THE HANGOVER REPORT – The stage adaptation of MISERY works on its own pulpy terms (or all hail Laurie Metcalf)

IMG_5215Bruce Willis fans, take heed. The main reason to see William Goldman’s stage adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery, which opened last night on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre, is the deliciously ripe, no-holds-barred performance by Laurie Metcalf, one of our very finest stage actresses, as the obsessive Annie Wilkes.

Ms. Metcalf’s performance elevates Mr. Goldman’s play from tentative stage adaptation about a world famous novelist (played blandly by Mr. Willis) held hostage by maniacal fan (Ms. Metcalf) to irresistible pulp fiction. Thank god, because neither the writing nor Will Frears’ by-the-books direction (the pretty cool revolving set design is by David Korins) is necessarily scary or suspenseful. What Ms. Metcalf brings to the table is a strong sense of who Annie Wilkes is – she’s pathetic and desperate, and she knows it. This self-knowledge and the commitment she brings to the role is astonishing, and combined with the lackluster material she’s been given, a sort of pulp goddess (whose often drop-dead hilarious) has emerged in the guise of Laure Metcalf’s Annie Wilkes – and you simply can’t take your eyes off of her.

RECOMMENDED – Thanks solely to Ms. Metcalf’s performance

 

MISERY
Broadway, Play
Broadhurst Theatre
1 hour, 30 minutes (with no intermission)
Through February 14

Categories: Broadway, Theater

Leave a Reply