Well, it looks like the Holmesbot is still morphing into Tom Cruise’s clone, so nothing new there except for the incrementally shorter hair and progressively frumpier clothing. Meanwhile, Roger Friedman reports his impressions of the wife of the Poison Dwarf on Broadway:

[T]his production of “All My Sons” is getting a lot of attention, of course for all the wrong reasons. First of all, it’s “All My Sons” starring the amazing John Lithgow, the beloved Dianne Wiest, and the recently discovered Patrick Wilson, who turns out to be a real find in a dramatic role.

Katie Holmes has the fourth role, Ann, which is small although integral to the play. Because she’s married to Tom Cruise in real life (so to speak), and has worked little since their meeting in 2005, people want to know: Is she any good? Is this just a publicity gimmick? Was it worth seeing her in the press, sashaying back and forth every day to and from rehearsal in different outfits, often sporting toddler Suri as an ornament?

So the answer is: I saw “All My Sons” on Saturday night. It was a packed house. There were people outside trying to buy tickets. After the show, a line forms for Katie at the stage door. Maybe the fans are there for the other stars. They should be there for Christian Camargo, who makes a tremendous impact as George, brother to Katie’s character, who disrupts the fragile relationships of the main players. He’s that good.

They should also be there for Patrick Wilson, who’s the surprise of the night. He’s been in “The Full Monty” on Broadway, and “Little Children” in movies. But here he really carries the ball, and the show, in a way that is quite disarming. Good for him. Lithgow and Wiest are seasoned stars by now; they’re sensational in these roles, and probably think all the fuss around Katie is just amusing.

Then, Friedman goes on to say that Katie “isn’t bad” in her assigned role but “her voice and projection need work.” Then, he credits her with knowing all of her lines and not totally embarrassing herself. So, it sounds like mediocrity (or, as I was corrected here, much worse than mediocrity) has invaded Broadway. Too bad several other talented actresses were undoubtedly passed over in favor of the publicity advantages of hiring Mrs. Cruise.