Lilian Hellman's The Little Foxes

The only thing I did not like about this production was its title.  I hate it when an author feels that their name needs to be attached to the title - ala Edward Albee.  Now, onto all the good stuff.

Daniel Sullivan's directorial job could not have been more different from the last time I saw this show at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2010 with Ivo Van Hove at the helm.  This time, with Mr. Sullivan's fine vision, I really felt I was in the South.  The set (kudos Scott Pask) was a magnificent reproduction of a fine southern home.  (Boy those stairs seemed very steep!). Completely contrary to Mr. Van Hove's bare set and modern costumes - context really does make the story come alive in a way Mr. Van Hove could not replicate although his production certainly succeeded in many aspects that I won't go into now.

As you may know, The two leads, Regina Giddens (Laura Linney on my night) and Birdie Hubbard (Cynthia Nixon on my night) trade roles regularly!  I immediately thought that the casting as I saw it may have been the better combo - but these two actresses are masters of their craft and I left the theater thinking what a different person each one must inhabit as they trade roles.

And what a tremendous supporting cast these two marvelous actresses get the pleasure of working with.  Regina's brothers, Michael McKean (Ben Hubbard) and Darren Goldstein (Ben Hubbard) are the perfect mix of evil and jocularity.  Richard Thomas (Horrace Giddens) doesn't appear until Act II and when he does it is evident he knows how to inhabit his deceptively revengeful character with aplomb.

Ms. Hellman really does bring this family to the brink and then back again.  What a pleasure it was to watch these fine actors take their evil and deceptive journey each night deep in the south way back in 1900.  Which cast did you see?

Time Stands Still

To officially open my Fall 2010 Broadway season - I think I may have picked the best play on Broadway - (again).  Time Stands Still had a limited run last season in the spring at Manhattan Theatre Club.  Due to the overwhelming success, it is now attempting a commercial run at the Cort Theatre with virtually the entire cast intact - minus Alicia Silverstone who is being replaced by Christina Ricci.

Donald Margulies' plot is quite straightforward, yet offers no simple answers.  Does a journalist, photographer, or other documentarian have any responsibility to intervene in the subject matter they are witnessing?  Be it war, famine, natural disaster - can they, or, more importantly, should they step in?  Can they emotionally detach themselves from all that is going on around them?

Laura Linney takes on this moral dilemma as Sarah, a well traveled, well respected wartime journalist (think Christiane Amanpour) who gets "blown up" by a roadside bomb while on assignment.   Margulies explores the roots of her issues - her childhood and family, her relationship with reporter-boyfriend James (Brian D'Arcy James), and long-time magazine editor, Richard (Eric Bogosian).   The entire cast, including Ricci (whom I saw make a satisfying first public performance) was enthralling.  Margulies has thrown them (and us) quite a few bones to gnaw on - the state of true journalism vs the 24 hour news cycle and the Hollywood fluff, family, trust, purpose, fulfillment and happiness.  All that, and more, packaged into two powerful hours on stage punctuated with plenty of sarcasm and humor.

The cast never failed to deliver the goods and this work clearly hits its mark.  Bulls-Eye.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Popularized by the 1988 Glen Close movie, this time around it's Laura Linney (Sight Unseen, The Crucible, HBO's John Adams) in the cold, calculating, and deceitful role of La Marquise de Merteuil on stage at the American Airlines Theatre.  She's surrounded by a great deal of talent including Olivier award winning British actors Ben Daniels and Sian Phillips, as well as American actors, Mamie Gummer (Mr. Marmalade, Hunting and Gathering, HBO's John Adams) and and Kristine Nielsen (Spring Awakening, Die Mommie Die!, Our Leading Lady, Based on a Totally True Story).

I suspect the play will never out-shine the movie.  Nothing can beat the close camera angles and intense drama and cinematography a film can provide.  In almost any size house, it's hard to capture the intensity that only the people in the first two rows can absorb.  If anyone could try, Roundabout would surely by the natural choice where elaborate and ornate costumes and sets as well as excellent direction are a mainstay.  

All in all - the actors did a superb job.  Many will say Act I was too "funny".  Some will complain the ending was different from the movie.  You can't please everyone.  You just have to keep playing the game.