Sean Cullen in The Producers
Dec. 12th, 2003 04:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jaalaRichard Ouzounian just ripped Sean apart, didn't he? The Globe and Mail was considerably nicer; I shudder to think what would have been said had the article been written by the ever-negative Kate Taylor.
*sigh*
All of the other actors in the cast with whom I am familiar received fantastic reviews, as I expected.
Should you wish to read it, I include the response I sent back to my dad when he forwarded a link to the Globe article:
Ouzounian was far more damning than the Globe writer who acknowledge that he is "satisfying", just not a "performer of centrifugal force". Ouzounian--whose opinions I generally respect--said out and out that Cullen is a poor actor. [Ed.-- In fact, he goes further and says that Cullen can't even create a basic characterization.] However, if he can't act, why on earth would Stroman and Brooks pick him after gruelling auditions involving hundreds of "legit" actors?
The Globe writer's comment about "selling it to the balcony" made me wonder if part of the problem is a matter of being out of his element. I have seen Sean Cullen "sell it" to the audience both in person and on television several times with almost universal success, but he typically does it in a dry, surreal[--dangerous, yes--]but rather gentle manner instead of the brash Broadway razzle-dazzle-no-holds-barred way. Perhaps he resorts to "mugging" [and speaking shrilly] because he doesn't know how else to be "big" enough for a musical and a huge theatre.
It's a pity he couldn't quite meet the challenge. But in all fairness, if one thinks about it, there are very few people (aside from Nathan Lane et al) who could hold together the central role in such a whirlwind of talent. Far better known actors (i.e. Henry Goodman) have been removed from the role in the blink of an eye. For his sake, I hope Cullen isn't, as he's had so many recent letdowns.
I am still looking forward to seeing it. The rest of the cast sounds amazing, and there are three of my favourite actors in other roles. And I am still curious to see Sean Cullen in the role. As someone who (unlike Richard Ouzounian) has never seen Bialystock performed by Nathan Lane, I might well enjoy it.
*sigh*
All of the other actors in the cast with whom I am familiar received fantastic reviews, as I expected.
Should you wish to read it, I include the response I sent back to my dad when he forwarded a link to the Globe article:
Ouzounian was far more damning than the Globe writer who acknowledge that he is "satisfying", just not a "performer of centrifugal force". Ouzounian--whose opinions I generally respect--said out and out that Cullen is a poor actor. [Ed.-- In fact, he goes further and says that Cullen can't even create a basic characterization.] However, if he can't act, why on earth would Stroman and Brooks pick him after gruelling auditions involving hundreds of "legit" actors?
The Globe writer's comment about "selling it to the balcony" made me wonder if part of the problem is a matter of being out of his element. I have seen Sean Cullen "sell it" to the audience both in person and on television several times with almost universal success, but he typically does it in a dry, surreal[--dangerous, yes--]but rather gentle manner instead of the brash Broadway razzle-dazzle-no-holds-barred way. Perhaps he resorts to "mugging" [and speaking shrilly] because he doesn't know how else to be "big" enough for a musical and a huge theatre.
It's a pity he couldn't quite meet the challenge. But in all fairness, if one thinks about it, there are very few people (aside from Nathan Lane et al) who could hold together the central role in such a whirlwind of talent. Far better known actors (i.e. Henry Goodman) have been removed from the role in the blink of an eye. For his sake, I hope Cullen isn't, as he's had so many recent letdowns.
I am still looking forward to seeing it. The rest of the cast sounds amazing, and there are three of my favourite actors in other roles. And I am still curious to see Sean Cullen in the role. As someone who (unlike Richard Ouzounian) has never seen Bialystock performed by Nathan Lane, I might well enjoy it.
