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The Road to Mecca Reviews
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Surprisingly Disappointing, This Play Ain't The Thing! Review by: BroadwayBabySawIt, Jan 27, 2012 |
| We hoped for a good play, with such a cast, how could it go wrong? Well, it goes terribly, terribly wrong, and fast. As very experienced theatergoers, we have the patience and trust that a professional team works on most Broadway shows, but this one is like a bad high school production. The first half is a feast of bad acting. Rosemary Harris is very stilted and stiff, and you see the acting tricks all over the place. It was like ... read more watching a silent movie, with all the unnecessary gestures, but at the same time so wordy!!! Carla Guigno - who was so very very good in Desire Under the Elms- is choking on a terrible, unnecessary accent. Jim Dale is a wonderful actor, we just wish he had the material that he deserves. His entrance at the end of Act 1 lifts the energy 1000% for about one minute - but then we have the old trick of making us wait through intermission to hear him say his next line. Sad. We think that it's the terrible script - its really a short story, NOT a play - and the clumsy direction that did this one in so badly. At intermission, the men sitting beside us had a vigorous discussion about why they did not care at all about these characters - and their discussion was so much better than the play! Sad to say, we cannot recommend it, and we don't know why it's on Broadway, it does not come anywhere close to Broadway caliber in any way. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Sit still, listen, and watch 3 great actors. Review by: DannyRose, Jan 19, 2012 |
| Saw the show and enjoyed it. Acting was outstanding, especially Rosemary Harris’s amazing performance. This show is not for those who have attention spans of less than 2 minutes. Those folks should see Spiderman, Phantom, or anything with special effects. This show is meant for adults who can sit still and LISTEN for 2 1/2 hours. Not that many of us around, it seems. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Love The Review Review by: HP, Jan 18, 2012 |
| I didn't see the show, but I just want to go on record to say that the review by "Can't Get That Night Back" is the funniest I've ever read. |
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| 4 |
The Road to Counting Candles Review by: Can't Get That Night Back, Jan 18, 2012 |
A slow interminable neverending slog in which nothing ever happens except talk, talk, talk and then more talk laced with clunky exposition in which tellers tell the already told and then tell them again. Ms. Harris is fifteen years older than the character she is portraying. The character is supposed to be in her late sixties but the actress is in her eighties. Did the director not read the script? I was bored and everyone around me seemed bored,... read more, too. I started counting and recounting candles on the stage. But some weren't candles. Some were lanterns. Counting and recounting. Candles and lanterns, lanterns and candles. Waiting for this night to finally come to an end. End, please just end. So I can go home and quit counting candles and lanterns.
My review: Unless you enjoy counting lanterns and candles, candles and lanterns, and then counting them again, save yourself a whole lot of money and just stay home. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 5 |
Wonderful Review by: frank, Jan 16, 2012 |
| Wonderful show - agree with previous post. Had the good fortune of a question and answer post-show with Jim Dale and Carla Gugino and audience. Some observations worth noting was Athol Fugard's female-female dialogue achievement through most of the first act. Mr Dale pointed out the YouTube video's of the real life artist behind this production. It would be worth viewing if you are planning to see this show, or have had the good fortune of ... read more seeing just go to YouTube and type in Road to Mecca Owl House. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Anyone
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A bore Review by: , Jan 16, 2012 |
| The acting was wonderful. However, don't bother coming for the first act which is a total bore. The whole show is the second act. When the show ended I noticed there was no standing ovation and I heard the people behind me say it was disappointing. The people with me agreed saying it could put you to sleep. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Large Group
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| 7 |
Very Good Play with Excellent Actors Review by: Carol, Dec 28, 2011 |
Miss Helen (Rosemary Harris) is virtually the muse and driving force for Elsa Barlow (Carla Gugino), who drives twelve hours from Capetown, South Africa to the Karoo to see her when Barlow thinks Helen is suicidal. The play explores the issues of trust, sincere friendship, romantic love, racism, religion, autonomy, communication, and devotion. In short, Athol Fugard, the playwright, has touched all the bases in The Road to Mecca.... read more.
While the first act can get very talky and theoretical at times making it drag, on the whole the development of the characters is first-rate, as is the acting. This is a cerebral performance with Jim Dale as Marius Byleveld, a pastor at the local church who fears for Miss Helen's welfare and wants her to go to an old age home. That is the obvious conflict around which all the others spin.
Gugino carries the show despite Harris's longevity in theatre because Miss Helen's lines were hard to hear, and we were sitting on the aisle in the second row of the orchestra.
For a good drama that sets its characters up as dichotomies between urban vs. provincial and apartheid vs. civil rights in 1974 South Africa, see the show. It is nourishment for the mind and soul as well as an excellent theatre experience. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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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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