Bette Midler’s portrayal of agent Sue Mengers in John Logan’s I’ll Eat You Last, directed by Joe Mantello, is a vivid portrait of a larger-than-life Hollywood character, performed with a verve and energy that capture us from start to finish. Midler is a great actress, with a sense of timing and nuance stirred into a very large characterization that can remain subtle and broad at the same time.
This look through a Hollywood keyhole, filled with the antics of familiar stars and their foibles, has a grip of fascination on an audience thirsty for gossip, and for a glimpse of the shenanigans under the belly of the movie industry. Midler’s Mengers sits on a couch in her living room, smokes and tells us wondrous tales. A primo combo of actress, play, direction and set (by Scott Pask).
