Act Three - The Reviews

One of the few magical plays out there this season.  Bruce Norris is a master of subjects tangled up in mystery and time.   A Parallelogram is no different - can we change the outcome of the future if we knew or could replay what we already have done?  If we only knew?  Would we be kinder?  These and many other questions are tackled with aplomb by the top notch cast in this last presentation of the season over at Second Stage Theater.

A clever loophole and a fascinating theory fill this play with mystery and wonder.  Steven Kunkin (Jay) can smell the cigarette smoke (the loophole).  Celia Keenan-Bolger (Bee) provides the many of the questions and wonder.  Anita Gillette (several Bee's) provides some, but not all, of the answers and the magic. Together this husband and wife (and wife) team plow thru life and we are aware that something is not quite right.

Don't expect all the answers.  But expect a wondrous, funny, heart-warming performance by all the actors in what might be Mr. Norris' second best play.

John Lithgow was born to play roles such as this one in David Auburn's new play, The Columnist,  having its world premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club.

Mr. Lithgow, along a cast of superb actors including Margaret Colin, Boyd Gaines, Stephen Kunken, Marc Bonan, Grace Gummer, and Brian J. Smith take us on a carefully crafted interpretation of the famous mid-20th century newspaper columnist, Joseph Alsop.  The times (and The Times) were very different indeed.  News was not a 24-hour multi-media business.  Old-school journalists, at least the successful ones, tended to be insiders with the establishment ("and that's not a compliment" says one of the characters midway through the play).  At the time of the Vietnam war, journalism was opening up and new, younger, more diverse blood in the industry was beginning to develop a voice.

Mr. Lithgow portrays Mr. Alsop with his usual top-notch flair and intensity.  The visual similarities are striking and makes him even more believable.  A Tony nod is likely and well deserved. Mr. Smith, as a young Soviet, shirt on and off, is, once again, a young dynamo - a visual diamond and an aural delight.  Ms. Colin, Mr. Gaines, and Mr. Kunken all provide excellent support to the story and portray their characters with flair and aplomb.

Mr. Alsop would never have approved of this blog nor most of what passes as news today.  Based on what I saw on the stage at the Samuel J. Freidman Theatre (The Biltmore, as I prefer to call it) some of that opinion is probably justified, but indeed, comes along with some less than desirable baggage.

Moving Matthew Lombardo’s new play, High, to a Broadway stage is perhaps the worst thing that could have happened to his provocative new work. Even at the Booth Theatre, one of the smallest on Broadway today, it’s too vast. The space literally drowns the intimacy, dilutes the intensity, and mutes the intended effect.

This show had its world premiere in Hartford and traveled on to St. Louis along its journey to Broadway. I suspect, but am not entirely sure, that it played in those cities in smaller, more intimate houses. The story deserves an up-close and personal view where nobody is more than 2 or 3 rows away from the action, the anger, the emotion and intensity. A Broadway house, while perhaps enticing to the actors (fame, fortune, and recognition) and the producers (money, what else?) turns this play into a preachy, washed-out soap opera on a grand stage.

Nonetheless, Lombardo is to be lauded for his sharp sub-text on religion, politics, and salvation. Drugs are merely a vehicle for him to expose the characters – flaws and all. I was most disappointed in the star of the show, Ms. Turner, herself. She turned in what I deem the “expected” performance - a foul mouthed, yet reformed alcoholic turned to God, Sister Jamison Connelly. And that’s the problem in a nutshell - it’s too hard to forget she is Kathleen Turner playing this part. Although in real life she’s no nun, the rest is all too familiar. The weakest link by far was Stephen Kunken as Father Michael Delpapp. He lacked much conviction, seemed to be struggling to fit the words and dialogue into his performance and frankly was not a very convincing priest. While Lombardo has given him quite a stinging and pivotal role to play, his performance was nothing close.

The shinning star of the evening was newcomer Evan Jonikeit as Cody Randall. His portrayal as a mis-guided, abused, drug-addicted young man was superb. In this case, Lombardo and director, Rob Ruggiero imbued him very youthful character with a silent emotional depth, hurt, passion that shown with every moment he stood on stage.

Lombardo’s play is superb and deserves to be seen but it’s neither Ms. Turner nor the venue that should be the draw. The proximity of your to the actors and action will be in direct proportion to the emotional absorption and satisfaction with which you leave the theatre.

It may have been a smashing success in London, but here in New York, a bit "closer to home" as they say, it probably won't fare as well.  The Brits probably enjoy laughing at our moments of weakness just a bit more than we do.  A monumental undertaking by playwright Lucy Prebble, Enron attempts (and quite frankly succeeds) at telling the story of Jeffrey Skilling and his downfall at the Company we all know as Enron.

As the play unfolded, she (and the actors) all did a remarkable job at keeping in "interesting".  Lighting, music, dance numbers, and sophisticated digital looking sets all contributed to the "wall street" atmosphere.  Norbert Leo Butz nailed Skilling.  Gregory Itzin and Stephen Kunken as Kenneth Lay and Andy Fastow both turned in remarkable performances.  Marin Mazzie was superb as one of the few fictional (or more correctly stated, composite) characters.

The trouble is - they wove a complex tale.  There was no hero to route for.  While your senses were being bombarded with business terms, facts, figures, and jargon - the story simply lacked anyone or anything redeeming in the end.  My personal feeling is that they could have "created" (i.e. taken literary license) a "whistle blower" (which, in reality would not have been that difficult as the real story had the makings of one anyway).

Overall - I (an accountant by trade) loved it, understood it, and appreciated what they had to say.  I am guessing that as brilliant as the storytelling efforts were, most people walked out of the theatre confused or angry at a time when the economy is once again in the toilet - hence resurfacing old thoughts of anger, resentment, and ill will towards corporate America in general.  At a minimum, some might wonder if Ben Brantley's mutual funds took a nose-dive the day before he reviewed it.

In 2007, you're bound to find more than few people alive that have no or very little knowledge of Richard Nixon, his presidency, and Watergate. I was only 3 at the time, myself. This play focuses on the story of the David Frost/Richard Nixon interviews - the first ones granted by Nixon after his infamous resignation. The Nixon camp assumed that the almost washed up Australian talk show host David Frost would be a pushover and Nixon would use the interviews as a way to get back into the public favor. The Frost camp, as you would imagine, thought the same thing but with respect to David Frost.

Oh Boy - this one is a bolt of lightning! Ouch! If any of you reading this think that going to plays is all about music, laughter and an occasional teardrop - think again! Festen (the Danish word for Celebration) bites to the core. Some of you may have seen the movie version (named "Celebration" for it's USA release). I hear it is just as dark and bitter.

This is the tale of a rich (and twisted) family in Denmark. The father is turning 60 and the whole family returns to the family house (more like estate) for a dinner celebration. Right from the beginning you meet the characters - all dark - all seem to have something to hide, something "odd" about them, something brewing beneath the surface. You come to learn that one of the children committed suicide last year which makes the tension thicker. It is right from this point that you hear an eerie tone (like you'd hear in a horror movie) start to resonate. Additionally, the sounds of running water and the voice of a small child echo in the background. It's creepy!! (check out the website and you will hear it - http://www.festenonbroadway.com )

Juliana Margulies (ER), Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under - Billy Chenowith) are among the faces of the children. Speaking of Six Feet Under, it actually felt a bit like that show. (If you watch, you'd know what i mean). The mother is played by Ali MacGraw - her return to Broadway after many years.

Being a film/play made in the Danish Dogme style (i think i referred to that correctly) - the lighting was all white - no colors. The stage was stark (but that's just like those Danes - think Danish Modern Furniture!). It was all about the art, the story, and the message - not any Glitz and Glamour. That, essentially, is the Dogme Style of film/play making.

Well... If that's what they set out to do - they certainly succeeded. You come to learn at dinner that the father molested his son (and dead daughter). One of the other sons is nutz- of course most aptly played by Billy Chenowith...er... Jeremy Sisto... The mother knew about all this for years and shut it out - playing the ever silent matriarch of the family.

Act II degrades even further into the family swamp. Family members fighting family members, father trying to molest the young granddaughter, other son tries to kill father, mother sobs - and all the while they sing very eerie family songs (they all seem to know the words like they were raised singing them) and dance through the house drunk on the evening's wine.

The use concurrent use of space on the stage by 2 or 3 different sets of characters was amazing. Without having 5 or 6 rooms to play the scenes in, they often all used the same space rapidly alternating the dialogue and lighting all the while seeming to be alone in the space without interfering with the others. Not easy to block out - and not at all easy to perform. The effect only added to the eerie tension of the evening.

Tension, along with an eerie horror movie sound/tone permeated the theater from the minute they walked on stage, to the last word was uttered. I tell you - it was twisted! I hope there's a tall glass bourbon waiting for all of them every night they walk off stage! I know I certainly needed one!