EXCLUSIVE'It's not right': Brian Cox slams Broadway's $1,000 ticket prices and calls out Jake Gyllenhaal's Othello performance
Brian Cox has torn into the sky-high prices of theatre tickets, calling the current state of Broadway 'not right' and singling out Jake Gyllenhaal's performance in Othello as a 'problem'.
The Succession star, 78, added he would like to direct Denzel Washington in the role so he can 'get it right'.
Cox, a veteran of stage and screen, said during a talk at a London theatre: 'There's amazing shows and hits, but there's too much money stuff involved in American theatre where apparently, you're paying $1,000 (£750) a night to see Othello with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, who I hear is not particularly wonderful.'
The Emmy and BAFTA-winning actor said a friend was stunned by the cost and quality of the show: 'A friend of mine said they couldn't believe it, and they paid a f******… excuse me, that's wrong. That balance is wrong because it puts the theatre in a whole different place.'
While the Scotsman had kind words for Washington, he was less forgiving of Gyllenhaal's Iago: 'No, it's not right. I mean, I've got nothing against Denzel Washington, good luck. And I think he should do it. I would like to direct him so you can get it right. Jake Gyllenhaal is another problem.'
He went on to compare the lack of theatrical infrastructure in the US to what he sees as a stronger tradition in the UK: 'The British stricture is pretty phenomenal, and it's getting better… My sadness about America is that there isn't a structure.
Brian Cox has torn into the sky-high prices of theatre tickets, calling the current state of Broadway 'not right' and singling out Jake Gyllenhaal 's performance in Othello as a 'problem'
Cox, a veteran of stage and screen, said during a talk at a London theatre: 'There's amazing shows and hits, but there's too much money stuff involved in American theatre where apparently, you're paying $1,000 a night to see Othello with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, who I hear is not particularly wonderful'
The latest Broadway rendition of Shakespeare's Othello stars Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. The show can set you back as much as $1,000 a ticket
While the Scotsman had kind words for Washington, he was less forgiving of Gyllenhaal: 'No, it's not right. I mean, I've got nothing against Denzel Washington, good luck. And I think he should do it. I would like to direct him so you can get it right. Jake Gyllenhaal is another problem.' (Pictured: Washington, as Othello, and Gyllenhaal, as Iago, give a bow to the audience after a show)
'There's amazing shows and it hits it, but there's too much money stuff involved.'
Drawing on his own experience with British theatrical legends, Cox said: 'I've worked with John Gielgud. I've worked with Laurence Olivier. I met Scofield on several occasions, and sadly, never worked with him.
'I worked with Ralph Richardson, so I worked with these great actors, and I learned what our job was about, and where our job is rooted. And I always feel sorry for American actors, they don't have those roots.
'And I think it's a shame, because the talent is unbloody believable in America. I mean, the talent, particularly in the musical world, it's really incredible. But it's not served by the institution. And I think that's rather sad for American actors. I feel that very strongly.'
His comments follow a critical review by journalist Vicky Ward, who attended the Broadway production of Othello.
Writing in her newsletter Vicky Ward Investigates, she said that during the climactic moment when Othello strangles Desdemona, 'there were a few laughs in the audience'.
She attributed it to the scene's abruptness and lack of build-up.
The Broadway production has drawn attention not only for its celebrity casting but for its steep ticket prices, which have reached $1,000 (£750) for premium seats.
Sky-high prices are nothing new on Broadway. When Hamilton first took off in 2016, some resale tickets sold for as much as $4,000 (£3,000) for a pair.
It's a trend mirrored in the UK, where the most expensive seats for Much Ado About Nothing at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane - which starred Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell - were listed at £345.
Other productions including Elektra with Brie Larson also had top-tier tickets at £145, and Oedipus starring Rami Malek commanded £210 for front stalls.
For Cox, the escalating prices and inconsistent quality reflect a deeper issue.
'It's the structure that's not right,' he said. 'It's not right.'
