My review of 'The Performers'

[gymman]

I have a relative who is a producer, and my question is "why"? This is simply not Broadway material, mildly funny, but really simple minded (porn stars redeemed!) Henry Winkler as a porn star on the return...that pudgy body, the almost 70 year old face, the Catskills delivery?

Ari Graynor screeches her way through the role, and Mr. Jackson is just embarrassing as a "straight" porn star. Silverstone does what she can, but that's not much. Daniel Breaker is hot, but so obviously gay, and too old for the role,and with zero chemistry with Silverstone. Barber is a boring cliche, with horrible fake tits.

The laughs are few, and sets, lighting and sound are cheap (not in a good way).

[MimiJudith]

gymman, I agree with you completely. Well said.

[bjh2114]

Daniel Breaker is hot, but so obviously gay

Except for the part where... he's not. He's been married to Kate Whoriskey since 2008.

[gymman]

um...have you never met a gay man married to a woman? Geez...

[bjh2114]

I have. And Daniel Breaker is not one of them.

[gymman]

Perhaps not...but he plays as gay, and has zero chemistry with Silverstone (or anyone else in the play); perhaps it's just such a terrible piece that no good actor can do much with it.

At times, the play suggests homoerotic action, but it never feels
"real"...the bedroom scene between Silverstone and Gaynor, the "simultaneous ****ing" with Jackson and Daniel...it feels so false that I was embarrased for the actors.

[After Eight]

MimiJudith,

You have excellent taste. You are 100% on target here.

This play is an embarrassment: to one's intelligence, one's taste, the actors, the audience, and the theatre in general.

[MimiJudith]

Ha, thanks, After Eight! I thought this morning that I was a bit harsh yesterday (and also quite touchy, sorry, bjh2114!) but this show is just a complete failure. I felt so sorry for poor Henry Winkler. At least the other actors are towards the beginning of their careers. I don't know how this play even got to Broadway.

[After Eight]

I was embarrassed for him. But then, he chose to do it.

The Waldo reference was completely misplaced. How unfortunate even to be referenced in something like this.

This play is a disgrace.

[mikem]

I wouldn't say Daniel Breaker is too old for the role. In fact, I would say the opposite. He and Cheyenne and Alicia are supposed to be high school classmates, but he looks a bit young to have been in school with them. (In real life, Daniel is 32, Cheyenne is 37 and Alicia is 36, and I think they all look their age.) However, I would agree that he and Alicia have little chemistry together, unfortunately. I don't think that translates into Daniel coming across as too gay, but I think his character is kind of asexual and detached. He doesn't seem interested in anyone.

Maybe the show has been re-written, but I'm pretty sure that when I saw it this past weekend, in the opening scene, Daniel calls Cheyenne "Andrew" and Cheyenne says that he is Mandrew now. So there is no reveal at the end to the audience, just to Ari Graynor (who I think is fantastic).

And I would agree that someone who didn't like Little Dog Laughed probably wouldn't like this play, either.