Unfortunately, there is little to be excited about with respect the new shows opening this fall in New York City. There is not a serious drama playing on Broadway, and all of the new shows this fall are either musicals or comedies. Off-Broadway is also offering slim pickings this fall as most off-Broadway theater companies have significantly reduced their schedules presumably due to budgetary concerns.
Notwithstanding the above, one new show I saw on a recent trip to NY proved to be a winner on many levels, namely the new Steven Sondheim/ David Ives musical "Here Were Are" at The Shed in Hudson Yards. While developed during Sondheim's final years, there was some doubt that the show (which was at one point entitled "Square One") would be staged because it was not quite finished when Mr. Sondheim passed away. Thankfully the creators (book writer David Ives and director Joe Mantello chief among them) contniued their work on the show and have provided theatergoers with the gift of this impeccably crafted production of "Here We Are."
The show is "inspired by" two Luis Bunel films, neither of which I had seen before viewing the show, although I had a sense of the general plots of both films. I am glad I had not seen either film, because it enabled to admire the brilliance of the show without any preconceived notions. I had read online chatter from the earliest previews that the two acts were disjointed and that the work feels unfinished. Neither proved to be the case for me, as I thought the two acts were beautifully integrated, and the relative dearth of music in the second act made perfect sense to me in the context of the show. The interplay of the two acts in "Here We Are" are much like that in Sondheim's "Into The Woods," in that the first, more humorous act is the set up to exploration of more serious and deeper themes of the second act.
The production elements of "Here We Are" are sheer theatrical perfection. The cast includes many of the finest theater actors of our time, all working at the top of their game. The direction is precise and fluid. The scenic design, costumes (both by David Zinn), choreography (appropriately more movement by Sam Pinkleton) lighting (by Natasha Katz), sound (by Tom Gibbons, and orchestrations (by longtime Sondheim collaborator Jonathan Tunik) all work to create a work so professionally executed that I was in awe at the stagecraft on display from beginning to end.
While I hesitate to separate any cast member out given that they are all great, I cannot avoid noting that David Hyde Pierce and Rachel Bay Jones are standouts as the heart and soul of the show.
I left "Here We Are" wanting to see the show again, and I hope I have the opportunity to do so. I am not sure this thoughtful and rather quirky show would find an audience on Broadway, nor am I confident that it will be met with overwhelming critical acclaim. But in a world in which many like me are feeling a sense of existential dread due to world unrest and upcoming elections, "Here We Are" for me proved to a balm of comfort for its glimmer of hope for where we are as a nation and world.
While I enjoyed the comedic elements of two new Broadway plays, Jocelyn Bioh's "Jaja's African Hair Braiding" and the revival of Ossie Davis' "Purlie Victorious," both suffered from flawed elements. In "Jaja's" the attempt by the playwright to introduce a serious thematic turn of events felt forced and unnuanced. In "Purlie" the wildly over the top performance of Kara Young offset the balance of the otherwise fine cast, a flaw for which I fault the direction. Nevertheless, both are worth seeing in a current Broadway play landscape with few quality new productions.
The rarely revived and now revised Rome/Weidman 1962 musical "I Can Get It For You For Wholesale" is worth seeing at Classic Stage largely for the talent of its fine cast, especially the star affirming performance by Julia Lester as Miss Marmelstein, the role that started Barbara Streisand's stage career. The show itself, at least in its revised form, is an odd one that proves to be less than satisfying.
The full day marathon of Sean O'Casey's trilogy by Ireland's Druid theater company was a mixed bag, as I found only one play of the trilogy ("The Shadow of a Gunman") to be truly successfully staged. Surprisingly, the other two plays ("The Plough and the Stars" and "Juno and the Paycock") suffered from pacing issues and uneven acting.
Finally, the Goodman Theatre production of Rebecca Gilman's "Swing State" at the Minetta Lane was a welcome opportunity to see a well constructed and acted serious drama, although I had some credibility issues with the way the central character was written. The play nevertheless packs an emotional wallop and is worth seeing.
