Oh, another thing about Merry Wives

[xiphias]

While I was doing heavy lifting helping out a friend-and-relation move today, I suddenly put my finger on what stuck me as not QUITE perfect about Derek Henderson's Falstaff.

He's too good-looking.

Okay, this is one of those criticisms that I feel that, if this gets back to him, I don't think he's going to be TOO offended -- but I think that's what was hitting me.

I see Falstaff as far more dissipated, dissolute, maybe even a little bit verging on the sleazy. I see him as sort of having the REMNANTS of charm -- one of those guys who's WAY past their glory days. A little bit pathetic -- again, not TOO much; you ARE supposed to like him and all.

But Henderson is ACTUALLY good-looking. A good thing about that is that he carries himself with the self-confidence of an attractive guy who knows he's attractive, which is CLOSE to what I would want for Falstaff -- but it's not quite it. I would see Falstaff as the kind of guy who TRIES to carry himself with that kind of self-confidence, but actually, deep down, knows that he really ISN'T really all that and a bag of chips -- so there's more bluster, more false bravado.

Comments

[anomie666.livejournal.com]

I stumbled into your journal from the b0st0n community. I was at the same show! I was wearing a brown jacket (a big guy) sitting like the 4th row back with girl with long hair.

[navrins]

Yup. You're right.