Fanfare for the New, the Old, the Less Heralded By CHARLES ISHERWOOD

December 20, 2009
Fanfare for the New, the Old, the Less Heralded By CHARLES ISHERWOOD

FOR the New York theater the year just past could be called the year of the underdog. In putting together my annual list of highlights, I noticed that most of them — actually, all of them — were productions that arrived with little or no fanfare and nary a big-name celebrity, yet somehow beat the odds to become the little shows that could.

Not that these memorable productions were audience blockbusters. By "little shows that could" I mean little shows that could win the hearts of dedicated theater audiences not entirely attuned to the TMZ ethos that has begun to rule Broadway. Fewer than half of my favorite shows of the year were seen in that dubious and increasingly star-obsessed promised land. And while the shows produced off Broadway that made my list all had extended runs, none of the Broadway shows could even remotely be called a hit.

The encouraging success of theater underdogs this year seems appropriate during a time when the cratering economy tossed hundreds of thousands into the un- or underemployed list. If I squint for some silver lining, perhaps at least it was possible for starry-eyed aspiring types, the underdog playwrights and actors of tomorrow, to rent an apartment in the vicinity of New York.

The happy mascot for this year would have to be David Cromer's gorgeous revival of Thornton Wilder's OUR TOWN, perhaps the smallest yet the grandest of my favorite shows. Arriving from Chicago with much of the original cast intact, staged at the Barrow Street Theater for just over 100 people a night, this unshowy but perceptive rethinking of an American standard became a bona fide hit. Opening in February to rapturous reviews, it continues to play at Barrow Street to audiences finding themselves in thrilling intimacy with Wilder's bittersweet reflections on the homely grandeur of human existence. In December it became the longest-running production of the play in history.

As such it is probably the only production on my list likely to enter the theater history books. But the season was notable, if perhaps not epoch making, for the strong showing of new plays by women.

The lack of support for such plays has been a simmering cause of debate over the past few years. In the November issue of American Theater magazine, Marsha Norman once again makes the case that "there is some serious resistance to producing the work of women on the American stage."

But I hope it's an encouraging sign that the four best new plays to be produced in New York this year were written by women: Annie Baker's CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, a deliciously subtle comedy set in a rural acting class that explores how lives can evolve in ways that are both barely noticeable and momentous; Melissa James Gibson's THIS, a moving, deeply funny and verbally adroit comedy that manages to find a fresh vibe for a familiar story of marital transgression; Gina Gionfriddo's savage, smart comedy BECKY SHAW, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; and Sarah Ruhl's IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY, a wonderfully daring, serious-minded sex comedy about the fundamental lack of understanding between men and women in the post-gaslight era (and, by extension, our own).

In a hopeful sign that Off Broadway may yet see signs of permanent resurgence, "Becky Shaw" extended for six weeks beyond its initial run at the Second Stage Theater, while both "Circle Mirror Transformation" and "This" were held over at Playwrights Horizons. ("This" runs in the mainstage space until Jan. 3 while a brief return engagement of "Circle" plays the theater's Peter Jay Sharp space until Jan. 17.) The fate of "In the Next Room," which was bravely produced on Broadway by Lincoln Center Theater, does not look as happy. Although it will probably be seen by more people than saw any of the other new plays on my list, it is limping along on Broadway, where the only currency of value is celebrity. (It did not help that the Signature Theater chose to open the first installment of "The Orphans' Home Cycle" on the night that "In the Next Room" had scheduled its opening, thus ensuring that the plays would have to vie for news-media attention in the few outlets that regularly cover theater. With colleagues like that, who needs enemies?)

The snowballing power of fame is the most dispiriting news of 2009. The other three Broadway shows on my Top 10 list are Bartlett Sher's transcendent revival of August Wilson's JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE for Lincoln Center Theater; the superbly acted production of THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, by Alan Ayckbourn, imported from the Old Vic in London; and the resplendent new staging of FINIAN'S RAINBOW, a transfer from the City Center Encores! series. Not even a date-night appearance from no less a celebrity couple than Barack and Michelle Obama could transform "Joe Turner" from a reasonable draw to a hot ticket. Unanimous hosannas couldn't stop "Norman" from entering the books as a flop — in theatrical parlance, a show that does not recoup its investment. "Finian's Rainbow," another critical hit and one of the most gorgeously sung shows in recent memory on Broadway, will be lucky to make it into January.

Still, the year brought some signs of hope that important revivals are no longer the exclusive province of Broadway. In addition to "Our Town" the year occasioned two unforgettable Off Broadway revivals that played to sold-out houses. Remarkably, the same actor, John Douglas Thompson, starred in both.

In the spring he played the title role in the Theater for a New Audience's nigh-perfect OTHELLO, directed with confidence by a newcomer, Arin Arbus, who qualifies as the most gifted new director to emerge this year. In the fall Mr. Thompson returned in a searing production of Eugene O'Neill's EMPEROR JONES at the Irish Repertory Theater. (It continues to run at the SoHo Playhouse.)

Mr. Thompson's is by no means a name that is going to light up a Broadway marquee soon, unless he finds himself starring in a trendy television show or a major movie. (And for his sake, I hope he does.) But his fine work this year will not soon be forgotten by those privileged to see it. There may be no better classical actor working in the New York theater right now.
‘Our Town,’ ‘Becky Shaw’ Among Year’s Best - Review - NYTimes.com (27 December 2009)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/theater/reviews/20isherwood.html?pagewanted=print
http://snipurl.com/tvvmp