Man and Boy

"Man and Boy" presented by Roundabout Theatre Company at the American Airlines Theatre, September 10,  2011

Back to reviving classic American theatre, the Roundabout has scored Frank Langella to lead Terrence Rattigan's 1963 story of a corrupt, big-money, business mogul.  Set in 1934 New York, Gregor Antonescu (Mr. Langella), who single-handedly saved the the Franc in 1926, is viewed as the Warren Buffett of his day.  The parallels to today continue with the Great Depression era during which dissatisfaction with Roosevelt sound a lot like the criticisms of President Obama. The truth turns out to reveal Antonescu as a Madoff-like cretin, who created an elaborate Ponzi scheme which is about to collapse.

Antonescu is laying low in NY, and turns to his estranged, illegitimate son Basil (Adam Driver), for help to complete a last ditch deal to re-supply his organization with cash.  Basil has cut ties and abandoned the lifestyle that might have been his after a failed attempt to shoot his father on his 21st birthday.

Mr. Langella is masterful in this creakily written role, finding depth and nuance that likely aren't on the page.  Mr. Driver is miscast as Basil.  His physical presence is anachronistically buff for the sensitive musician that is this bastard son.  Francesca Faridany turns up for another shallow socialite, similar to her role of Vida Philmore from the Atlantic Theatre Company's The New York Idea from earlier this year.

Director Maria Aitken keeps things moving, but the play might have benefited from a bit of adaptation 50 years later.  Derek McLane's Greenwich Village basement apartment works nicely, but is more serviceable than remarkable, as do Martin Pakledinaz' costumes.

Man and Boy is scheduled to run through November 27.

The 39 Steps

"The 39 Steps" at New World Stages, March 27, 2010

The transfer from it's two-year run on Broadway, including stints at the Roundabout's American Airlines, to the Cort, to the Helen Hayes is starting to show its wear now that Maria Aitken's skillfully and cleverly directed farce has moved off-Broadway to New World Stages.

I had hoped to find this production as tight as the transfer of Avenue Q a few months ago, but such is not the case.

John Behlmann certainly has the requisite movie star looks of protagonist Richard Hannay, though he looks a bit young for the role.  Kate MacCluggage also falls just a hair short of the Hitchcock blonde.  It's still quite funny, but some of the sophistication seems to have been lost along the way.

I still think this is the right venue for this production.  I hope the producers will give the audience enough time and direction to find it in its new home.

Click here for my original review.

Hitchcock Homage

"Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps" at the Cort Theatre, May 2, 2008

Transferring from its limited run at the Roundabout Theatre Company earlier this spring, "39 Steps" has transferred to an open-ended commercial run.

The movie has been remade several times, including by Hitchcock himself in 1959's "North by Northwest." This adaptation by Patrick Barlow takes on the 1935 classic film with a cast of four, three men and one woman playing every role in the story.

It's definitely a physical actor's dream gig - slapstick, quick changes, minimal sets and props to create everything from a London flat, to a train (both interior and exterior) to a police station to a rural inn, all using trunks, chairs and a table.

Charles Edwards plays Richard Hannay, the protagonist (antagonized?) hero of the story about a man dragged into the tale of intrigue. Jennifer Ferrin plays three of the female roles, spending most of her time as Margaret, one of the original Hitchcock blonds. Cliff Saunders and Arnie Burton play the rest of the characters, both male and female.

I was truly intrigued when I first heard this production was coming to NYC after an Olivier-winning run in London's West End. I was anxious to see it, now that it had transferred to a commercial run.

Now that I've seen it, though I really admired the clever and resourceful direction and production, I can't help but wonder if something like this wouldn't be better served in a venue like New World Stages. The combination of slapstick and farce produced on such a low-tech approach seems to have off-Broadway written all over it. I can almost see it taking a reputation as the kind of show, like "Blue Man Group" or "Stomp" that is a perennial favorite among visitors to NYC.

The four actors gave a nice effort tonight, but I couldn't help but feel that some of the novelty is starting to wear off. I was glad to see director Maria Aitken was in the back row of the mezzanine taking notes. Hopefully she can re-inject some of the energy back into this production.