Well we received a glowing review in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel! Alex (Eddie) was raved about. I didn't get quite the stellar mention that he did, but it still spoke positively of me in the end... "Bethany Ligocki Peters' May is as conflicted as the man she loves and hates.
Shepard's women are rarely as compelling as his men, and Peters can be overly emphatic in trying to bring May to life. But she gets there, with an aria toward the play's close that gives voice to all that Eddie himself feels - and never finds the words to say."
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/123189508.html
Thirdcoastdigest.com on the other hand, tore me to shreds and stole a tiny piece of my soul. Haha, ok that's an exaggeration, but I was frustrated and disappointed with the review and his opinion that I seemed "disconnected" and "aloof". The critic DID refer to May and Eddie's relationship as sibling rivalry, so I'm not going to give his opinion much weight anyway. But it still stings to have your accomplishment ripped into when you pour so much of yourself into a role, and you invest so much in rehearsals and the final production (time - AWAY from my husband no less! - effort and money on costumes, props...) Expressmilwaukee.com basically said that Alex and I lacked chemistry, and examiner.com said "This Alchemist production gets off to a rough start: movie-star gorgeous Bethany Ligocki Peters doesn’t quite exhibit the acting chops needed to internalize May’s torturous inner life (it is, to be fair, the most difficult role in the play)." I guess I'd rather be hideously ugly and have talent... but I'm still growing!
It's tough when you care so much and are proud of your show, and then you get a bad review. But you can't let it bring you down or let you second guess your choices in your performance. Instead, as my loving husband advised me, "Use it as fuel to take you to the next level."
A review is one person's outside opinion. (Funny how the only negative thing said about my performance in the Journal review is that I can be overly emphatic sometimes, but then Third Coast Digest complained that the cast is "under-wrought". See, it's all up to interpretation.) It's easy for a critic to come and sit back and critique the entertainment we provide, and nobody gets to proofread the review in case they're off base and missed the point of the play... It stinks that it's published for the public, but it's one person's conclusion. Which is why we artists continue onward to provide entertainment for audience members to form their own opinions. And in the end, what really matters for an actor is if you, your director and everyone involved in the production are happy with the outcome. And I am! WE are!!! I'm proud of our work and I've had a fantastic experience with this show, and I won't forget that! I don't act for praises in the paper. Theatre is a safe place to explore unsafe ideas, and I love that I get to be involved in theatre and bring a story to life!
Critics are paid to be critical. It's really challenging to put yourself out there completely, but thank God for performers and artists who have tough skin and aren't afraid of failing or of a few public insults here and there. Without brave artists, the public wouldn't have entertainment, and critics wouldn't have a job!
actors DO. reviewers DON'T. simply said, Bethany. anyone who bases whether or not they see a play or movie on one person's opinion is shorting themselves. they're allowing ONE individual to make up their mind for them. one reviewer loved FOOL and one didn't. what to do? one reviewer didn't like the SCRIPT. talk to Sam Shepard...what are we, as actors, to do with that? performers love great reviews and toss aside the bad ones. it's our nature. personally, i'd love to see a reviewer who may not have liked a show say, "it wasn't for me - but that doesn't mean YOU won't like it. check it out and make up your own mind".
ReplyDeletei have LOVED working with you, Bethany. my return to the stage (since 2004) could not have come under better circumstances. same could be said about working with Derek, Alex, Bo and Aaron. class act all the way. i'd work with you all again in a heartbeat. i'd do this same show all over again.