I hate to say it, but out of the plays I saw this year, it was hard to come of with five of them worth pouring over in kind remembrance. I did get to 4 quite easily, and then threw in the tie for fifth because I think those two plays will stick with me a year from now due to their shared symbolism and staging, even if they did have some faults.
1. The 39 Steps, Helen Hayes Theatre, 6 January
This play opened in the West End when I was in Farnham, but I didn't get a chance to see it then and I nearly ended up missing its Broadway run as well. However, when I saw that it would be moving to off-Broadway, I jumped online and got myself a ticket while it was still at the Helen Hayes. I am so glad I did. This play is hilarious and so very entertaining! The writing is great with lots of very clever literary and film references, including one to my beloved Brideshead. I saw the movie ages ago as part of a book and movie club my mother was involved in (the other film in the series was Green for Danger, which was also sort of off-kilter and strange), but all I remember of it is a sort of still image of a man at the top of a lot of stairs. I am not sure if it is an actual still, or something manufactured by my mind over the years. No matter, as far as I can tell the play is only loosely tied to the film and book, which I read later this year, sharing only basic plot points and then embellishing them to the max. The fact that the cast is only four people, with three of the actors playing multiple roles greatly ups the farcical quotient and enhances the wonderfully absurd humor. It's sort of like Monty Python on steroids, in a very good way.
2. Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Public Theatre, 26 June
This play was getting so much buzz, I just had to go see it. It too did not disappoint because of its sly, dry humor. The supporting cast was excellent, especially John Quincy Adams and his tantrums. I wasn't impressed by the majority of the songs, but they still worked within the context of the play, and I don't think the script would have been as strong if it were only spoken word. Because everything about the play is over the top, the musical aspect fits in perfectly. I also greatly admired the set design, which was very detail oriented and suitably playful. I have heard the Bloody, Bloody has not been as successful on Broadway, and I can see the potential for that. Even though Andrew Jackson is all about populism, the play itself is rather elitist, throwing lots of knowing, insider winks at the audience. This works well in a small venue like the Public, but could be lost on a bigger stage with Jackson's podium raised high above his people.
3. Come Fly Away, Marquis Theatre, 11 August
Ok, this is kind of a cheesy thing: another Twyla Tharp jukebox dance-ical. However, my very favorite Broadway dancer (yes, I have a favorite Broadway dancer), John Selya was the lead and I couldn't pass up a chance to watch his body in sublime motion (and, for one scene, shirtless!). I had seen Movin' Out years ago and loved it, so I figured this new Tharp production couldn't be too bad. The first act had me worried about that assumption. It was all over the place an many of the dances seemed to have no relation to the music being played. Fortunately, the dancer who portrayed the comic-relief providing waiter character totally stole and saved the show. He has a very athletic and acrobatic, yet at the same time completely effortless, dancing style. He was so full of joy with every move, and consequently was a joy to watch. The second act, which was much sexier and involved most of the characters dancing in their underwear and negligees, was so much better than the first. It was very sensual, and everything was much more in sync. The second act, which included some very skillful break dancing from Selya, made the whole spectacle worth while. After leaving Broadway, it has moved to Wynn Las Vegas, of all places! If you enjoy modern dance and the music of Sinatra, then this Tharp confection is worth a viewing.
4. The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 17 July
I have already given this a full review, because things involving Chris Pine warrant the attention. I do have to say that his Irish accent is still super questionable, but he is a joy to watch anyway. The Taper production of Inishmore wasn't anywhere near the quality of the Duid Ensemble's production of The Cripple of Inishmaan at the Atlantic last year (actual Irish people!), but it was worth the trip to LA, and that's all that really matters.
5. Spirit Control, City Center Main Stage, 12 November AND Wings, 2nd Stage Theatre, 26 October
These two plays both involve the concept of flight and use video screens to convey that elusive feeling of soaring outside of oneself. Wings left me a bit underwhelmed in its overly earnest direction, even though Jan Maxwell's lead performance was very strong, so strong that the other actors seemed in over their heads.
Spirit Control caught my interest because it it written by Beau Willimon, who wrote Farragut North, which I absolutely loved. The former is not as good as the later, but it appealed to me because of Willimon's deft portrayal of male characters who are sure of who they are, yet over the course of the play, find out that they are in fact a very different kinds of people than they had believed themselves to be and must come to terms with the person they have discovered themselves to have become. There is something very touching and heartbreaking about this, even when the characters in question aren't especially good people. Spirit Control (and Wings too, to a certain extent) is also interesting because it is a bit of a puzzle, with reality and dreams overlapping in the characters' minds, on the stage, and through the medium of video. Spirit Control's dialog is propulsive, moving the story along at a good pace. While I didn't totally love this play like I did Farragut, I was continually engaged by it.
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