Chris Carmack in Entertaining Mr. Sloane

Playwright: Joe Orton
Director: Scott Ellis

Cast:
Alec Baldwin (Ed)
Jan Maxwell (Kath)
Chris Carmack (Sloane)
Richard Easton (Kemp)


Today's salute to English playwright and author Joe Orton's play Entertaining Mr Sloane comes thanks to actor Chris Carmack. It started last month while trying to find images of Carmack to celebrate the actors December 22nd birthday. I kept coming back to images of Carmack, along with co-stars Alec Baldwin and Jan Maxwell from their roles in the 2006 Off Broadway staging of Orton's play. The images, most by renowned Theatrical photographer Joan Marcus had me wanting to see more, and learn more about the play. I couldn't find bigger sizes of the images, but these should still give you a glimpse of why I wanted to see more.


Marcus's images, especially of Carmack's beautiful chest, had me, along with Baldwin's Ed, and Maxwell's Kath, salivating for more. The Off Broadway run had a short term run, even shorter for actress Jan Maxwell who left with about a month of performances left, supposedly due to Baldwin's behaviour. she was replaced for the shows final performances by actress Barbara Sims.


Maxwell was universally praised for her turn as Kath, but the revival mostly got his and miss reviews from critics. Baldwin was loved by some, disliked by others. Carmack was generally praised for his looks, and ability to draw attention from both the play's main characters, and the audience, but many felt he did not have the 'edge' required for the character of Sloane. With only the reviews, ad Marcu's production photos, I would have loved to have seen this version. Carmack is bewitching for sure, but I would have loved to have watched Baldwin and Maxwell sink their teeth, and their considerable acting chops, into trying to get Sloane's attention.


'Sleek as a walrus in Savile Row-style suits and spectacles, Mr. Baldwin starts off very funny, as the officious Ed's eyes light up at the first glimpse of a half-naked Sloane.'