It's Only a Play

In full disclosure, I'm looking to recover my investment in this play.  I don't see why I can't sing the praises of this double-over-with-laughter, pee-in-my-pants production at the same time!

The best comedic actors around grace the stage in Terrance McNally's two-act romp over at the Schoenfeld Theater on West 45th.  Nathan Lane (James Wicker), Matthew Broderick (Peter Austin), Megan Mullally (Julia Budder), Stockard Channing (Virginia Noyes), F. Murray Abraham (Ira Drew), Rupert Grint (Frank Finger), and adorable and very lucky newcomer, Micah Stock (Gus P. Head), all grace the stage and hold court with uproarious results.

In my opinion this is a very strong argument for a Tony category for Best Ensemble Cast.  Hands down, they complement each other and each fuels the others in pursuit of the punchline.  That said, Mr. Lane is clearly the leader of the pack with his hysterical mugs, unexpected outbursts, one-liners, and generally effervescent stage presence.

Mr. McNally wrote this play in the late 70's and revised it in the 80's and has again undertaken a massive update to make the show culturally relevant to an audience today.  As it is opening night of a Broadway play (the play within the play), there are quite a few pop-culture entertainment oriented references (and jokes) to be had.

This is a limited engagement and I encourage you to RUN to the box office and get your tickets today. Despite the outcome of the reviews of the play-within-the play, you won't be disappointed in the least and may end up with a pain in your side --- from all the laughter.

Mauritius

The 2007-2008 Season at the Manhattan Theater Club opened with a scam! Well, the show was about a scam anyway - a philatelist (stamp collector), a suspicious deal maker, a desperate woman, and two rare stamps from Mauritius.

The cast was led by last season's darling from Blackbird - Allison Pill. Also on stage was Katie Finneran (Noises Off and Pig Farm), Bobby Cannavale (Will's Boyfriend on Will and Grace), and Dylan Baker (I know him as one of the Law and Order "High priced attorneys - Sanford Rems).

My subscription is a preview subscription - so let's just assume the show will get tighter, sharper, and more comfortable with a little time. The actors all seem fully capable and the writing appears to be high quality. The comedy at times seemed a bit forced, but again, that will most likely mellow out with a few more weeks of performance.

The story, however, leaves me with a few questions that were never answered. There were a few "guns introduced in act one that were never used in act two". The biggest one was the mysterious story about why the family broke up. Abuse? Rape? Murder? Something else? We hear about it in act one, but never really find out the details - - and specifically - the plastic bag? Is there a spin off of Law and Order in the works or what?

I frequently found myself asking "why don't you just go somewhere else to sell the stamps?" For the length of the show - I would expect a deeper plot with a bit more character development. Although, that was partially offset by the quality of the acting and the general twists of the story.

A little mystery, some intrigue, and a murky past to all the characters hold your interest - And it will get you looking at the stamp on your next letter!