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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 12, 2023 9:30:40 GMT
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Post by nash16 on Dec 12, 2023 13:06:47 GMT
Love her. But so sad that she’s reduced to playing the Park Theatre. Did her film career ever recover after the conviction? |
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Post by Jan on Dec 12, 2023 19:02:35 GMT
I wonder if a UK actor with a similar conviction would even be able to get a visa for travel to and work in USA.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Dec 12, 2023 23:47:28 GMT
This is really sad. She is such a brilliant actress who should be having a huge career. And yet here she is appearing at the Park theatre.
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Post by jr on Dec 14, 2023 12:52:29 GMT
The Park theatre is not a dump. Maybe she is trying to get back without making too much noise and playing a character that interests her?
As for the play, I saw it at the Bush theatre and didn't find it very interesting. I don't remember much except for quite a bit of shouting and moaning about different things.
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Post by vickyg on Dec 14, 2023 13:27:35 GMT
A criminal record would end the majority of people's career, irrespective of their talent. Hopefully she's thanking her lucky starts that she can continue in any capacity but I doubt it.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 14, 2023 13:49:55 GMT
I mean none of them had been up to much after the end of Desperate Housewives, she wouldn't be packing audiences in a West End theatre even without a criminal conviction.
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Post by parsley1 on Dec 14, 2023 14:00:23 GMT
KST packed them into the West end
So did Branagh
Doubt either performance going into the annals of fame
Huffman is worth well over 40 million dollars
I am sure this is part of low key approach to a foray into live acting
She has also won an Emmy a Golden Globe
And been nominated for an Oscar and 3 further Globes
No one can condone the behaviour which lead to her arrest
But she has been punished quite amply
Many politicians and others get away with a lot more without any consequences
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Post by zahidf on Dec 14, 2023 14:34:11 GMT
Shes paid the price for her crime, so if she wants to rebuild her career with a play, thats fair enough.
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Post by sph on Dec 14, 2023 15:05:19 GMT
A criminal record would end the majority of people's career, irrespective of their talent. Hopefully she's thanking her lucky starts that she can continue in any capacity but I doubt it. Would it? In Hollywood a criminal record seems to be part of many an actor's CV... Those whose careers "ended" were usually in a career decline anyway, and even then they often pop back up a decade or so later with a new image and a new TV show. Her crime was very white-collar by Hollywood standards. That being said, I'm am always a bit surprised to see big names playing smaller venues outside the West End, but I like it. I mean don't we currently have Woody Harrelson at Riverside Studios? |
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Post by vickyg on Dec 14, 2023 17:11:38 GMT
A criminal record would end the majority of people's career, irrespective of their talent. Hopefully she's thanking her lucky starts that she can continue in any capacity but I doubt it. Would it? In Hollywood a criminal record seems to be part of many an actor's CV... Those whose careers "ended" were usually in a career decline anyway, and even then they often pop back up a decade or so later with a new image and a new TV show. Her crime was very white-collar by Hollywood standards. That being said, I'm am always a bit surprised to see big names playing smaller venues outside the West End, but I like it. I mean don't we currently have Woody Harrelson at Riverside Studios? I was talking more about normal folk really. My job would be well and truly gone if I got myself a criminal record as I'm sure most people's would. |
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Post by d'James on Dec 14, 2023 18:49:26 GMT
A criminal record would end the majority of people's career, irrespective of their talent. Hopefully she's thanking her lucky starts that she can continue in any capacity but I doubt it. Would it? In Hollywood a criminal record seems to be part of many an actor's CV... Those whose careers "ended" were usually in a career decline anyway, and even then they often pop back up a decade or so later with a new image and a new TV show. Her crime was very white-collar by Hollywood standards. That being said, I'm am always a bit surprised to see big names playing smaller venues outside the West End, but I like it. I mean don't we currently have Woody Harrelson at Riverside Studios? Well, haven't you hit the nail on the head there. The operative word being 'actor.' Actresses on the other hand... (I know, actor can be for everyone, I'm just using it to make a point.) |
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Post by sph on Dec 14, 2023 23:21:18 GMT
Would it? In Hollywood a criminal record seems to be part of many an actor's CV... Those whose careers "ended" were usually in a career decline anyway, and even then they often pop back up a decade or so later with a new image and a new TV show. Her crime was very white-collar by Hollywood standards. That being said, I'm am always a bit surprised to see big names playing smaller venues outside the West End, but I like it. I mean don't we currently have Woody Harrelson at Riverside Studios? Well, haven't you hit the nail on the head there. The operative word being 'actor.' Actresses on the other hand... (I know, actor can be for everyone, I'm just using it to make a point.) There's a fair amount of actresses and female celebrities out there whose mugshots have graced the pages of the tabloids yet all has been forgotten not too long after. Heck even Martha Stewart bounced back! And Winona Ryder popped back up after a couple of years from her shoplifting arrest. I seem to recall Lindsay Lohan being a bit of a wild child too... |
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Post by finalperformance on Dec 15, 2023 0:49:36 GMT
She looks great in that picture taken years ago. I say give her a break and head to the off West End playhouse.
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Post by d'James on Dec 15, 2023 1:09:51 GMT
Well, haven't you hit the nail on the head there. The operative word being 'actor.' Actresses on the other hand... (I know, actor can be for everyone, I'm just using it to make a point.) There's a fair amount of actresses and female celebrities out there whose mugshots have graced the pages of the tabloids yet all has been forgotten not too long after. Heck even Martha Stewart bounced back! And Winona Ryder popped back up after a couple of years from her shoplifting arrest. I seem to recall Lindsay Lohan being a bit of a wild child too... You really think people have forgotten about the three you mentioned? I know nothing about Martha Stewart, but the other two are really nowhere near recovered career-wise. |
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Post by sph on Dec 15, 2023 1:32:26 GMT
I'd say headlining one of the biggest streaming series around is a pretty solid "recovered" career for a 52-year-old actress yeah.
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Post by theatrescribe on Dec 19, 2023 22:13:54 GMT
I saw this Bush Theatre and thought it was pretty sickening - abuse and degradation of a semi-comatose man played for laughs.
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Post by cat6 on Feb 6, 2024 13:38:52 GMT
Hi! Just saw Felicity Huffman has been fortunate to find employment starring in "Hir" on the west end (according to Mail and Guardian articles). A few years ago Huffman, who comes from a wealthy family and is married to actor William H. Macy, starred in her real-life scandal (dubbed "varsity blues") over here in the US in which she attempted to bribe her daughter's way into uni and ended up in prison. Work has been scarce.
From The Guardian: "Not everyone who sees the new revival of Taylor Mac’s anarchic comedy "Hir" (pronounced “here”) will realise that the play was named by the New York Times as one of the 25 most influential works of postwar queer literature, alongside the likes of Angels in America and Giovanni’s Room."
Do you have any desire to attend this play?
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 6, 2024 20:09:39 GMT
KST packed them into the West end So did Branagh Doubt either performance going into the annals of fame Huffman is worth well over 40 million dollars I am sure this is part of low key approach to a foray into live acting She has also won an Emmy a Golden Globe And been nominated for an Oscar and 3 further Globes No one can condone the behaviour which lead to her arrest But she has been punished quite amply Many politicians and others get away with a lot more without any consequences How on earth is she worth over 40million? Inherited money? |
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Post by theatrefan62 on Feb 6, 2024 21:14:52 GMT
KST packed them into the West end So did Branagh Doubt either performance going into the annals of fame Huffman is worth well over 40 million dollars I am sure this is part of low key approach to a foray into live acting She has also won an Emmy a Golden Globe And been nominated for an Oscar and 3 further Globes No one can condone the behaviour which lead to her arrest But she has been punished quite amply Many politicians and others get away with a lot more without any consequences How on earth is she worth over 40million? Inherited money? She was earning over $300,000 per episode in DH by the end, plus I'm sure she gets residuals. Invest that wisely and it would be pretty easy to be worth 40 million |
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Post by FJ on Feb 16, 2024 14:07:10 GMT
Caught the first preview last night and really enjoyed it.
Haven't been to the Park Theatre before and loved the intimacy of it.
I think all 4 actors were brilliant, particularly Felicity Huffman (the main reason I went to see it). Very well polished for a first preview.
Mix of comedy but with deep undertones, interesting themes explored and some great performances.
I thought perhaps a bit of a mixed reaction from the audience, some people definitely looking bored throughout but others (myself included) very engaged.
I'd give it 4 stars.
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Post by parsley1 on Feb 16, 2024 16:31:38 GMT
I have never been so glad to escape at half time as last night
The acting is good
The dialogue is atrocious
Characters exchange lines which are not even part of any dialogue
There are awful diatribes like a diversity campaign
The set looks like it cost 50p
It’s clear to me Taylor Mac isn’t a playwright
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Post by l0islane on Feb 16, 2024 22:38:19 GMT
Caught this tonight. Wow it was miserable. As others have said the performances are great but the play is a mess. Lots of issues raised without any insight into any of them. I was confused, bored and ultimately underwhelmed.
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Post by parsley1 on Feb 16, 2024 23:40:58 GMT
The playwright is incapable of modulating his thoughts
What you get is a play with every embarrassing cliche
And is desperately politically correct
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Post by avfan on Feb 22, 2024 15:25:10 GMT
Loved this last night. Cast were superb across the board but Felicity Huffman was particularly wonderful. Direction and design was superb. Yes it's somewhat overwritten but the performances and direction really make up for it. Well worth a watch.
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Post by prefab on Mar 7, 2024 22:09:37 GMT
I saw the matinee this afternoon and really loved it. I will say that even though the play is only about 10 years old, some of the comic scenes in the first act seemed really dated, especially the jokes about Max's pronouns and the way that Isaac reacts when he sees his transitioning younger sibling. But I was totally gripped by the more overt mother/son conflict in the second act, and I thought Huffman was amazing, bringing humanity and depth to a chracter who could have easily been played as simply crazy.
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Post by frauleinsallybowles on Mar 9, 2024 10:07:08 GMT
Caught this last night, as a longtime Desperate Housewives fan and a free Friday evening I grabbed a ticket a few hours before showtime. Quite unfortunate that for a 200 seat theatre there were a fair few empty seats, but with mild reviews and a difficult choice of play I can see why this wouldn’t have universal appeal.
I wasn’t sure how I would react to this after reading the posts on the forum, but I ended up feeling quite affected and thinking about the play on my way home and this morning. The gentleman in front of me seemed to be crying quite hard during the final scene, which was not my reaction but I did find the piece moving in a strange way—thinking about what a mother does for their child even with all of their shortcomings. I think my reaction was heightened by the fact of seeing a fallen Hollywood star (and mother) at such an intimate venue in Finsbury Park (!)
She came out afterwards and was exceedingly gracious with fans, chatting to them for a long while (shaking hands and introducing herself as “I’m Felicity”) and it is endearing to see how adoring fans are even after her very public fall from grace.
I did enjoy this, though some of the humour grated at times and parts of the text made me uncomfortable. 3.5-4 stars for me, and I do feel grateful to have seen this wonderful actress perform up close as she doesn’t done work on stage for many years.
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Post by zuberin0 on Mar 10, 2024 14:30:52 GMT
Thought it was okay. Kinda old-fashioned in its execution. Passed the time well enough. Not sure it'll stick though.
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Post by Mr Snow on Mar 13, 2024 10:32:46 GMT
One of things Covid hit was Taylor Mac perfoming in London. We had caught 4 parts of his 24 decade History of popular music" and what a blast it was. Great subject uniqely tackled. Judy had hoped to build it over here.
Such a great performer, I hope its revived. This thread prompted me and I see it has been filmed. Will check it out.
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Post by Steve on Mar 13, 2024 11:27:33 GMT
Saw this, thought it worked wonderfully and really liked it. Much preferred it to the Bush Production, where one of the characters was directed differently. This version is less grotesque, more thoughtful. Felicity Huffman is great, as are the entire ensemble. Some spoilers follow. . . The premise of the play is that an abusive bloke (Simon Startin's Arnold) has had a stroke, and his wife (Felicity Huffman's Paige) has ditched all his controlling rules. Her 15 year old trans son (Thalia Dudek's Max) has gone along with this, but now, Paige's antsy soldier son (Steffan Cennydd's Isaac) comes home. At the Bush Theatre, Ashley McGuire's Paige was on a massive revenge kick, and was wantonly cruel to her disabled husband in almost every scene, savouring her sadism. The effect was grotesque and off-putting. In this production, Felicity Huffman's Paige treats her husband like someone tending a vegetable garden. Its matter-of-fact and there's no sadism. This means we can take her point of view more seriously, and her conflict with her soldier son plays out in a more balanced, more intriguing way. In fact, you could almost see this as an episode of "Desperate Housewives," Season 20, as that show was always coming up with quirky ways for the Housewives to deal with abusive partners, and the events here don't really jump the shark of that show's tone by more than a whisker. I really loved Thalia Dudek's performance as the trans son, as their work here is so deeply empathetic. 4 stars from me.  |
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