That Championship Season

Perhaps the play did win the Pulitzer Prize in 1972, but that doesn't guarantee a good show in 2011.  The play itself only ran for 144 performances in '72, and that should have been a clue.  The subject matter may have been fresh and shocking 40 years ago, but today it's like a bad re-run episode of All in the Family.  Playwright Jason Miller may have penned some good lines and started with some powder-keg material but in the end it's an over-hyped, sad, obvious, and pedantic walk down memory lane indicting men, the education system, small-town America, and the Catholic church all in one fell swoop.  The obvious topics covered (or uncovered as it were) are racism, bigotry, family duty, adultery, success (or lack thereof) and false role models.

I haven't seen a play in a very long time where the quality of the acting was so diametrically opposite to the quality of the script.  The all-star cast delivered in every way it could given the poor material.  Jason Patric, Keifer Sutherland, Brian Cox, Dan Gaffigan, and Chris Noth pour their hearts into the roles.  Trouble is, there are so many dead-ends, undeveloped story lines and lost opportunities in the script that all we're left with is the overbearing coach eternally blathering on about "what makes a winner" and "what it takes to win".  By today's standards, I think anyone (even in small-town America) would wonder why these men are so handicapped by and tied to this coach's "wisdom".  For all our faults, we're a much more open, independent and thinking society today.  I presume that Mr. Miller's desired outcome in 1972 was to see that "the emperor has no clothes", but in 2011 I think all that remains of this show is the picture of a sorry and sad past we should all regret.

Farragut North

Where did Beau Willimon get his inspiration and "inside info" when writing this play?  I learned after I returned home from the theatre from Roma Tore's NY1 Review that Mr. Willimon worked on the Howard Dean Presidential campaign.  The entire work now makes even more sense.

We've certainly been inundated for the past 18 months with political campaign foder.  Sadly it almost seems an empty day if we are not bombarded with some scandal, accusation, some grist from the proverbial political mill.  

Nor does it go unnoticed by this viewer that this show cleverly didn't run much past election day at the Atlantic Theatre.   We've really had enough.   But it's never quite enough until Broadway has taken it's shots too.   And what a bulls-eye this one turns out to be.  Now - this is not the dream cast (Leo DiCapprio and George Clooney) rumored last year to be doing a Broadway-bound version - but it's damn good nonetheless.   John Gallagher Jr. (Spring Awakening, Rabbit Hole) takes on the role of Stephen, the young, ambitious, cocky, rising star in the political campaign communications world (of course he's damn sexy doing it too).   Chris Noth (Sex and the City, Law and Order) tackles the role of Paul, the elder, more experienced and seasoned campaign advisor.  

The dialogue is sharp.  Kudos to director, Doug Hughes.  The humor, well placed and the acerbic and emotionally charged dialogue well delivered.  The plot, twisted and entirely (unfortunately) believable as one would expect.  The "gun" in act one gets used as one might expect.  No spoilers here.  

Possibly the most disappointing aspect of this show is the unfortunate familiarity with the subject matter that the audience brings to its seats.  Shock? Not a chance.  But I'm virtually positive that is not what the production was shooting for.  Cynicism, more likely. 

Strangely enough, at the end of the show, the "next generation" gets his first shot in front of the press and cameras (flash-flash-flash).  He reads a brief statement then looks up, as if to say "that was the script - now I'm going to tell you what it's really all about".  He looks us straight in the eye with that sincere, "we're going to change the world" face and tells the press (that's us) that the "people" is what the campaign is all about - it's the reason the candidate is running and that he will lead us into a new era.  The audience applauded exuberantly.  Hmmm... Fade to black.