Review - House of Blue Leaves

I'm definitely predisposed to enjoy a John Guare play--I love me some John Guare.  (Pronto, John Guare!)  He writes like no one else, and I love seeing his earlier, more absurd work.  I didn't see the very famous revival of "Blue Leaves" (well, I saw the video once, a long time ago), so I came into this pretty fresh, not having read it in years.  As I watched it unfold, I was trying to listen and hang onto all of the gorgeous imagery in this near-squalor.  The juxtaposition is amazing.

I was unsure I would enjoy Ben Stiller as Artie, but I think he was very good.  It kinda worked having this still-handsome guy play such a loser.  Another juxtaposition that I liked.  You could see that he was really torn about what he was doing to his wife, Bananas, yet he had a vision and had to see it through.  In this era of reality tv and people wanting their fifteen minutes of fame no matter what, the story of the play is more timely now than ever.

I always like to describe a John Guare play as having equal parts whimsy and pathos--the director of this revival, David Cromer, has really brought out the pathos, but it somehow makes the whimsy more pronounced.  Just as you're sitting there feeling terrible for these people, then you start to crack up with laughter, then you start to cry.  It's a fantastic roller coaster that you just don't want to end.  John Guare has created this awful characters, yet they're totally sympathetic.  It's really lovely.

photo credit: Sara Krulwich

Edie Falco is a tad mannered in her first scene, but she really had me by the end.  Her Bananas is the most sane person on the stage, even as she resists yet acknowleges her insanity.  I think she hits a lot of nice notes in her scene with Billy (nicely played by Thomas Sadoski, but no matter how much gray they put in his hair, he doesn't look old enough to have gone to high school with her and Ben Stiller), and at the end.  She also has an oddly touching relationship with Bunny, played with relish by Jennifer Jason Leigh.  At first I thought, omg, tone it down sister, but then she really grew on me too.  Her great need to be next to fame and success was very scary yet touching, and her loud bravado was a great cover for her complete lack of self.

I didn't even recognize Mary Beth Hurt as the main nun, but she was a riot.  All of the nuns were hysterical.  Christopher Abbott as the son, Ronnie, did a fantastic job with his opening monologue and Allison Pill was excellent in her short time on stage as Billy's girlfriend.

I give this production a huge thumbs up.  It's horrifying and hysterical, tragic and absurd (I will admit to not really understanding the surreal aspects to the set, but they didn't distract from anything) and just plain makes you think.  I can't wait to see it again.  Of course, I believe that means it will get trashed in the reviews tomorrow.  My record this season isn't that great... ;)