Trying To Jump Start That Career, Again, Huh, Vanessa??????????????

                                            You have to hand it to Vanessa Redgrave, darlings.  The sole survivor of a once thriving British acting dynasty, and having, especially, lost her daughter, Natasha, she still gets out there, and plies her craft. Now, I could be shot for saying this, and I don't care, but I do not fall to my knees, at the mention of her name, nor do I consider her, as some do, the world's greatest living actress.  I reserve that distinction for Meryl Streep!

                                             Lately, though, Vanessa has become something of a professional crepe hanger!  I mean, Joan Didion in "The Year Of Magical Thinking?"  At least with the book, one could put it down, go to the fridge, have a drink, then come back. Same if you read Sylvia Plath. However,      with two hours of Vanessa/Joan staring you in the face. you are a captive audience to misery and depression. It is enough to make one walk out and slit one's wrists.  It has gotten to be, for awhile, now, that when producers need someone to play a dying hag, it's "Call Vanessa Redgrave!"

                                               Well, now it seems she wants to reinvent herself away from that. Which is fine, but why does she have to drag poor James Earl Jones along with her??????????  He can do just fine, on his own, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   First, the two of them played "Driving Miss Daisy."  This was sheer, egotistical nerve, walking into two iconic roles immortalized (and still recalled by many) by Dana Ivey and Morgan Freeman.  It did wonders for both those actors' careers!!!!!!!!!

                                                      But now, from London, comes word that James and Vanessa are going to be playing--are you ready???--Beatrice and Benedick in Shakespeare's classic comedy, "Much Ado About Nothing!!!!!!!!!!"  Not only that, they are going to be them as the age they--the actors--are now!!!!!!!!!   Which means you will be getting a considerably post-menopausal Beatrice, and a gassed out Benedick, who, in this production, is going to need Viagra, or whatever ingot was around in Shakespeare's time!!!!!!!!!!  Not that love cannot bloom among the geriatric-who remembers "Cocoon," darlings?????--but isn't this pushing it a bit?  Whom does Vanessa think she is going to play next, Juliet?????????  And if so, who would play the Nurse--Natalie Portman???????????

                                                         Shakespeare has been tampered with enough, from reinterpretations to re- stagings in different time periods. But Vanessa is taking it to a whole new level!!!!!!!!!!!!  I get that she is desperate to reinvent her career, and keep going, but why does James Earl Jones have to go along with it?????????????????

                                                          But who am I to talk?  The way things are going, the damn thing will come to Broadway, redesigned as an aerial spectacular by Diane Paulus, with the two of them belting out "Total Eclipse Of The Heart!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                                           Hang your head in SHAME, Vanessa!!!!!!!!!!  What would those having gone before you say right now??????????????????????