Ms. Gardner has written about theater and music for The New York Times, The…
Under Sarna Lapine’s direction, Smart seems curiously small and dim, as if she’s as oppressed by the material as her character is by her predicament. In the end, Jamie Wax’s play inspires pity more than empathy.
Unfortunately, the playwright’s distinctive blend of irreverence and whimsy isn’t as finely tuned as it has been for some other projects, and the results can seem self-indulgent and silly.
The actor finds humor in his character’s cluelessness and self-pity, sustaining a breezy, ironically cheerful vibe through much of a production that is likely to shake you to your core.
Reed Birney manages to lend grit and poignance to dialogue that can border on boilerplate, while Lisa Emery, who was delicious in a far more sinister role in ‘Ozark,’ proves equally adroit at fleshing out her character.
In Ruhl’s version Eurydice arrives in the underworld to discover another man who loves her just as intensely as Orpheus does: her father. Brian d’Arcy James and Maya Hawke play the reunion to enchanting, ultimately heartbreaking effect.
Our theater critic surveys the major categories, offering highly subjective takes on who should be taking Tonys home and at least somewhat educated guesses on who will be doing so.
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