America: Child stars start with The Shining

Chapter 89: This article is ruined.

As the lights dimmed, the audience in the theater gradually stopped their whispers and turned their attention to the stage.

Christine, who had been somewhat listless, finally perked up a little.

She raised her eyes and looked at the stage. The red curtain slowly opened, revealing the stage scenery to all the audience.

It was a cold, dilapidated, and oppressive workhouse that immediately attracted the attention of all the viewers.

The walls were gray and white, the windows were narrow, the long table was rough, and there were rows of children dressed in tattered clothes.

They faced the audience in front of them, heads bowed, standing quietly on the stage.

The spotlight slowly fell on them.

It must be said that the stage design for the opening was of a very high standard.

Christine heard that the director of this new version of "Oliver Twist" is a rising star named Clara, who previously directed an original play on Broadway to a good reception.

That's why this classic musical came to her, and now it seems that at least the opening was quite good.

Christine gave it a fairly good rating in her mind.

From a visual perspective, this opening did not pursue exaggeration and extravagance, but rather kept the overall stage color tone very low.

This approach is very wise, allowing the audience to immediately grasp the dark and cruel tone of the musical.

Because "Oliver Twist" is not a story that is suitable for being decorated too elaborately, if the stage setting is too beautiful, it will weaken the rough feeling of the lives of the lower class.

In the dim light, Christine quickly lowered her head and scribbled a few keywords in her notebook: "The set design is restrained, and the atmosphere is well-created."

After finishing writing, she raised her head again and continued to look at the performance on stage.

She certainly wouldn't change her overall assessment of the performance just because of a decent opening.

For Broadway, excellent sets and lighting are not rare; what is truly difficult is whether the actors can carry the entire stage.

Especially the male lead.

Christine had learned beforehand that the male lead in this new version of "Oliver Twist" was a Hollywood child star.

Charles.

She had certainly heard of this name before.

In fact, recently, whenever she opens a newspaper or turns on the TV, she always sees this name in the entertainment section.

A child prodigy who rose to fame at a young age.

Hollywood's new darling.

The most outstanding minor character in The Shining.

as well as...

The first child actor to successfully break free from the constraints of his guardian by formally passing the Juvenile Liberation Act.

In addition, there were all sorts of messy rumors and gossip, some true and some false, surrounding him.

All of these things combined are enough to make Charles the kind of news focus that the media loves.

But that's precisely where the problem lies.

To be honest, Christine doesn't really like actors who are always in the spotlight.

Or rather, she doesn't like young actors who haven't truly proven themselves but have already been touted as geniuses by the media, especially child stars with little experience.

Hollywood and Broadway are two different things.

A film camera can help an actor cover up many flaws.

If the director is clever enough, the editing is excellent enough, and the lighting and music are just right, then even an actor who isn't particularly outstanding can create a remarkably moving effect on screen.

But the Broadway stage is different.

The stage is the place where an actor's true skill level is most easily revealed.

Standing on stage, Christine can immediately tell whether an actor is capable of portraying their role well; she can tell almost at a glance.

Especially musicals.

It not only requires actors to act, but also to sing, move around on stage, cooperate with others, and even maintain a stable singing voice throughout a long performance.

A child star who performs well in a movie may not necessarily be able to carry an entire musical on a Broadway stage.

Moreover, the role of the male lead in "Oliver Twist" is not easy to play.

Oliver is not the kind of character who can move the audience simply by crying and being pitiful.

If the performance is too weak, the character will appear unremarkable and lack the arc to showcase the character's unique traits.

If the character is portrayed as too clever, the most important quality of the character—innocence—will be lost.

Even many adult actors find it difficult to grasp the nuances of this.

Not to mention a child.

Thinking of this, Christine couldn't help but look down at the poster in her hand.

The photo of Ciel on the poster looks exquisite, and the makeup and styling that fit the character make people feel sorry for him.

Clean-cut, youthful, and with just the right amount of melancholy, it's easy for viewers to develop a positive first impression.

Unfortunately, Christine wasn't buying it.

She placed the poster back on her lap.

She didn't come here today specifically to see Charles make a fool of himself.

However, the outside world has exaggerated this child's abilities far too much.

Especially after the news about the "Juvenile Liberation Act" came out, media opinion overwhelmingly turned to positive reviews.

Christine found this practice extremely offensive.

Sometimes, the purpose of theater critics is to bring actors who have been promoted by the media and capital back to reality.

If Ciel's performance on stage is merely average, she will not hesitate to write down everything in detail in her commentary.

If his performance doesn't live up to his current fame, she won't hold back her criticism just because he's young.

This is a professional ethic she has always adhered to, and she will not change this principle just because of a child star.

Soon, the children's group singing began.

They stood on the stage, filling almost every corner, and then sang in unison:

"Food......Glorious food...."

At first, the sound was not loud, and the audience could only vaguely hear some faint singing.

However, this singing style is very suitable for the environment in which these children live.

In a dilapidated workhouse, the children were starving because they couldn't get enough food.

This singing style even carries a deliberate sense of repression, as if the children have become accustomed to this life of grievance and dare not utter any complaints.

Christine raised an eyebrow slightly.

This was somewhat different from what she had imagined the opening to be like.

The opening of the old version of "Oliver Twist" is more in line with the traditional musical approach, with a more prominent melody and a greater ability to evoke emotions in the audience.

But the new version is clearly not in a hurry to please the audience in this way; it seems to want the audience to feel uncomfortable and dull first.

Then, let the audience gradually immerse themselves in the story.

Christine had to admit that this approach was somewhat interesting; at least it didn't completely copy the old structure.

And it was at this moment that she finally noticed the boy standing among the children.

Charles.

His position wasn't the most prominent; he stood among the group of children, head down, shoulders slightly tucked in, looking very quiet.

This performance meant that he didn't immediately stand out.

If Christine hadn't been constantly searching for the child with her eyes, she probably wouldn't have immediately focused her gaze on him.

Then, after watching for a few seconds, Christine's expression suddenly changed slightly.

Charles suddenly took a step forward.

For some reason, Christine felt inexplicably unable to take her eyes off the other person.

It was as if the child had cast some kind of spell on her, making her unable to take her eyes off him.

Christine paused for a moment, holding the pen, and then suddenly wrote this sentence in her notebook: "The male lead's image is memorable at first glance."

For her, who was used to writing those sharp and sarcastic commentary articles, it was already quite an achievement to write such a fair and apt compliment.

Soon, the plot moved to the point where Oliver was forced to step forward.

The children on stage seemed to be under some kind of silent pressure, and they all took a step back.

Charles remained standing at the very front, his head bowed.

Then, he slowly raised his head and looked at the audience.

This one action made Christine's previously somewhat casual posture suddenly become much more upright.

There was no fear in those eyes, nor were there any tears that were deliberately meant to make the audience feel sorry for them.

There was only bewilderment inside.

A kind of bewilderment that is both very clean and very piercing.

It's like a child who hasn't yet figured out why he's going through all this, but already instinctively knows that no matter what happens next, no one will stand up to protect him.

Because he was just an ordinary orphan in that era, the most ordinary and inconspicuous one.

Charles had a firm grasp on this feeling.

Immediately afterwards, Charles's first solo resounded through the air above the theater.

His voice wasn't particularly loud.

There was no deliberate attempt to show off high notes or deliberately raise the pitch to create a sense of amazement.

But this kind of singing voice is very clean.

Christine had originally planned to scrutinize Ciel's breath and voice before the performance began.

After listening for a few sentences, she had to admit that Charles's breathing was so steady that it was unlike that of a child.

His pronunciation was very clear, and even when the accompaniment was very faint, his rhythm remained perfectly consistent.

More importantly, Charles's singing carries a sense of story.

This is very rare.

He was using this melody to tell the audience about Oliver's difficult situation.

Each slight pause, each careful breath, represented a shift in Oliver's emotions.

The audience below the stage did not make a sound.

Some of the ladies even subconsciously raised their hands and gently pressed their fingers to their lips, their faces showing reluctance.

Christine looked at the stage, her brows gradually furrowing.

It wasn't because I had any dissatisfaction with the performance.

It was because she began to realize that the draft she had written was most likely unusable.

Because of Charles's performance just now, she decided to rewrite the manuscript.

at the same time.

The pen in her hand hadn't been used to write any new reviews for a long time.

>