ought do a play about that. |
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| 4 |
So upset and disappointed! This show is TERRIBLE! Review by: avkuehn, Dec 29, 2006 |
Wow, we paid full price and had FRONT ROW! We planned a trip to New York to see this show. I was very excited to see Nathan Lane! Then we watched the performance, and it was HORRIBLE! It was not funny, not really dramatic, not really entertaining and simply not interesting. It is so sad that this performance was such a let down. During itermission the people who sat around us were talking about how boring the show was. No standing Ovation, and ... read more very few smiling faces at the end of the performance. Nathan Lane also avoided all of his fans after the performance, he must be embaressed. Please do not see this show. I wish I hadn't. What a waste of an evening in N.Y.C.
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Recommended for:
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| 5 |
Bravo Review by: Bruce K., CT, Dec 18, 2006 |
| Although the show begins with moments that almost make it seem like a farce, this soon changes. Mr. Lane gives an outstanding performance. Most of us already know that there are circumstances surrounding him that seem, with his help, to be spiraling out of control. He takes us on this journey with him, and we feel it. You leave the theatre feeling so emotionally drained. The supporting cast is also very good, particularly Ms. Ivey. |
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| 6 |
Sad characters,good actors Review by: boogaloodownbway, Nov 27, 2006 |
As always, Nathan Lane makes you believe in his character. The trouble here is that his character is not a likeable sort, and the characters overall use and discard each other with little regard for true feelings.The plot is rather dark, and I found it difficult to embrace the ensemble as a whole, although their individual performances were good overall.
Perhaps the bitter tone of this play suits its intentions...but I would have a hard time ... read more recommending it to others.Having seen the Producers and The Odd Couple,and even though I read that this was an effort dear to Nathan Lane, as an avid fan I had hoped for more... |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
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| 7 |
A stupor of a production Review by: folkyboy, Nov 15, 2006 |
Respectful of Nathan Lane’s work, he tends to come across as a bit like a one trick pony. Butley just doesn’t have the brunt that it clearly obviously needed in order to work here in this wonderfully produced revival.
The staging takes you back to the original production and makes you feel as if you are sitting directly in Ben Butley’s office, mulling over the self-deprecation and destruction of his life. However, the audience sort of ... read more comes for more than a few chuckles and you’re distracted way too often by their glee during the “breakdown moments”.
The thing about this role is it needs to be handled by one of the very few actors that can turn from a humoristic sneer to an excruciatingly sad sob in the flick of a wrist. Not many people can fulfill this feat and, unfortunately, Nathan can’t either. His horrible British accent and his all-too-cartoonish mannerisms make the alcoholic endeavor seem like he’s almost playing a game. Even when he is!
I’d definitely see it again, but would prefer it in a more refined less touristy setting. And I would have to recommend a more fluid actor in the leading role. Even the co-star, Julian Ovenden, just played it off a lot more silly than I’d have liked.
I’m not saying I’m not all for comedy I’m just saying that some of these lines are clearly not written to be said between laughing gasps.
Go see it just for Dana Ivey alone. God I love her… |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Business Assoc., Seniors
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| 8 |
Review by: joe, Nov 13, 2006 |
| Dull, Painful, Will it be over soon? |
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My recommendation:
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| 9 |
Another side of Mr Lane Review by: Vicky, Nov 12, 2006 |
| Nathan Lane gives an excellent performance as a university professor who spirals out of control throughout the show. I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster ride. It's a very complex, dark, and intense show. Mr. Lane show's how versatile an actor he is in this play. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Family
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Recommended for:
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| 10 |
DON'T GO Review by: RUNNER, Nov 6, 2006 |
| HUGELY DISAPPOINTING! TOO WORDY AND TOO BORING, ALTHOUGH NATHAN LANE'S PERFORMANCE WAS GOOD. |
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My recommendation:
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| 11 |
Disappointing Review by: Lauren, Nov 4, 2006 |
I was very disappointed.
Nathan Lane's performance was good, but the show was too slow and, at times, boring.
I could see many people were restless in their seats, and I felt like getting up and walking out.
I feel the show won't make it, unless there are big changes.
Lauren
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 12 |
A Good Acting Exercise Review by: Carol, Nov 1, 2006 |
| We found Nathan Lane's performance uneven. There were times when he was touching as he spiraled into self-made self-destruction, but at the end of the evening, our response was, "So what?" |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Adults
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| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
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