[actfray]

I was just there last week. Got some similar shots. I used to live in suburban Maryland and would visit Gtown quite often.

 

By the way, several of your photos turned out as red X's or empty squares. Is that my computer screwing up?

[actfray]

Yes, the doctors do ask her this. In fact, they suggest that perhaps Reagan’s father (referred to as “Howard”, hence Captain Howdy) may have been the abuser. Chris absolutely denies any of this.

[actfray]

 I'll try not to give away any spoilers in the event that some of you may still want to see the play. But there's nothing much to spoil. Since we're all fans of the movie, any of us (myself included) will see this play with a biased point if view.

 

 I had a great seat, so I didn't have to strain to see anything. The Geffen Theater is a beautiful venue that's not so big to be overwhelming. While I was definitely not bored by the production, I just wish I would have been drawn in a little more. The director, John Doyle, has a very mannered approach to the material, so this caused the play (for me) to come off as one-dimensional and chatty. I certainly didn't expect to see a live version of the movie, but the characters never really seemed to connect onstage. Regan (played by 23-year-old Emily Yetter who is very good) is the centerpoint of the production, both literally and figuratively – while she is centerstage for the entire 95 minutes, most of the other actors stand apart from one another in profile while saying their lines. For me, this created a division that never really allowed the characters to connect on a human level. It was almost as if they were only representing characters and not inhabiting them. Richard Chamberlain's breaking of the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience didn't bother me, but I guess I would have rather seen the events played out from start to finish without the commentary from Merrin. My favorite performance was from David Wilson Barnes who played Karras as a conflicted man who is losing his faith but not his wit or sarcasm. He brought some humanity to the proceedings that was sorely lacking in some of the other characters (the doctors, for example). Harry Groener as Burke Dennings was a nice fleshing out of the character that was only hinted at in the film (Having not read the novel in many years, I can't remember if Dennings was more detailed in that). Mr. Groener brought the funny to the play in the appropriate places. His fate in the story caused one woman in the audience to scream out in horror – the sound effects and music did their jobs.

 

 And then there's Brooke Shields. I wish I could tell you that she transcended the role of Chris MacNeil, but I knew that wasn't going to happen before I even set foot in the theater. Ms. Shields gave it her all, but there was very little restraint in her performance. I always felt she was anticipating each moment instead of living in the present one, and her vocal range never left the upper register. No one will ever top Ellen Burstyn in the film, but I can only imagine what a seasoned stage actress such as Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet would have done with this role. Even during the curtain call, she looked uncomfortable as about one third of the audience stood to applaud.

 

 Emily Yetter was a pleasant surprise as Regan. The 23-year-old has a face that can be cute one minute and evil the next. Much of her performance was mimed, but she was able to contort her body in ways that allowed the audience to believe that a demon was indeed taking possession of her. Whenever she said “Come closer, I want to tell you a secret” to certain characters, some members of the audience averted their eyes and covered their ears. Ms. Yetter without a doubt created a palpable sense of dread whenever she appeared onstage.

 

 I also enjoyed Roslyn Ruff as Carla, the MacNeil's housekeeper and watchful eye over Regan. Having witnessed atrocities in Rwanda, Carla is no stranger to evil or demons for that matter, and Ms. Ruff does a fine job of portraying this earnest woman.

 

 Overall, I was entertained by the play, and it was a kick to hear famous lines from the film intertwined with new ones written specifically for the stage version. The set was appropriately church-like and cacophonous, and a huge cross hung over the stage that would symbolize a heroic act that takes place at the end (and we all know what that is).

 

        

[actfray]

I just got a discount ticket for $35. I'm going to see it next Wednesday the 25th. The reviews have been mixed, but I'm also an actor and try to see as much theater as I can afford. Plus, I've been interested in this stage adaptation since I read about it last year. I'll post my thoughts afterward.

[actfray]

I first saw it in July 1975 when I was 14 years old. It was at a now-defunct movie theater in Greensboro, NC. My father took me and two friends to see it. I remember the ticket prices were $1.25. I saw it again several times over the next few years when it was re-released and shuffled around to various movie theaters in Greensboro. In 1977 I snuck a small cassette recorder into a theater to record as much of it as I could. It was a late-night screening, and the audience was revved up for heckling. When Chris MacNeil tells the doctor that she's “never even smoked grass,” someone in the crowd yelled, “You should!” The whole place fell apart laughing and cheering. But as the movie progressed, the crowd got silent. Screams of terror replaced the heckling.

I remember seeing “Exorcist II: The Heretic” in a movie theater in Greensboro, too. I thought this was a mess although it did have a few effective scenes.

I saw “Exorcist III” in a theater in Chapel Hill, NC. I wasn't crazy about the movie, but the scene in the hospital corridor still haunts me to this day. I need to see it again as I haven't seen it since its original release.

[actfray]

I live in Los Angeles and am hoping to get a ticket. I'll post my thoughts if I do see it.

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