h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When Harry Met Sally: You look like a normal person but actually....

Posted May 24, 2004

Well, what a revealation. This was the second time I have seen When Harry Met Sally starring Alyson Hannigan and Luke Perry. I am not sure what made me decide a second visit was a good idea but I am really glad I did.

The first time I saw the play it was one night into the run. What I saw was Luke Perry impressing with commanding stage presence and comic timing and Alyson Hannigan trying to be Meg Ryan (very well!) but yelling all her lines in an attempt to make herself heard on stage. I enjoyed it but was struck by the disparity between Alyson's performance and Perry's, only at the very end when the greasepaint was off and Alyson was back on celluloid for the final scene did her real talent show through, there she outshone Perry with graceful characterisation and subtle touches. Hmmm I thought, she was wonderful as Willow and will be wonderful on screen forever more but perhaps, said a little nagging voice, just perhaps, she may not be suited for stage work. My prophecy that she coulf play the great heroines was perhaps not ever going to be a reality. My evening at the Haymarket that night was made by the fact that loitering around after the show I bumped into JOss Whedon and Tony Head while Alexis Denisof clucked around sorting out his wife's car.

However, returning to see the show last Saturday I was stunned. Alyson Hannigan strolled around the play, Meg Ryan a distant memory, Perry and Hannigan bouncing off each other to create superb characterisation, the lines buzzed with humour, Alyson had completely given up on screaming, rather her voice projection showed the measured varying tone of a seasoned stage actor. I believed entirely in the action taking place. I really never expected to say this but what I saw on Saturday was better, far better, than the classic film. Perry is, dare I say it, a more charasmatic performer than Billy Crystal, his good looks, swagger and his chemistry with Alyson exudes from the stage and he has the abilty to engage - a few sly glances out to the audience at opportune moments while at other times he is entirely consumed by the action on stage. However, it was Hannigan who really impressed, largely for the dramatic (excuse the pun) improvement. She was not poor last time but this time she was noticeably excellent. All the facial mannerisms that made Willow such an endearing character were there but they were there to characterise Sally Albright. Considering this play is in its final week Hannigan gave a remarkably bright and enthusiastic performance. Her natural talent for comedy and the ability to be heartbreaking and hysterically funny was exemplified by the scene in which she sobs on Harry about her ex marrying and the fact that she'll be forty soon (Harry:'IN EIGHT YEARS!' Sally: 'BUT IT'S OUT THERE'). She sobbed, she hammed it up, she sobbed, she hammed it up, then she straddled Harry with a hyperbolic urgency neither Tara or Oz ever saw! This time round there was no weak link in hte whole show, I even found the 'I'll have what she's having' line a little flat last time but the wonderful campness of the supporting cast made it wonderfully amusing this time around and the crowd demonstrated throughout a clear appreciation of the comedy on offer.

Superb stuff. I have more confidence than ever that Alyson Hannigan is a very talented performer and will go on to great things.

Litchick x

PS: I didn't meet any BtVS folk afterwards this time, I did wander round to the stage door but I was happy enough with what I had seen on stage to bother heaving my way to the front of the crowd Alyson had attracted. I ws impressed with her patience though, she was actively looking for people who wanted autographs and I was, in rather sentimental fashion, impressed with the way in which she picked out the children in the audience for photos and a quick word!!

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Latest reply: May 24, 2004