Audience reviews of The Philadelpha Story

These are from various blogs, LiveJournals and forums; don't expect the highest journalistic integrity.

At the What's Onstage forum, there's a thread on The Philadelpha Story. Here are some relevant extracts:

cast brilliant - especially jennifer ehle. thought that kevin spacey was the weak link as he just camped us ck dexter haven and played the part for laughs. terric costume, set and lighting design - you can tell that there was a broadway director at the helm

I saw the play on Tuesday and Wednesday and loved every second of it. It's a fantastic production, with such great acting from all the cast, INCLUDING Kevin Spacey, who was so funny. His comic timing is impeccable. Jennifer Ehle should win some awards, she's so good in it. I really love the sets, costumes and lighting too. Top class. I can't wait to see the play again next month.

On the set:

there is a drawing room scene and the patio scene. it is superbly designed from a lighting, costume and set point of view

Miss Perfectlyvague's less than complimentary LiveJournal review:

Realised that Spacey really is as mesmerising as they say, but that the part was never going to stretch him enough...come back next year and do something spellbinding, please. And Jennifer Ehle's shoulders and voice are abysmal, but there was something charming there - I've never seen Hepburn play Tracy Lord (snigger), but I know by assumption what she would be like, so no excuses, Miss.

And from Mr Barrysarll:

I've never seen the film but missfrost has and she confirms my suspicion that Jennifer Ehle is perhaps playing Katharine Hepburn a little too much. I later learn, however, that Ehle claims never to have seen said film. Most rum. This is a minor flaw, though, in a thoroughly entertaining American take on the drawing-room comedy. Kevin Spacey is of course excellent in the role Cary Grant played, though he departs halfway through the run to play Lex Luthor instead.

Knobby from Knobby's Blog has this to say:

First part was a bit dry - the following two halves were really good. I love the Dexter character. His sarcasm just falls out of him like when you break a pearl necklace and the pearls fall on the floor one by one. You gotta love someone who can provide good quality sarcasms.

One thing I have to say is that the American accents were... interesting. I'm guessing about half the cast are *not* American and half the Brits attempting an American accent have never been to America... The most dodgy ones were in the first part, then didn't appear as much after that. Jennifer Ehle's was the most impressive; I don't think she failed once.

Both Jennifer and Kevin looked a bit confused when they had to kiss ;) But it was romantic. Kind of :p