DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN

posted by James Reel

    I could’ve sworn I got into the car and drove four miles to see a play at the University of Arizona, but I seem to have stayed home and watched the Turner Classic Movies channel, colorized:

    These days, young classical musicians head straight to the CD shelf to listen to what the pros have done before they dare to develop their own interpretation of a piece. Similarly, I think some of the young cast members of The Philadelphia Story at the UA spent more time watching the classic film version of the play than internalizing their characters. …
    On opening night last week, the first scene didn't seem at all lived-in; the actors were more focused on technical issues than addressing their character dynamics. Gradually, though, the actors found their groove, and began delivering performances of greater involvement. By the end, things were cooking nicely.
    They weren't following original recipes, though. Sarah Hayes didn't play Tracy Lord so much as she played Katharine Hepburn, or, actually, it was more like playing Cate Blanchett playing Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator. Similarly, suave Dane Corrigan filled the role of Dexter by channelling Cary Grant. (In fairness, this is a version with more backbone of a characterization Corrigan offered to good effect in The Rivals, so maybe this is just his natural demeanor.)
    Celebrity impersonation like this can be amusing, often comforting, and in the case of Tracy Lord unavoidable, but ultimately it gives no idea of what an actor can do without hewing to a famous model.