For possible discussion:
Have you ever gone to see a play or a musical (no movies allowed) where you absolutely hated every minute of it; even though everyone around you seemed to think it was a masterpiece?
I don't know if this counts, but. . .
I've seen countless productions of Martin Sherman's BENT, which I think is a fine, fine play, from the original Broadway cast to professional and non-professional production, but there is one professional production which stands out in my mind as one of the worst theater experiences I've ever encountered.
The "calling card," so to speak, on this particular production was the casting of one of Pittsburgh's finest actors in the leading role of Max. Well, he is indeed a fine actor, BUT, at the time, he was at least thirty-five years too OLD FOR THE PART! So I considered that strike one.
Strike two would be that the remainder of the cast was age-appropriate - which made Max look like a dirty old man, a pederast and God knows what else! God knows, his Rudy was a young actor barely out of his teens, and looking every bit his age. While his uncle (who provides the letters of transit) could easily have been Max's YOUNGER brother.
Strike three was the set for the concentration camp. The production was in three-quarters and the frigging fence was put up in FRONT of all the seating, so that instead of making the audience become a part of Max and Horst's travails, they were forced to be outsiders, distancing them from the emotional core of the play.
The too, too old actor garnered great reviews - mostly praising him for taking on such a daring role, and the audience I was with seemed (until Act Two) to think they were seeing great theater. . .but great theater it was not! IMHO.
I later worked with the young actor who portrayed Max' tragic one-night stand, who also was very unhappy with the production
