tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9902716.post1449602868767226349..comments2024-02-22T01:36:48.427-08:00Comments on On Theatre and Politics - Matthew Freeman: Frank Rich on Durang from 1981Freemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183078884824734105noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9902716.post-65458532400783175012008-02-28T16:38:00.000-08:002008-02-28T16:38:00.000-08:00To add on to your post Art, I saw a Q&A with Adam ...To add on to your post Art, I saw a Q&A with Adam Rapp and he talked about that very thing - that it was absolutely a crazy making, pressurized experience to be writing a play and have the fear hanging over you about what the New York Times was going to say. He seemed agonized when he was talking about it. And, this was BEFORE Essential Self-Defense premiered. Way before.Christine Whitleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00753800284050836904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9902716.post-2074791515836406282008-02-28T11:14:00.000-08:002008-02-28T11:14:00.000-08:00Hi Matt,For a good perspective on this, I would hi...Hi Matt,<BR/><BR/>For a good perspective on this, I would highly recommend reading the afterword in Durang's collection of plays again.<BR/><BR/>In it he discusses the very personal effect of what you state here about Rich. <BR/><BR/>Essentially, Durang lost his will to go through with trying to write new plays and subject them to the New York critics. (Especially Rich.) <BR/><BR/>I don't have the text in front of me, but a paraphrase is this:<BR/><BR/>"I could no longer even enjoy an opening night in which the audience was enthusiastic. I would be so anxious about what the critics were going to say." <BR/><BR/>He also speaks specifically to the fact that Rich seemed to want Durang to basically keep writing Sister Ignatius forever. Durang's thoughts are a bit more complex than I am making them out to be here.<BR/><BR/>It is worth the read.Arthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04845394320537913576noreply@blogger.com