Last week I asked "Is This A Golden Era For Corrie" and surprisingly, the Coronation Street Blog readers voted Nay. User Annie said "Yay and Nay. It's just Corrie. It has its ups and downs... it lurches then recovers." This week, I am asking, "Are you a fan of the Marc/Marcia story line?" I thought it a bit bizarre at first, and it's getting worse, unfortunately, I can't stand it to be honest, it's brutal viewing.
Firstly, poor Andrew Hall. While he's trying to do a good job, it isn't coming out well (pardon the pun) I find the storyline very tedious and dull, waiting for the scenes to finish, and I cringe everytime I see him on the show.
Firstly, poor Andrew Hall. While he's trying to do a good job, it isn't coming out well (pardon the pun) I find the storyline very tedious and dull, waiting for the scenes to finish, and I cringe everytime I see him on the show.
Of course there have been a few good parts, the bar scene where Audrey throws drinks over the two men was very funny. And, dare I say it, last week's scene with Marc's face in the pie was slightly hilarious.
But apart from that, I'm not a fan of this storyline. It could be great, but not now, and it's a wasted opportunity in my eyes but to be honest, the sooner he leaves, the better, I say. So its a firm NAY from me, and what about you?
29 comments:
Sadly, a big fat NAY. This just hasn't worked.
I have no problem with the Mark/Marcia storyline per se; my problem is with Andrew Hall. I think he's a terrible, terrible actor (I thought he was awful in Butterflies thirty years ago as well so at least he's consistent) and hish shpeech impediment irritates me. The part needed a really charismatic, charming actor who could carry us with him and make us understand why Audrey and Claudia were so gaga over him.
Also, that's a really cheap wig. No self-respecting transvestite would dream of being seen in public looking like that.
YAY from me, I can't agree with the OP. I think its brilliant and funny and original, but I have to agree, Andrew Hall is a bad actor.
Hmm...I'm 50/50 on this one. On one side, it can be terrible at times, but on the other side, it is very funny. However, throughout I find myself cringing.
Andrew Hall is just cringe worthy, I'm sorry. But I dont think we should base this on Andrew Hall's acting ability, more of the storyline itself.
And on that, I'm going to jump ship and vote YAY. I mean, I think the whole thing has been overshadowed at how cringe worthy Mr Hall is. But it is a good storyline, so YAY
Nay, nay and thrice nay! "Trying to do a good job"?! An actor who appears to have his jaws wired shut? And just isn't convincing as a man who likes to dress up as a woman.
IMHO the whole plot was badly thought out, badly cast and should have been dropped before it reached the screen.
And casting Rula Lenska, made it even worse. I love her dearly, and hope Claudia comes back as a regular, as a bitchy rival to Audreh and Rita, but let's face it - she's a more convincing drag queen that Marcia ever was.
TV on the TV !!!
NAY. I just still can't see Audrey being so accepting and cool about him being a a cross dresser. Just seems out of character.
Also there is something about Andrew Hall's voice that annoys me, I know it can't be helped but everytime he speaks I start laughing.
NAY . . . This is another one of those daft storylines and maybe just maybe if Claudia was involved with the same story with Marc and Audrey like she was before, then there might be a better storyline to these two acting. This is totally ruining Audrey's reputation for me as I always put her down as a bit of a 'madam muck' type of person but with a soft spot.
Just what is this story all about with Marc and Audrey because I don't see the point of it? The only story I would like to watch involving these two, would be for another man to try and take a fancy to Marcia (while Marcia is struggling to get him away) while Audrey is visiting the little girl's room. On her return, things get out of hand.
I"m on the fence, too. I thought it was a good idea for a storyline and i love it when veteran characters like Audrey are given storylines. Would Audrey have been so accepting? Yes i think so, after living on a street and being friends with Roy and Hayley and gotten used to alternative types of people than the bog standard "norm" such as it is.
But like the others, i just don't think the actor playing Marc/Marcia was convincing. what annoyed me was his deep deep voice and yes, the clenched teeth! And the awful wig and dowdy clothes! Surely it can't have been that difficult to get something more stylish?
I think Andrew Hall would be more suitable for a toothpaste advert... you know, the type that you show your teeth and smile about?
I agree that another actor may have pulled it off, but A. Hall just looked so uncomfortable in women's garb that it wasn't believable at all. Plus he is very hard to understand unless you can lip read. What did it in for me was the whole 'Mrs. Doubtfire' rip off with the face in the cake. It was really really lame. Too bad he was totally mis-cast...it might have been a great on-going scenario which they could have dragged on for months but...there you go. I love Sue N. by the way...great actress and so natural..her scenes with Gail are tops!!!
It's a YAY for me, I actually don't mind Andrew Hall at all, and strangely enjoyed his clenched teeth performances!
I think they could have done a better job dressing Marcia - the wig could have been much improved!
I miss Claudia being onscreen, and the trio of Claudia, Marc and Audrey. It'll be a shame when he leaves later this month, for me anyway!
hasn't he been in James Bond film you know...JAWS?
YAY... I think its hilarious!! And a fantastic way of trying to reach the older generation and change their views, if it was two younger characters the older generation could still dismiss it as something no one their age would ever do. Now they have to face it, Jolly good i say.
There have been a few funny moments during the storyline but for the most part it makes me cringe.First of all his voice is very...different.And if I was going to run around like that I would spend a few bob on a better wig.Funny thing is my friend knows a married couple who live in this exact situation so it isn't unheard of.But overall NAY!
I don't mind Andrew Hall, but the story is too ham-fisted. Had there been more cake-face scenes early on, where a lift of an eyebrow could get painted nails hidden from Gail, or a believable wig and wardrobe, it might have worked. They've had a few good moments, like Aud choosing Marcia because she needed a girls night, but not enough. And now knowing he is leaving, oh well, honestly, I can't invest time in caring.
Yeah, I miss Claudia, too, and hope they can woo her back. She was a great frenemy.
A HUGE NAY! I know there are lots of "straight" cross dressing men but the whole thing just feels like tabloid fodder. I like the actor though. just dump the frocks!
David Blue
Vancouver B.C.
Canada
Nay from me...Andrew Hall is totally unconvincing in his role both as a TV and love interest. He looks really bad in drag (cheap wig and awful legs) and yes his clenched teeth are really irritating. Its great that Audrey has a storyline and I loved Rula Lenska and Auds double act. A better storyline would have been to cast Claud as Auds long lost Sister. Marc/Marcia has been one of the worst storylines in the last 10 years and I think it will be the sum of Phil Collinsons legacy as Producer (for hopefully a short time).
I presume this was intended to address an issue but it has been unintentionally hilarious. Mark does not seem comfortable at all as Marcia, is too tall and wearing that horrendous wig, he clunks around like Lurch in Lebotins. I think both actors deserve better than this, how Sue Nicols keeps a straight face deserves an Oscar in itself. NAY from me but YAY for comedy value.
A big fat NAY!! I don't know which is worse, the real Marc or when he is Marcia....both cringe-inducing performances. Agree Claudia would have been a better candidate for cross-dressing with her baritone voice. I'd like to see Audrey and Dennis together.
Nay.
An absolute nay. I can't help but feel I'm being lectured to by diversity-minded writers and I dislike that immensely.
Apparently, when Hayley's character was introduced, the producers took advice from the transgender and cross-dressing self-help group, the Beaumont Society. One can ony wonder whether the current producers did the same with Marc's character. While the story line doesn't bother me, it fails on all counts. Not up-lifting, humorous, challenging or even well-acted.
I'm just chatting over the four - foot barbed - wire garden fence to my 78 year old (plus 361 days) next door neighbour Ethel, while I am sitting in my garden with a table and laptop on it writing our conversations down so you know what we are both saying to each other...
'Well Ethel, is it a Yay or a Nay'? asks Doris.
'Well Doris, I would say there is' replies Ethel.
'What do you mean there is'? asks Doris sharply.
'What do I mean? well yes, I mean there certainly is too many gays'. moans Ethel.
'Too many...that's not what I'm asking, I want to know if it's a Yay or a Nay'? asks Doris bitterly.
'Oh, I'll say Yay anytime of the day if you're making a cup of tea oh, and six sugars and don't skimp the milk' replies Ethel.
'Sorry, but I'm nowhere near the kettle Ethel' replies Doris.
'But tea helps relax you and makes you feel content and that's like my mom.. she says she feels content with her life' cries Ethel.
'But your mother's been dead for years Ethel' replies Doris.
'Has she? well she never told me. Anyway, there is no great happiness in my life and there's also no great sorrow unless i've got a cup of tea in my hand and a ginger nut in the other before dunking it in my tea ... anyway, why give with one hand and take away with the other? asks Ethel.
'Ha! Ginger nut is not the word for it! Shouts Doris.
'Contentment can last a lot longer than happiness can when I've got a cup of tea deary and not too strong 'cos i'm avoiding caffeine at the moment'. replies Ethel.
'Huh! I wish I could avoid you sometimes' moans Doris.
'Eeee... there's nothing like a relaxing atmosphere when you've got a cuppa in your hand and I find it comforting just to smell a cup of it' cries Ethel.
'Is it Yay or Nay'? asks Doris.
'Lapsang Souchong' Shouts Ethel.
'Pardon'? asks Doris.
'Lapsang Souchong, it's black tea that is smoked over wood embers' replies Ethel.
'Ooohhh!!! moans Doris pulling a face.
'No, I never said Oo-long tea deary and anyway, before having a cup of tea, I'll need to find good water'. replies Ethel.
'Good water? then why don't you borrow one of my spades and dig for some?' asks Doris.
'Oh, you silly girl, I meant using tap water but using a clear fresh good tasting water and I know what I'm talking about 'cos I've still got my head screwed on' shouts Ethel.
'You don't half talk a lot of cod's wobble' replies Doris.
'No hinney, the idea is that the water should still have lots of oxygen dissolved in it'. replies Ethel.
'Listen Ethel, instead of talking a load of dribble, can you tell me if you want a yay or nay'? asks Doris bitterly.
'The oxygen is crucial to the tea developing it's full flavor you know and oh, put me down for a ...
N A Y 'cos that bloke who dresses up talks out of his teeth'. replies Ethel.
'Finally, we have got somewhere' cries Doris with sigh relief.
'Calm down deary, I don't know what's eating you, but you don't half look stressed up at the moment anyway... being nice will make you happier' cries Ethel.
'Not when you're around' replies Doris.
'Now I'm just going to say this once so pay attention' cries Ethel.
'I am paying attention' replies Doris.
I would say ...Happy with the way things are you may not find it perfect, but that person may find it good enough unless in their hand, they've got ...' cries Ethel.
'A cup of tea' shouts Doris rudely interrupting.
'Oh, yes please and I never thought you would ask'. shouts Ethel with excitement.
I hate to bag on actors work, they do their best, but it is a major NAY from me. They are dealing in cliches ans sterotypes which I cannot stand. Add to that there has been no effort into making him look like anything but a bloke playing dress-ups. It is a truly amatuerish attempt and therefore lacks credibility for me.
Too many references to it as well. Their entire friendship is shallow and based on the fact that Mark is a cross-dresser. They don't go out and talk about anything else. How droll.
I think that they look like twins lol
Nay. I just don't find it plausible that Audrey would invest so much energy into this kind of relationship. I also think it's tragic that they styled Marcia the way they did. I'm no expert but I'd think a man [straight or not] who developed such a keen interest in living part-time as a woman would have done so because he had a natural flare for fashion and loved to style hair/make-up; the end result could not possibly be this poor!
On the fence, verging on yay. Seanie, you sure can pick the storylines for yay or nay! This had potential, but I agree with Humpty Dumpty (again) that this came off as poorly researched. I thought the wig was fine and the clothes appropriate for his age. Older crossdressing men aren't going to wear the latest trends, but probably have a wardrobe built up over time.
I think Audrey's acceptance was believable as she did get along well with him before he came out as Marcia.
I think any failure was less due to the actor or the clothing, but to not enough talking to some older guys who actually wear female clothing sometimes. They should have brought them to the Corrie sets and costume rooms too, helping Andrew a bit with what's behind the story. Eddie Izzard would have been the perfect consultant - funny and been crossdressing for ages!
I don't think it was preachy. I'm in my 60s and didn't feel it was trying to do that at all.
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