David Mamet's RACE, on Broadway

I seem to be busy: going to these shows, but it was my birthday and we decided to just have some fun.

"RACE" opened for previews on November 16th and we saw it on the 19th. I am sure that there is some tweaking to be done, but all was pretty buttoned up.

Problem is, the play seems as if Mamet found the script, put away earlier in time, and decided to bring it to Broadway now. The subject matter is old and current at the same time, but what did I learn from it? He didn't bring a different perspective to light. It is possible to say that the play showed that nothing much has changed on the subject of race, but then I have to ask why do it? There are some lines which mention that it was different years ago when racism was so obvious, but again, we already knew that.

Now the cast: James Spader is playing a lawyer, just like the one he played on TV. I feel that his dialogue was more interesting in one of his "Boston Legal" speeches than it was in the play. And he delivered it better on TV. David Alan Grier did a very convincing job but his role was secondary to Spader. Richard Thomas was dull as was Kerry Washington. She read her lines as one usually reads them in a Mamet play, but her delivery was flat.

Richard Thomas's character was supposed to be a very rich man, but the way he was dressed, as if his clothes needed a bit more tailoring, made me wonder if a point was being made, or was it just a poor choice of costume design?

I hope my comments help.

Hamlet starring Jude Law on Broadway

Finally got to see Jude Law up close: and was not disappointed. Although the play itself was lacking drama, lacking soul, it was a pleasure to see Jude Law do Shakespeare.

The show is closing December 6th, so if you do get tickets, I would mention that he seems to be on the left side of the stage (audience's left side,) more often, so choose a seat accordingly so you can see him better. We were in the third row, right side.

Most of the other actors were just average and if Jude Law was not in the production, I would have left. But then, if Jude Law was not playing Hamlet, I would not have purchased tickets in the first place.

It is a 3 hour play, so be prepared.