Word: toning
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Pinter produces a modern-day satiric comedy with this setting, pointing out the rampant nature of and numbing feeling which accompanies death. The ironic tone of the play is set with Ben's commentary about what he is reading in the newspaper. During the first few minutes of the play, we see Gus trying to tie his shoe while Ben fervently peruses the paper. Every so often Ben will throw the paper down in disgust, sigh, moan or scream and pick it up and continue reading. After the third or fourth angry outburst like this, Gus asks Ben what...
...plays him with the utmost earnestness. He never lets a furrowed brow clear into enlightenment, but instead remains serious about what he is saying. This makes the humor of Pinter's words even more pointed. Zelman never gives in to the joke, but rides the satiric and ironic tone of his monologues until the horror and pain of them forces the audience to laugh. It is nice to see someone who has camped it up on the Pudding stage, show the wide range of his talent with his tight hold on the part...
Fish plays the hot-tempered Ben with the explosiveness it requires. Unlike Zelman, however, he is not able to maintain the serious and earnest tone throughout his part. One reason for this is that his part calls on him to be the leader of the two of them. Ben reports to the "boss," Wilson. He calls the shots. He knows when they should arrive for a hit and when they should lay low and wait. Ben is very similar to Joe Pesci's character in "GoodFellas," but what we see are strains of Fish's former comedic roles seeping into...
Adding to this documentary tone is the unusual quality of the acting throughout "Go Fish." My first reaction upon seeing some of the scenes was, "Jeez, these women are bad actresses." And even though none of them have much, if any, acting experience, you soon forget about their acting ability and realize what you thought was bad line delivery is a picture of sincerity. When V.S. Brodie winks at the camera in one scene, you know you are looking at real people who have stepped into these roles and are having a good time with the camera...
...would do well to turn down the flip, patronizing tone of your work. You've got a whole lifetime ahead of you to get so righteous...