New York's Off-Broadway gets a amazing new addition in the form of Signature Theatre's new home on 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues. The Frank Gehry designed space, officially named the Pershing Square Signature Center, is composed of three theaters and a huge common area on the second level of a massive new residential development just a stone's throw from Signature's prior venue. The complex itself is a huge winner, and the common space shared by the theaters achieves what no other theater space in New York can match - an airy, comfortable, electric pre- and post-show gathering spot. The closest equivalent space I can think of is London's National Theatre complex. Bravo to the developers and Signature for having the vision and persistence to make this incredible complex a reality.
How great it is to report that the new productions inaugurating the Signature's grand opening are terrific shows that stay true to the Signature's spirit and mission. I had the pleasure of seeing Signature's revival of Athol Fugard's searing "Blood Knot" and its premiere of Katori Hall's exciting new "Hurt Village." Both works are expertly directed (the first by Fugard himself, the send by Patricia McGregor) and both feature amazing casts the breathe vigor and excitement into both texts. At the subsidized bargain of $25 per ticket, it is hard to find a better theater bargain in New York, or anywhere else in the country for that matter.
Elsewhere, the news is not so good. The Mike Nichols directed revival of Arthur Miller's seminal work "Death of a Salesman," is, plain and simple, a dud. A miscast dud, with a much too young cast playing most of the show's major roles. Phillip Seymour Hoffman lacks the range needed for Willy- he can only display confusion and anger, and he wildly vacillates between those two emotions. Andrew Garfield does not seem to know quite what to do with Biff, and Linda Edmond has nothing much to play off with such miscast male leads. The supporting cast is much better, but the whole exercise feels dated, lethargic and like a woefully produced college production where everyone is much too young for their roles. I was hesitant to see this production because the last one I saw (the 1999 revival starring Brian Dennehy) was one of the most moving and devastating experiences I have had in a theater. Don't be drawn in by the box office draw names above the title of this revival - the show is a bore, not easy to do with such a great work of writing.
The revival of the legendary flop musical "Carrie," is, I am sad to say, also a flop. Not a flop of embarrassing proportions, just the deadly dull type. Clearly, "Carrie" should have been left unrevived.
Much more successful was Encore's terrific revival of Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along," which was on par with the finest production of that show I have seen, and it featured by far the best second act of that show I have seen. The refurbished NY City Center which housed the two week "Merrily" run also looks terrific, although the acoustics in that venue need some tweaking.
Not much to report on theater-wise in Los Angeles, except for an intriguing and engaging work from Argentina at the Redcat entitled "El Pasado Es Un Animal Grotesco." The show featured a revolving multi-roomed circular set on which the talented Spanish speaking cast (the show featured English subtitles) presented this brilliantly conceived rumination on the passage of ten years in the lives of twenty- and thirty-somethings. Unfortunately its brief multi-day run has ended.
Coming up in the next post - reviews of another Signature show (Albee's "Lady From Dubuque") and the MTC revival of "Wit" starring Cynthia Nixon.
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