BETTE MIDLER IN "I'LL EAT YOU LAST"--THE ONE-WOMAN SHOW ABOUT SUE MENGERS

I LOVED IT! I LOVED IT! I LOVED IT!

 RUN TO THE THEATRE. CALL YOUR BROKER. PAY ANYTHING, JUST SEE THIS. IT'S AT THE GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE, AND THE TICKETS COST A FORTUNE.


WATCHING THIS PLAY WAS LIKE RELIVING MY LIFE.


I KNEW SUE. I WENT TO HER HOUSE. SHE REPRESENTED FRIENDS OF MINE. AND I WAS ALWAYS ENCHANTED BY HER "PERFORMANCES."

I COULD ALSO SEE, IN SUE'S EYES, THE INSECURE, FRIGHTENED INDIVIDUAL SHE HID FROM EVERYONE, INCLUDING HERSELF.

THIS PLAY, WRITTEN BY JOHN LOGAN AND DIRECTED BY JOE MANTELLO, IS A JOURNEY THROUGH HOLLYWOOD IN PRIMARILY THE 70S, AND 80S. MOST OF THE AUDIENCE LOOKED VERY NEW YORK AND VERY "PRO." THERE WERE A FEW NON-PROS IN THE AUDIENCE AND I HEARD A COUPLE OF THEM SAY, "I THINK I KNOW WHO SUE WAS. I'M HERE TO SEE BETTE." FINE. YOU GOT A HECK OF AN EDUCATION ABOUT HOLLYWOOD.

FOR THE OVER-40S, WHO WORKED AND ARE STILL WORKING IN THE BUSINESS, IT WAS A TRIP THROUGH THE REALITY AND NON-REALITY OF AN INDUSTRY RUN BY FEAR AND EGOS. BETTE TELLS STORIES ABOUT ALI MAC GRAW, STREISAND, STEVE MCQUEEN, BOB EVANS, FAYE DUNAWAY, GENE HACKMAN--AND SO MANY MORE.

JOHN LOGAN'S SCRIPT IS RIGHT ON POINT--VICIOUS, HILARIOUS, AND POIGNANT. BETTE, AS SUE, TRULY BECOMES HER. IT IS A JOY TO WATCH THE GAME-PLAYING, THE PLOTS, AND THE DISAPPOINTMENTS. IT IS PERFECT CASTING, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BETTE, WHO KNEW SUE, REALLY WANTS IT TO BE PERFECT. BRAVO, BETTE.
AND YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT TONY NOMINATION!