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Exit the King Reviews
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| 16 |
No Fair! Review by: Fleming, Apr 22, 2009 |
We were so disappointed in this production, having looked forward to it for weeks.
Andrea Martin, as always, was a joy to watch, and terrific Lauren Ambrose really made me feel the pain of her character. However, Geoffrey Rush, billed as a grand, stellar performance, seemed to be less a character than Geoffrey Rush acting. When I read that he'd been partner to the adaptation of this work, I realized that it was meant to be a ... read more vehicle for him. Sadly,a vehicle is about you, the actor, not us, the audience. Not quite playing fair. Also unfair-- Susan Sarandon's less than riveting queen. Surely she could have found depth or humor or pathos. Frankly, any emotion would have been welcome. I kept hearing her familiar voice, hoping to be moved, but to no avail. Also, unfortunate and pretentious, was her playbill bio which made no mention of her movie background-- as if she'd been cast in this role for her stage performance in the 70s, her motherhood or activism. Just silly.
The play's universal message and wit were somehow lost, in this cheerless and surprisingly emotionless production. |
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Don't go
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| 17 |
Review by: KatzTheCritic, Apr 17, 2009 |
| I went to see Exit the King 4/12/09. I have to say that I was really impressed of the production. I originaly wanted to see the play because of my two favorite Oscar Winning actors, Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon. I read the play before I went to see it. The play was good, but I thoguht the production was going to be very dark even though it was a dark comedy. It was at the second Act. The show was very entertaining. Both Mr. Rush and Ms.... read more. Sarandon gave brilliant performances and should both be nominated for the Tony Award for their performances. Other casts includes Lauren Ambrose from Six Feet Under and Andre martin. Mr. Martin was very funny from the entire show. I hope she can recieve a Tony Nomination along with Ms. Ambrose. The show really talks about the King's final day in Earth when he dies. He doesn't want to admit the fact that he was going to die and gets older and weaker. Oh, just to let everytone know that is planning to see the play. The entire cast will sign autographs and take pictures for fans after the show. Only if you see the 8:00 show. Only at nights and Sundays. Hoe everyone has the opportunity to see this wonderful production. |
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must see!
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| 18 |
Bravo Geoffrey Rush Review by: Doodling Girl, Apr 16, 2009 |
Geoffrey Rush delivered the best theatrical performance I have ever seen in my life as a theatergoer who has seen over 200 performances. I cannot say enough great things about his performance.
The rest of the cast was also very good. Susan Sarandon's character purposely was not likable for most of the play and I was not enjoying her, but she had a long monologue at the end that was delivered well.
The play itself could be seen as odd ... read more or not relevant, but I looked beyond the surface and got the message it was trying to deliver and made my own modern connection.
I thoroughly enjoyed the show.
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Don't bother Review by: Stella, Apr 15, 2009 |
| The story was dull, dull, dull. Couldn't wait for the King to die. Susan Sarandon was a disappointment. She sat around for much of the play, with very little to say, until the end when she went on and on. Ambrose and Martin were good. Two people in my row fell asleep and one of them was me!! |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Long Live The King Review by: Yolanda, Apr 15, 2009 |
I went to see _Exit The King_ this weekend, with just a tad of reservation. Well, more "dark foreboding" than a "tad of reservation." I was almost certain that Eugene Ionesco and I would never understand each other. I discovered that I was right, and also that I don't need to understand someone to enjoy them.
I found myself completely absorbed for two and a half hours. This 1963 revival was directed by Neil Armfield (hailing ... read more from Australia) and performed at the stunning Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The small cast is headed by Geoffrey Rush, Lauren Ambrose, Andrea Martin and Susan Sarandon. The strong, often absurd characters work in perfect concert with each other and the set design. It is a credit to Mr. Armfield that the small cast, top heavy with powerhouses, works as a synchronized ensemble.
The storyline and references of _Exit The King_ are shockingly modern. Yes, 1963 was not /that /long ago, but the political references are so current, as to be somewhat depressing. What have we been doing for the last 45 years? It's probably more a testament to Ionesco than a critique of our current culture, that makes this play feel so modern.
The king and the natural resources are all dying, but Andrea Martin will make us all forget it. She is a gem, and I am delighted that she has been on the New York stage at least three times in the past year (On The Town, Young Frankenstein.) Lauren Ambrose (Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet) is ethereal and stunning and will rule the Broadway stage at some point. Geoffrey Rush is incredibly physical throughout this play. He is a dynamo and very very funny. The doctor (William Sadler) and the guard (Brian Hutchinson) were both quite good, although I must confess to picturing Tim Conway in the guard. Mr. Hutchinson's mannerisms were either lifted from the "Old Man" character, or I just watched far too much television as a child. Ms. Sarandon spent most of the play in profile, and seated as I was in the fourth row, I was mesmerized by her two tone make-up (neck brown, and face white to give definition to the jaw line.) I was also quite taken with her (very large) tattoos and thumb ring. I'm guessing Mr. Armfield lost that round. Her performance was not terribly interesting. The body accouterments plus the Playbill biography (omitting all acting credits, and simply citing "motherhood and activism" as her accomplishments) scream "star." I much prefer watching an actress than a star.
My only hesitation in recommending this production is that I had incredible seats. I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed it as much in the balcony. Seated front and center, I truly felt swept up. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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| 21 |
Stage is Beyond the Talents of Some Review by: Discriminata, Apr 15, 2009 |
| Susan Sarandon lacks the skills necessary for this very demanding role. In scenes where she was seated and supposed be involved in what others were saying, she often scanned the audience and appeared disinterested. Had she worn a watch I would have expected her to be sneaking a peak. She has no business on the stage if she can't be totally engaged. Her delivery in the last sequence when the king was dying was embarrassing, a flat recitation ... read more of words without any emotion. Geoffry Rush was magnificent. I also enjoyed the earnestness of Lauren Ambrose and her ever-expanding emergence as a significant actress. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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For Grownups Only Review by: DoctorJoeE, Apr 7, 2009 |
| This is a great production. I understand all the negative reviews -- Ionesco is not everybody's cup of tea. But his exploration of an experience we will all go through eventually -- death -- is brilliant in its absurdity. As the play progresses, it becomes apparent that there are not five characters, as the viewer is initially led to believe, but only one: the king. The other four are merely aspects of his personality, voices in his head,... read more, carrying on the endless arguments we all wage with ourselves. We congratulate ourselves, we berate ourselves, we defend ourselves, repeated ad nauseum. And he's not a king of anything except his own life; his "kingdom" IS his life, which he has gradually squandered and destroyed, as so many of us do. As he progresses toward his inevitable demise, the other characters, his alter-egos, disappear, one by one, leaving him to die, as we all must, alone. (At least that is my interpretation; yours may be quite different, which is, of course, fine. Isn't it great for a play to be open to interpretation for once?) It is a welcome change from the usual Broadway fare, and it left me thinking, which is all too rare anymore. Highly recommended if you're willing to exercise your brain a bit, and to confront a subject which haunts us all. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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This isn't some fluff show people! Get a clue! Review by: TheatreBuff, Apr 6, 2009 |
| I've noticed that a lot of people are complaining about this show and leaving pretty bad reviews which I believe are completely unwarranted. My guess is that most of these people are coming to see "movie stars" and not to see an Ionesco play, so they're suprised when it's not a dumbed down production geared towards tourists. If you read the newspaper reviews you will see that it's a pretty amazing piece of theatre with an outstanding ... read more performance by Geoffrey Rush. It's funny, dark, unsettling, and thought provoking all at the same time. I was blown away and think it shouldn't be missed. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Avoid unless you have insomnia... Review by: , Apr 4, 2009 |
| Horribly boring, bad and awful do not even begin to describe the beginning, middle and end of this play...in fact we should have exited long before the king. Our party was looking forward to and wanted to enjoy this play due to the enormous amount of talent that it showcased and while the actors did a great job, that is the only good thing. By the middle of the first act were just wanted to shout out to the king "just die already." ... read more There was a serious discussion about leaving during the intermission, but we decided to press on and hope that the second act would offer a change for the better--our mistake. The play has no action or movement and although it is billed as a comedy no one in our party laughed once. At the end of the play the applause appeared to congratulate the passing of the king which allowed for us to leave this play. This play signaled the end of our vacation and it is unfortunate that it ended on such a low note. Please save your money or spend it on ANY other NYC performance. |
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Great actors but poor vehicle for their talents...see it if you have the chance but don't bother shifting heaven and earth! Review by: D13charlie, Apr 3, 2009 |
Susan Sarandon and Geoffrey Rush were quite as impressive on stage as you might expect. Both cut quite regal figures on stage but neither could really overcome the problem with the play itself.
Entertaining in parts, devilishly funny, in fact, it is sad that for the majority of the play the audience was made to work overtime with the characters, overanalyzing and wavering about the meaning of death, its implications, and its consequences. ... read more We were made to think - for more than two hours, mind you - about what happens when we die, how we are remembered, why we are remembered, what we remember (if anything), how the world carries on without us, how loves carries on with out us...and so on and so on.
The best parts of the play were the points at which the parallels to our world were clear. In other words, Rush was, to a certain degree, parodying G.W. and his exit from office. Like Bush, the king in the play has long-overstayed his welcome. He has destroyed his country, by and large, through his selfishness and his general inability to appreciate the consequences of his actions as a leader and as a human being. For example, he has two wives. What man in their right mind has two wives...at the same time...who clearly hate each other? It's a recipe for disaster and discord.
Many of the quips about the king's failing healthy and the destruction of the nation were funny...sometimes, very funny. Unfortunately, there was not enough of the black comedy to sustain the audience, and I heard many a grumble behind and to the side of me, from people bored by the second act.
Again, Sarandon and Rush were great...worth the ticket price at BroadwayBox.com...but the play fell short in my opinion. It could have been a lot shorter, sharper, and funnier. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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Right play for the times Review by: timbo, Mar 26, 2009 |
Geoffrey Rush is perfect for this part. The play is perfect for the times. That why I went. We need Ionesco's humor to help recover from the Bush debacle, and with Exit the King he becomes an obvious subtext, as would any monarch. But it also handles death interestingly. William Sadler is absolutely great with Ionesco, too. Andrea Martin doing her usual clown shtick is OK considering the context. Lauren Ambrose (whom I adore) could be replaced ... read more by anybody. Susan Sarandon, though politically perfect, doesn't have the heightened sense of performance to counter Rush and to push the Ionesco comedy up a notch. This play needs bold theater actors, big choices, high stakes in its comic choices.
Worth seeing all in all. There's too little of this absurdest drama in absurd times. But it could be so much better. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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Caution: Don't go Review by: PattieLo, Mar 22, 2009 |
| We were looking forward to seeing Exit the King, with such a great cast. As others have said, what a painful disappointment. Geoffrey Rush was fantastic and at times, his performance rivoting, but this was not enough to make this a good play. Ambrose, Martin (fun!)and Hutchinson's acting was also great and their characters well defined. And still, the play DRAGGED. Susan Sarandon seemed to be walking through her role. William Sadler's acting ... read more was strong but it was difficult to figure out where his and Sarandon's characters' were coming from. As others stated, the final scene was so uncomfortably long and drawn out, by the end you were just glad it was over. We joined in the standing ovation but it was for Rush's performance, not the play. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Good acting, bad story Review by: Casual Theater fan, Mar 22, 2009 |
First let me say the actors were great in that they did their best with what they were given. Sadly, what they were given was sometimes funny, but mostly a boring and disappointing play.
Geoffrey Rush was great - funny and emotional. Susan Sarandon's part didn't have many lines until the end, aside from snide comments about getting the king to realize he's dying. Lauren Ambrose was very ... read more convincing playing the younger queen who was not ready to let her love go. Andrea Martin was her usual hilarious self, whenever she had lines, which wasn't enough. The same with the guard.
Unfortunately, there was at least 1/2 hour of material that felt like filler - 10 minutes about stew, 10 minutes about a cat, and by the time Sarandon was done with her long-winded diatribe about getting the king to give up, we were ready to yell, "Die already!" Not a must-see. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 29 |
Not for everyone but for all. Review by: :Hpyhrt, Mar 21, 2009 |
| I loved this play. Obviously not your feel good musical but leaves you with something to think about and worth the cost just to see Geoffrey Rush's performance. I was very apprehensive about putting down the money after reading all the negative reviews, but I was glad I saw it. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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| 30 |
A Mixed Bag Review by: Carol, Mar 20, 2009 |
| This play was unexpectedly funny from the start, but it was uneven and pathetically dragged out at the end. See the play for Jeffrey Rush's and Andrea Martin's performances. They are stand-outs in the cast. However, I am unsure of why this Ionesco play was ever written or revived. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
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Recommended for:
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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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