Mark Twain Tonight Tickets

Having been to the show three times in the past, we were excited about seeing Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain at the Tennessee Theatre on 9/30. The first 20 minutes of the act was good (although not as funny as in the past -- maybe he's getting tired...). Then he went into a very strange segment about an animal ramming someone in the backside for about 15 minutes in which few people were laughing. From there, it went downhill...into a VERY inappropriate segment on current politics where NO ONE was laughing. Specific candidates weren't mentioned but it was obvious who he was referring to. That segment then came back around to again mention the backside ramming (non-funny) segment. I guess it was all "tied together" now... My husband and I left at intermission which was one hour into the show. Interestingly, he just walked off the stage -- didn't say anything and no one from the Theatre announced it was intermission. When we got outside, there were several couples who were leaving because they thought the show was over! They similarly expressed that it was awkward, not funny, and politically inappropriate. We were leaving disappointed and won't try his show again. Maybe its time has passed....

Couldn't understand him thirty percent of the time. And there were the long silent pauses.

I really enjoyed the show and am in awe of Hal Holbrook still touring in it at the age of 91. What an inspiration. The show had some very funny parts, and it's remarkable how much of the humor of that era is still relevant today. The part where he did a monologue from Huck Finn was riveting, he has such stage presence! In a few parts some of his dialogue was a little hard to understand but it didn't diminish the enjoyment of it. One thing I will remind people - he's playing a role and telling stories and acting as other people in the stories some times. Pay attention, some folks didn't seem to follow along. At one point he was telling a story about someone who rambled when he told stories and as he was telling it as if he were the rambler, he was rambling and almost falling asleep. Someone in the audience near me whispered 'did he fall asleep?' - well no, Hal Holbrook didn't fall asleep. But the man Mark Twain was talking about and emulating fell asleep so he as Mark Twain appeared to nod off. It was part of the bit. Anyway, I enjoyed it very much and I'm so glad I got to see it.

Both I and my partner had trouble understanding much of the dialogue, although our seats were centrally located in front of theatre.

I have wanted to see Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain for years and the performances in my area always sold out before I could get tickets. The show was very funny and very serious at times. It got a little slow in areas. There were several moments where it looked like he lost his train of thought and had to pull out his notes. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the show from the legend who has been doing this for over 50 years. At age 91 I'm sure that the show won't go on forever. Thank you Mr. Holbrook for a wonderful evening.

Hal Holbrook is an amazing actor but I don't believe this was a stelar performance. The first half was entertaining. The second half was lacking entertain. The articulation was not clear and very difficult to follow. I have been wanting to see this performance for years as I taught Mark Twain's novel to my students. I was disappointed in the performance.

Hal Holbrook in "Mark Twain Tonight" was brilliant. Even though he has been performing this show for over 50 years, it was fresh and incredibly entertaining. I would highly recommend seeing this show! Phenomenal.

Hal Holbrook and his one-man Mark Twain show are institutions. However, at 91, Mr. Holbrook's energy, clarity of voice and perhaps memory have seen better days. Maybe he should switch to teaching others how to do a one-person show. Still I admire him a lot and I'm happy my wife and I went to the show.

I respect the body of work that Hal Holbrook has compiled. However, I was dismayed at his Mark Twain performance 30 Sept in Knoxville TN. He appeared tired and bored throughout the performance. With the intermission, the show was much too long and ran for over 2 hours; I noticed several patrons who left and did not return after intermission. He garbled his words and made it difficult for me to catch his punch lines.

Mr. Holbrook's delivery was at many times unintelligible. We were not the only ones with this problem as many of our theatre neighbors were discussing the same thing. For a very expensive ticket (in my opinion) I was disappointed in the entire performance and would not recommend this show.

Holbrook needs to either go to sleep or to pasture or Alcoholics Anonymous. He mumble and slurred 80%. I heard a few laughs. Maybe from those that had heard it before when it was good.

The first half was funny. The second half, too serious. Unfortunately, he is getting too old to maintain a full show.

Holbrook is an American master...an icon. Sadly, very sadly, I must say it is time for him to retire.

I have to respect Hal Holbrook for getting up on that stage for 90 minutes at his age of 94, wow, what stamina, but he needs to cut this down to about an hour, and do more talking about political events of Samuel Jackson's era, and less talk of old stories about friends and their characters. Plus pretending he was asleep, that was a little bizarre and boring. I'm sorry but people were running out as fast as they could when it was over. This would be better In The Round than on a big stage.

We were very disappointed in the show. Holbrook was hard to understand, and we didn't see the point in his pretending to fall asleep while talking. Show was very slow moving.

If you ever have a chance to go see Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! go. He is amazing and makes you want more.

I've attended "Mark Twain Tonight" previously and met Mr. Holbrook. This show was not everything I would have preferred. Mr. Holbrook, as always, is an outstanding actor, and his show is one of my favorites for many years. However, tonight was so different from others I have seen, and didn't include nearly as much humor, that I was just a little disappointed. His reading of Huck Finn was of course masterful but not what I wanted. He spent most of the time on Mr. Twain's "political" presentations, and that, too, is not what I wanted. Quite a few lines were very difficult to hear and perhaps this was due to acoustics or his mike but both my wife and I had trouble understanding some of his delivery. Having said all that, the show is still worth the money and Mr. Holbrook is still one of the best stage actors there is. I would pay money to go see him again; of that I have no doubt.

Sadly it was not what I expected. Holbrooks' acting was great but the subject matter was lacking. I expected to be laughing and chuckling over Twains writings. Hate to say it but it was very boring. We ended up leaving shortly after the intermission.

Hal Holbrock was spot on for first fifteen min and then lost his way. Disappointed

Actor William Gillette impersonated Twain on stage on June 5, 1877 with Mark Twain in the audience, and Twain complimented him. Gillette later made recordings of his impersonation that Hal Holbrook studied closely. Clara Clemens (Mark Twain's daughter) met with Hal Holbrook and endorsed him, and Holbrook interviewed Isabel Lyon (Twain's private secretary), "Bim" Pond (the son of Twain's lecture agent), and others to research Twain's mannerisms, gestures, and personality. Holbrook performed Twain in the late 1940s and began his solo performances in 1954. Sam Clemens was "Mark Twain" from 1863 to 1910--forty-seven years. Hal, now 91, has inhabited the role of "Mark Twain" even longer and has memorized and performed more of Twain's writings than Sam Clemens ever did. He feels Mark Twain in his bones--the happy skylarking humorous Mark Twain and the cynical social commentator. I'm a serious no-nonsense Twain scholar, but when I watch Hal Holbrook on stage I'm a kid again, and having a grand adventure just as exciting and meaningful as those of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Holbrook IS Mark Twain on stage, and if seeing Mark Twain is not on your bucket-list then reports of your own life have been an exaggeration.