In place of Wednesday’s Seminar class, we went to see The Heiress on Broadway.  I have been to many Broadway shows before, but this was the first time I went to see a Broadway play that was not a musical.  I really enjoyed it.  I think the story was portrayed very well, and it did not stray too much from the actual story in the novel.  That was one of the main things I liked about the show – they didn’t for example, take the powerful and “sad” ending, as some people would call it, and turn it into a happy ending where Catherine takes Morris back and they marry and live happily ever after.  That would have been slightly disappointing.

While I thought the overall show was very well done, there were a few things I noticed that I think could have been done better.  For example, Dan Stevens, who played Morris Townsend, made Townsend a little too likable.  He made Morris Townsend seem too nice and too genuine so that, at certain times, I, as the spectator, almost felt bad for Morris and wanted Dr. Sloper to accept him and have Catherine take him back.  I think he could have been portrayed as a bit more conceited and deceitful.  In addition, one of the lines given by Dr. Sloper that we studied in great detail in class was not delivered too well, at least in my opinion.  There is a very powerful quote, at the beginning of the play, by Dr. Sloper: “Is it possible that this magnificent person is my child?”  In the novel, this line is delivered with sarcasm and irony.  In the play last night, I didn’t think David Strathairn delivered that line with enough sarcasm.  He seemed a bit too light-hearted and humorous.  Finally, Catherine was played very well by Jessica Chastain.  However, she was a bit too monotonous.  Every time she spoke, her tone was monotonous and it was almost as if she spoke in fragmented sentences.  I know Catherine was not supposed to be very intelligent or witty, but when I imagined Catherine, I always imagined her with emotions and feelings, and at least able to articulate herself.

My favorite part of the play was the ending.  It was absolutely incredible.  The last 15 minutes kept most of us on the edge of our chairs because it was so suspenseful.  We all knew how the book ended, but there was something about seeing it played out in front of us that made it much better.  Jessica Chastain portrayed Catherine so