Brian Cox trashes Othello and its ticket prices

MARY has stated her boundaries! She has taken off her GLOVES and THROWN THEM DOWN, after slapping them RIGHT in Brian Cox's FACE!

Take THAT, Brian Cox!! So much for your two Olivier awards, your primetime Emmy, and your Golden Globe, not to mention your CBE! Miss OP has just READ you to utter FILTH!!

Brian Cox is a classically trained Shakespearean actor, R1, so his opinion is worth something here. Denzel likely has the gravity to play Othello. He’s been acting almost as long as Jake’s been alive, and has lots of theater experience. Jake’s a spring chicken to someone with a career as long and distinguished as Cox’s, and is more familiar as a screen actor. Why should Cox pat Jake on the back for a performance he hasn’t seen, when there’s no guarantee Jake will be good (from Cox’s perspective).

Sorry I meant OP not R1 and may have cross-posted

[quoteI'm sure Denzel, arguably one of the greatest actors of this generation desperately needs the advice of some C list actor who had one hit TV show to his name. As does Gyllenhaal.

Why would you or anyone say that the ponderously mannered Denzel is "one of the greatest actors of this (sic) generation"?

C list actor? No. Asshole? Yes.

Cox is such a cunt. He should fuck off back to that shithole Dundee from whence he came.

[quote] I'm sure Denzel, arguably one of the greatest actors of this generation, desperately needs the advice of some C list actor who had one hit TV show to his name.

Is he the one from THE SHIELD?

He was gifted one prominent TV role (one which any Brit of a certain age could've sleepwalked through) and he has now declared himself's God's authority on all things acting!

Denzel is a hammy, mannered hack.

[quote]R4 Why would you or anyone say that the ponderously mannered Denzel is "one of the greatest actors of this (sic) generation"?

Yes. When I think of Denzel Washington I think of THE PELICAN BRIEF.

r7 Grow up

[quote]Why should Cox pat Jake on the back for a performance he hasn’t seen, when there’s no guarantee Jake will be good (from Cox’s perspective).

Why shouldn't Cox save his doubts and judgment until he's actually seen Jake's performance?

His syntax is like Trump's tweets. Saying stuff like "and Jake Gyllenhall, who I hear is not particuarly wonderful."

Also maybe he should see the show.

Cox is fearless in his reviews of big star performances. Here is his take on Joaquin Phoenix's performance in "Napoleon":

[quote] “It’s terrible,” Cox said of the Oscar-nominated historical drama, per The Standard. “A truly terrible performance by Joaquin Phoenix. It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking. I think it’s totally his fault and I don’t think Ridley Scott helps him. I would have played it a lot better than Joaquin Phoenix, I tell you that. You can say it’s good drama. No — it’s lies.”

[quote] Cox then mused about Phoenix’s name: “I think he’s well named. Joaquin … wackeen … wacky. It’s a sort of wacky performance.”

"Brian Cox is a classically trained Shakespearean actor, [R1], so his opinion is worth something here."

Denzel also has classical training.

ALL ticket prices are up on Broadway. George Clooney is playing nearby at the same rates.

Why just single out this production?

I like the fact he tells it like it is.

R16, perhaps the show hadn't opened yet, as there is no date as to when the remark was made.

[quote]The Daily Mail reported that during a talk at a London theatre, Cox remarked about the state of the business: “There’s amazing shows and hits, but there’s too much money stuff involved in American theatre where apparently, you’re paying $1,000 a night to see Othello with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, who I hear is not particularly wonderful.”

[quote] “It’s terrible,” Cox said of the Oscar-nominated historical drama, per The Standard. “A truly terrible performance by Joaquin Phoenix. It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking. I think it’s totally his fault and I don’t think Ridley Scott helps him.

Having seen "Napoleon," I would agree with that 100%.

It was a terrible performance in a film notable only for its beautiful battle sequences and for the repeated awful spectacle of Napoleon mounting Josephine from behind all their clothes on while standing.

Actually Coc is correctly about everything. Ticket prices are nuts, especially for Otello. From all reports Denzel os walking through Othello and acting like, well, Denzel

Joaquin Phoenix's Napoleon performance was so bizarre. I bet Ridley Scott wanted to kill him.

Just my opinion but I think Denzel is a good actor but not great. And paying almost $1000 a ticket is ridiculous for any show.

Then Ridley Scott shouldn't have hired him.

But, Ridley Scott is also an egomaniac.

[quote]arguably one of the greatest actors of this generation

One of the biggest clichés in celebrity journalism. They always have to add "arguably" as the disclaimer.

This is going to keep me up all night.

Hasn't Jake been getting the good reviews for this though? I only saw some headlines when it was first getting reviewed but it sounded to me like people said Denzel's sleepwalking through it while Jake is actually a great Iago

Brian Cox was a sour, ornery, POS even before he was cast in Succession. In fact, the reason why he was cast was because he was a POS.

[quote]The 78-year-old Scottish actor went on to say that a friend who’d seen the show had been left stunned by the high price and the lack of quality on offer. “A friend of mine said they couldn’t believe it, and they paid a f***load,” said Cox. “Excuse me, that’s wrong. That balance is wrong because it puts the theatre in a whole different place.”

He's hilarious and speaks the truth. He's right about the state of American theatre, too. Probably why he's hit a nerve around here.

Cox also has a great sense of humor, especially about himself, or he would never have agreed to this, (for anyone who has never seen it, and those who have and would love to see it again!).

Let's see Denzel do a McDonald's commercial!

R30 Would you settle for Home Depot?

[quote]Brian Cox was a sour, ornery POS

He's Scottish, that's their factory setting.

The ticket price is a more than fair criticism. In the Actors on Actors interview between Jake and Audra he asks her if she's seen his show yet and she replies she can't afford it. Matt Bomer had a swing at the price in one of his recent interviews too.

Criticizing a performance you haven't seen is never a good look, though. Jake claims to have been training and rehearsing for Iago for a full 12 months. Over 5 months Ariana Grande managed to train her voice up to high notes written for Cheno, so who knows what a determined and well guided actor could achieve in a year. I haven't seen Othello, but from the reviews it sounds like Jake is up against not only a difficult role but a lacklustre director, and that with all that baggage he's doing pretty well.

He made a lot of money doing Succession, which is far more soap opera than Shakespeare.

He's lucky, stupid and mean.

Denzel?

He terribel.

Whomever claims that Denzel is arguably the best whatever clearly didn't see Gladiator 2.

I saw Denzel in Julius Caesar on Broadway years ago and it and his performance were instantly forgettable. Denzel is ok, but hardly the talent of our generation.

R36, I think Denzel has reach that phase, like Robert De Niro, where he is coasting and he will make movies not up to his usual standards. As for this version of Othello? I blame the Director. Every single thing I have read about this production tells me that the choices made by the director resulted in a "meh" production. Gyllenhaal is getting raves for his Iago. I saw him in Sunday in the Park and he was insanely good. Really. So I have no doubt that he is doing a great job . Denzel's performance is weak, and part of the reason is that his character has been shoe horned into an interpretation that isn't the best fit. Yes t he ticket prices are outrageous. I agree with the criticism. But Broadway has been heading in that direction for a while. To keep theater alive and popular, they try to grab famous movie stars and the cost of hiring a famous movie star as a box office draw, is expensive. In America, live theatre, the arts in general., are not subsidized as they are in other countries. This production of Othello is just the most extreme expression of that.

[quote]I'm sure Denzel, arguably one of the greatest actors of this generation, desperately needs the advice of some C list actor who had one hit TV show to his name.

"Luckily successful, albeit hard-working and well-marketed in the cool-and-symbolic Poitier (but angry) later-career mold," perhaps.

I won't see it because as a Shakespeare scholar I am always disappointed by actual productions. (I'm not disappointed by high school endeavors, though, because there's always some delight in something on stage.) I have watched Mr. Washington's scenes in "Much Ado" and almost made it through two scenes in his Macbeth piece. Bits of the "Othello" performance are available and I see no growth in informed characterization, appearance of full comprehension, elocution or aptness of stylization.

I don't ask much from actors. I have been one. Make yourself fit the character in speech and action aligned with a staging's (acceptable) vision and direction.

Don't try to fit the character to you, which is a debasement of Method or a plainly proud cluelessness. An actor is not a mere poseur, Mr. Washington.

Denzel is so articulate! Jake is so straight!

I was surprised last week when Denzel turned out to be more than adequate and not the total disaster I was expecting. Does he understand what he's saying? Not for a second. Is Jake better than he is? Barely. The entire thing is hijacked by this kid Burnap, who actually understands his character and commits to it.

I agree with him about the ticket prices but his put-down of fellow actors is just bitchery.

[Quote] Let's see Denzel do a McDonald's commercial!

Please God no. I don’t want to see his ponderous acting extolling the virtues of Big Macs

[Quote] I agree with him about the ticket prices but his put-down of fellow actors is just bitchery.

There comes a point in an actor’s life when he can no longer lie and pretend every actor is great all the time

R41 Burnap and Kit Connor ended up being my top Shakespeare performances for the season, which I wouldn’t have expected in a season with Denzel.

Brian Cox may be an ornery, cranky bitch, but that doesn't mean he's wrong!

At times it’s refreshing to hear someone speak the truth.

But much of the time, he’s just being a dick.

Cox is 100% spot on here.

Jeez, if you can steal Othello playing Cassio big props, but also, you must be in a hella bad production.