Reviews - Golden Child and The Anarchist

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I had a discounted ticket to see a preview of David Mamet's new play, The Anarchist.  Mamet also directed the play.  I think it opens in a couple of weeks, so I can't imagine it will change much, but since it hasn't opened, I'll just be brief.

First, the theater really should keep the sick ushers away from the audience.  The usher upstairs had a mild case of consumption or whooping cough, so I didn't want to have her touch my ticket or take a program from her.  Call me crazy, but if there are germs in the air, they make their way to me.  So I'm paranoid.  Oh well.  Anyway, I picked up a program from behind the front row and made my way to my seat - the very last seat in the theater, I think.  I was in the back row of the balcony in the corner.  Thankfully, the Golden isn't a very big house.

As for the play, I admit that it did not make itself known to me.  I think there are interesting notions in there - faith, forgiveness, personal responsibility - but I didn't find the play dramatic or cohesive at all.  The dialogue just seemed to go in circles, and the uses of stereotypical Mamet dialogue was almost a parody.  Maybe I would've enjoyed reading this text as a short story, but it didn't seem theatrical to me at all.  One of the performers seemed to be struggling with lines and the other appeared to be trying to assist and move things along.  But both adopted a hushed monotony in their vocal work that didn't make anything seem any more exciting, especially from the very last seat in the house, and the climax made no sense to me.  Then the lights went down and the play was suddenly over - it was quite confusing.  I wonder if another director would've asked for some changes.  I don't know.  But I didn't really enjoy myself and didn't consider the evening to be a success at all.  Maybe people who sat nearer the action got more involved.  Oh, and the play is about 72 minutes long, which doesn't bother me, in theory (I once saw a Caryl Churchill play that was about 65 minutes long and I found it a thrillingly full theatrical experience), and, to be honest, I was ready to get out of there, but I can't imagine paying full price for this play.  But, again, maybe I shouldn't say so much since there's another week of previews before them.  I hope they mine all they can out of it. 

Seat neighbor wise, the couple in front of me appeared to be on a first date.  In the half hour or so before the show started, the guy was apparently intent on giving the girl a lesson in the history of American theater, especially how Mamet fits in.  I would've told him to shut the heck up at some point, but maybe this is why I don't have first dates anymore.  The gal next to me should never be seated in the last row of anything, she had a cane and seemed very out of breath before sitting down.  Then she spent the (admittedly short) evening sitting on top of her seat, then in her seat, then on top of her seat.  I'm guessing if she finds theater seats so uncomfortable, balcony seats are not her friend.  Oh well.  The best part of my evening was having a drink with a couple of friends before the show, though maybe that drink (which I had on an empty pre-theater stomach) wasn't the best idea before this play.  Hmmmmm... 


Thanksgiving was a wonderful day, spent with beautiful gal pals.  We had a yummy dinner and saw Lincoln, which I loved.  But back to theater - I saw the Friday matinee of David Henry Hwang's Golden Child at Signature Theatre, one of my favorite spots.  I saw Golden Child when it was originally on Broadway and remembering enjoying it.  I definitely enjoyed myself again yesterday. 

I love David's plays.  The way he's so specific to his heritage, yet makes the plays so universal, is wonderful, in my opinion.  Struggles to learn about one's self is always interesting to me.  Here we have a play about a Chinese family's changes, but it could just as easily be about anybody who makes a monumental decision that affects their family for generations to come.  Who can't identify with squabbling family members, jostling for attention and power?  They're everywhere.

I have memories of the previous production being very lavish and stately - naturally, this revival, at the much smaller Signature space, is more intimate.  I feel that they've focused more on the humor this time, which makes the family's tragedies play out more gently.  That didn't make the dialogue any less sharp or smart, but maybe made us like everyone sooner. 

All of the actors are fantastic, creating interesting and believable people, but I was most taken with Julyana Soelistyo, who played First Wife.  Interestingly, she played the 'golden child' in the Broadway production in the late 90s, and she was brilliant then and is equally brilliant now.  Smart, funny and so sad, she represents the traditions of the past and she struggles with her daughter's need to be the future.  There may be no more moving scene in NY right now than when Soelistyo succumbs to her husband's command to unbind their daughter's feet.  A whole lifetime and beyond plays across Soelistyo's face - it was beautiful.

I ended up sitting in the middle of a row, surrounded by a single family, who had one other family member sitting in front of them.  They were quite lively and rambunctious, but did keep quiet during the play.  Apparently, they came from Boston and PA.  They were also very friendly, wondering if I was from NY and what do I do for a living?  I asked one gal how they chose to come see this play, and apparently the son is going to Shanghai, so they chose a 'Chinese play.'  Gosh, sometimes the audience can rival the theatricality of the play.

Anyway, they've just extended Golden Child, so I highly recommend everyone see it.  I'm also really excited to see the other David Henry Hwang plays coming up in the Signature season.  I'm guessing I'll be spending a lot more time at my home away from home... :)