EXIT THE KING with Geoffrey Rush

It was a true honor to be in the presence of such a finely tuned actor as Geoffrey Rush who portrayed the role of King Berenger in Eugene Ionesco's EXIT THE KING. Rush won the 2009 Tony for best actor. and from my observation, I'm sure he won "hands down", even though the ensemble work between Nathan LaRne and Bill Irwin would certainly have been given an ensemble award, if such an award existed with the Tony's. Rush moved and flexed his body, on the stage floor, all over his throne and with varied walks and rhythms with his cape as if he were in his twenties. He was a true athlete physically and emotionally and to me is an example of what all actors ought to be doing with their bodies. Rush had such a powerful forward motion even though his character dies at the end. The play's basic plot is his struggle with the announcement from Queen Marguerite that he is dying in an hour and thirty-three minutes. Rush was truly generous with a summer audience, even coming out into the aisles during one of his long speeches, giving and taking as if we were all an audience of one. Indeed, he was powerful!

I was also captured by Andrea Martin's portrayal of Juliette, the chamber maid. Again, her timing and her strong muscularity of physical choices "swept" me away. Susan Sarandon as Queen Marguerite was okay. I didn't realize that she has not been on the Broadway stage since 1972, so I always appreciate actors switching mediums and working with a live audience. (And this production was physically demanding.) I also appreciate that Sarandon's biography stressed first that she was a mother, and then actor and activist. I believe she has established her priorities and I'm sure her children are deeply grateful.