The Unbearable Banishment: Mary-Louise Gabler

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Mary-Louise Gabler

I saw Mary-Louise Parker (my pretend girlfriend) in the Broadway production of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler.


When it opened a few months ago, the critics were almost unanimous in their disdain so I expected very little. Out loud, everyone says that they don't listen to the critics—especially New York theater critics. You won’t find a bigger bunch of malcontent failed writers and actors looking to tear down what they themselves could not build. But the truth is that EVERYONE listens to the critics.

I’ll admit that there were a few passages that were…ahhh…what’s the word I’m looking for? Oh, yea. Boring. A few scenes plodded along at too leisurely a pace. But I am pleased to report that, overall, I enjoyed it. Pretend Girlfriend (gawd, she’s cute) was in very fine form in the title role as a bored, depressed newlywed who becomes so despondent over her inability to control the lives of the people around her that she shoots herself in the head at the end of the play. Talk about your desperate housewife!

That fucking Ibsen is a real barrel of laughs, isn't he? The last time I saw an Ibsen play, Master Builder, I ended up walking out at the intermission—something I had not done in over a decade. I think I’m through with Ibsen. I’ll stick with the Bard and leave the depressed Norwegians for the New York theater intelligencia.

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12 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

i thought she was MY pretend girlfriend? don't make me come over there and armwrestle you for her...

ibsen = massive buzzkill... but i can't really throw rocks these days...

March 11, 2009 at 7:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd see a show about the life of Hedda Hopper but this Gabler gal sounds too heavy for me.

March 11, 2009 at 9:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is she as stick like as she looks on tv? Because she looks impossibly tiny, which is why I wish I had her body.

Cheery material. Shakespeare at least will throw in a few jokes with his depressing fare.

March 11, 2009 at 10:58 AM  
Blogger Please Don't Eat With Your Mouth Open said...

Ahh, I'm fully aware that critics are bitter, twisted individuals...but I absolutely love reading reviews of stuff I've watched and read.

Google reviews by A.A Gill in the Sunday Times and Charlie Brooker in the Guardian newspapers...such a way with words. I'd marry them both.

March 11, 2009 at 12:47 PM  
Blogger Digital Fortress said...

Isn't this the female equivalent of Hamlet?

Too bad it wasn't more enjoyable.

At least you could create your own stories in your mind while you watched your pretend girlfriend on the stage.

March 11, 2009 at 1:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love Mary-Louise Parker.

March 11, 2009 at 6:43 PM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

Daisy : She could be OUR pretend girlfriend, if you know what I mean. Wink-wink.

Pop: I’ll bet a show about Hedda Hopper would probably find a bigger audience, as well!

Annie: Click on that photo and blow it up. She is almost painfully thin! Just look at those arms! Still…she’s my girlfriend.

Jo: I had you pegged for many things, but a polygamist wasn’t one of them!

DF: I never thought about the Hamlet angle. It WAS enjoyable! My point is that the critics said it wasn’t and they were completely wrong. I liked it.

LKSN: You may love MLP but you’ll have to fight through myself and Daisyfae to get to her. Sorry.

March 11, 2009 at 7:22 PM  
Blogger kyknoord said...

You should see Ibsen's other play called Master Bator. Gripping stuff.

March 12, 2009 at 2:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i <3 Mary Louise Parker

March 12, 2009 at 11:25 PM  
Blogger bob said...

Did you know we are both separated from MLP by only two (2) degrees.

March 15, 2009 at 4:47 PM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

K: I've seen that show. A lot.

Nurse: Please see my previous comments to LKSN. I have first dibs. Then, Daisy. You two can fight it out between yourselves.

Bob: Is that TRUE?! How?! Please tell.

March 15, 2009 at 6:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow. That is a depressing play. Sounds like the Hedda character is a far cry from Nancy Botwin, eh?

March 18, 2009 at 8:53 PM  

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