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Acting Reviews

OF MICE AND MEN

  • Reviewed by Jim Quesenberry, Washington County News:
    "...The most riveting performance, however, has to be John Hardy's portrayal of George. Seldom are audiences treated to the kind of magic that Hardy brought to this character - an utterly convincing glimpse into the soul of a cynical and, ultimately, tortured man. If nothing else convinces viewers of Hardy's mastery of his craft, the final scene between George and Lennie should leave no doubts as to Hardy's prowess. As George hovers behind Lennie making the most difficult decision of his life, you can see his internal struggle as he comes to terms with what he knows he must do... ...Hardy's performance is truly awe-inspiring."

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN

  • Reviewed by Robert McKinney:
    "...the acting is very convincing, but John Hardy, as Vern, is especially good. He is hilarious and intriguing... I wanted to watch his every move.
  • Reviewed by Carlotta Cooper:
    "...If an actor can steal an entire act with one word, it must be John Hardy in The Other Side of the Mountain. As Vernon Cobb Hardy doesn't say much but he gets maximum laughs from minimum lines... ...you can't take your eyes from him. I was transfixed by him every second he was on stage. He is that sort of actor. He compels you to look at him."

THE GLASS MENAGERIE

  • Reviewed by Robert Weisfeld; The Abingdon Virginian:
    "...John Hardy's Tom Wingfield is beautifully, disconcertingly rendered; excruciatingly human."

FRANKENSTEIN

  • Reviewed by Robert McKinney:
    "...John Hardy as Victor Frankenstein is excellent."

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

  • Reviewed by Robert McKinney:
    "...the always excellent John Hardy couldn't be better as the drunkard, Hindley Earnshaw."

FALSETTOS

  • Reviewed by Warren M. Harris:
    "...Before closing I must comment on one outstanding performance. John Hardy, who plays with true Dionysian abandon Falsetto's healing presence, Mendel. This zany, uncontrollably heterosexual psychiatrist practices a unique brand of therapy, including in one spectacular scene, dancing on a table with his patient while singing, 'Why don't you feel all right for the rest of your life!' Hardy makes it an offer that's hard to refuse."
  • Reviewed by Carlotta Cooper:
    "...An altogether special performance was given by John Hardy as Mendel, the psychiatrist. I last saw Mr. Hardy in his brilliant portrayal of Victor Frankenstein last season but now he has surprised us with a side of his acting we have not seen before. When he is onstage, he transfixes us with his subtlety and yet it is his unbridled abandon that both entertains and engages. When he leaps onto a rickety table, dancing, twisting and singing, we are ready to go with him, wherever he may take us."
  • Reviewed by Robert Weisfeld:
    "...John Hardy's workaholic shrink, Mendel, is some of the best acting I have ever seen. Brilliant."

TALLEY'S FOLLY

  • Reviewed by Lynn McKinney:
    "...John Hardy in the role of Matt keeps this two person play exciting and, dare I say it: suspenseful; Not an easy thing to do with a two-person, dialogue driven play. We never know where he will go in the next moment. He is dashing and mysterious as he moves from sweet hope to mild desperation. Alternating between petulance and bravado we are on the edge of our seats as he tells the story of his family's struggles. He seduces Sally with a delicate relentlessness until she finally gives in. Hardy manages to squeeze every single laugh out of this role without ever letting us see him trying."

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

  • Reviewed by Robert McKinney:
    "...John Hardy shines as Bob Ewell, the white-trash father of the girl that has supposedly been raped. Hardy, in fact, is so good, that it was all I could do to keep from leaping up onto the stage and punching him out. He is that sickeningly believable."

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

  • Reviewed by Warren M. Harris:
    "...All of the actors play multiple roles, most of which are done well but remain somewhat forgettable. John Hardy, on the other hand makes each role, no matter how small, memorable and distinct. He enthusiastically and precisely physicalizes not only the cringing Bob Cratchit but also the sneering, pipe-smoking cockney fence, Old Joe, as well as several other characters in between; each of them a delight of virtuoso acting."
  • Reviewed by Robert McKinney:
    "...John Hardy is the best Bob Cratchit I have ever seen, and I have seen many. It is the first time I've perceived Cratchit as a person rather than an embodied idea."

A WALK IN THE WOODS

  • Reviewed by Gary Aday:
    "...John Hardy is a genuine pleasure to watch. As the American negotiator he is driven to frustration only to reveal, bit by bit, the person behind the strictly-business facade. ...beautifully acted. ...a small masterpiece."

A MODERN CHRISTMAS CAROL

  • Reviewed by Robert McKinney:
    "...Hardy is not the classic "Scrooge", but a far scarier one, one that smiles and seems really decent on the surface, while lowering the boom or raising the shaft. And whoever thought Scrooge could be hilarious? Hardy somehow manages to get one laugh after another."

AS YOU LIKE IT

  • Reviewed by Gary Aday:
    "...The character of Jaques is not essential to the plot but John Hardy has made him the play's most interesting and vital character. The famous, "Seven Ages of Man", speech was so involving, as executed by Hardy, that I simply listened to him and forgot about it being a famous speech."
  • Reviewed by Carlotta Cooper:
    "...it was as Jaques that John Hardy really shone. He practically stole the show, playing the part with an air of mystery, a perfect accent, and acting so naturally that he made me forget I was watching a play. His delivery of the famous "Seven Ages of Man" speech was so sublime that I think I thoroughly understood it and felt it for the first time."


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