Can we just say that Mark Rylance is rocking the very foundations of the Music Box theater these days? Mr. Rylance plays an essentially unlikeable character. He makes no apologies for that. There is nothing in the script that is meant to endear him to us. Doesn't matter. I can assure you that when Rooster (Mr. Rylance) lets loose his ire and resentment, when he reaches into his soul for past-due retribution--the power of his performance can fracture your sense of well-being and put you in awe of this majestic actor.
What can I say? That he actually gave a performance that rivals this one only a few months ago? How could I say that?. Except that he did. The opening 25-minute monologue of La Bête, in rhyming verse mind you, was Mr. Rylance in a bravura turn and provoked a prolonged ovation every night. I for one went back three times in one week. I could not take my eyes or my wonder off the incredible Mr. Rylance.
Hey, I did not love the play as much as some have. Who cares when you have this kind of sheer acting power in the central role? It reminds me that Eleonora Duse left her audiences in stunned reverence at the power of her performance--and she only performed in Italian!
Ron Gallen
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