I'm seeing a Broadway show tonight (comps, woo hoo! review to come!), so I thought about printing an old review of a show by the same author. I guess the last show I saw by this author was pre-reviews, so I couldn't find one. Instead, for today's first Flashback-sort-of-thing, I decided to reprint a review of a show I saw in 2008. I chose this one partially because it was a play by A.R. Gurney and I regret missing his Off-Broadway production and I'm trying to figure out a way to see Love Letters again, but mainly because this was the only time I ever met Marian Seldes.
Again, it's like a little bit of New York magic has died with the loss of Marian Seldes. Her utter joy in performing was contagious, but so was her complete commitment to the theater world. She was so giving to young actors, her contemporaries and everyone else she ever met. She went to shows, she offered advice, gave support, wherever she went. She was grand, but never showy. So elegant and genuine. Theater royalty. A real one-of-a-kind.
I saw her onstage six times. I wish I remember her in Deathtrap - I saw it the very first time I came to New York in 1982 (someday I should relay the story of my first trip to NYC, it was pretty spectacular), I believe Farley Granger was playing Sidney at the time. For some reason, I have no memory of that production, and boy do I regret it. I also saw her in Three Tall Women, which was a majestic, monumental performance. Seeing her in that play, making that fantastic Albee play even more wonderful than it already was, was a transcendent experience. I saw the show between my two lives in New York and it was one of the reasons I moved back. That and Wendy Wasserstein. Maybe I'll tell THAT story some day, too. Anyway. The way Marian moved...perfection. I swear it took her ten minutes to sit down, completely in character, completely real and completely and utterly theatrical. It was thrilling. Speaking of Marian and Albee, if I had a theater time machine, seeing her in the original production of A Delicate Balance is at the top of my list. Ooooo, another post idea! Time machine productions! I was also fortunate enough to see her in Ivanov with Kevin Kline (she was giving a master class, hello), Terrence McNally's Deuce and also his Dedication, and maybe my favorite performance of hers that I saw, Dinner at Eight. Her part could've been a throwaway but she was magnificent. So effervescent and funny. I howled with laughter and joy at one of her entrances, and I can still feel the pleasure even now when I think about it.
So the world is a little less lovely, a little less elegant, without Marian Seldes. But fortunately, I have a lot of memories to keep her in my mind and heart forever. I highly recommend your looking at Adam Feldman's lovely tribute in Time Out New York; I found it described how I feel about Marian to a t. And now, without further ado, a review of A.R. Gurney's Buffalo Gal, which featured the only time I was lucky enough to bask in the beauty of Marian, in person...
*
August 6, 2008: A gal in the office offered me her extra ticket to the opening night of AR Gurney’s Buffalo Gal at Primary Stages last night. I had a grand time—I even got to go to the opening night party! More on that later.
I enjoyed the play very much, though it’s certainly not a deep or insightful piece. It’s just a nice, well-written, mainly-well-acted play about interesting people facing an interesting dilemma. But it’s not the type of play you rush to talk about for hours afterwards or think about days later. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I think there is plenty of room in the theatrical firmament for a plain-ole good time.
The acting was mainly good, though I admit I just didn’t like the gal playing the director. I found her to be rather over-the-top and obvious, but other audience members seemed to enjoy her greatly, so I could’ve just had a bad personal response to her for some reason. Oh, and I thought the guy playing the replacement actor was also over-the-top. Perhaps the aspects of their performances I didn’t like can be attributed to the director. The direction seemed quite simplistic to me—everyone move counterclockwise, say your line, then move again so someone else is center stage; and occasionally, when you move, sit on one of the strategically placed benches. Seemed a little Director 101 to me. Maybe that was the point? I can't imagine it, but maybe...
BUT, Susan Sullivan was quite good as the tv star returning home to star in a Buffalo production of The Cherry Orchard. Her character was pretty complex and she did a good job of portraying the complexities. I enjoyed her very much. I even think I’d like to see her tackle Cherry Orchard! She was quite appealing in the bits and pieces of scenes that are interspersed throughout this play. I also loved Mark Blum (who, you may recall, is an old imaginary boyfriend of mine) as the high school sweetheart who has come to relive old memories with Susan Sullivan. He was quite charming. James Waterston (Sam Waterston’s son) plays the stage manager and he has a nice easy charm about him. He has a really delightful and moving moment towards the end of the play that was unexpected. I liked him. The other gal in the show was cute, but her part is very sketchily conceived and written, so she was really playing a device rather than a character. But she did provide some nicely comic moments.
I think the play had some lovely, gentle things to say about going home again and sacrifices made (or not made) for art, so I give it a thumbs up. Plus, it’s an easy 90 minutes! I always love me a 90 minute show that starts at 7pm. Woo hoo!
Anyway, the gal from my office had an extra ticket to the opening night party, too, so I tagged along with her to Sarabeth’s on Central Park South. It was a nice party. I will apologize in advance because I have to drop some names. Sorry. Anyway, I got to speak for a few minutes to Mr. Gurney, which was lovely. He’s a very nice man and was very generous in talking with everyone who approached him. I also spoke with my former (imaginary) boyfriend, Mark Blum, for a moment. He was also very kind. I stood next to Susan Sullivan for a moment and felt like a sumo wrestler—she is tiny! I don’t know, she always seemed tall on tv to me, but she isn’t. And she is WAY skinny. But she looks great.
The two best parts: I got to touch Richard Thomas, and Marian Seldes kissed me! Whee! You all may know that rather than get autographs I like to touch people. I know. Odd. But, as we were leaving, Richard Thomas was talking to Marian Seldes. Marian knows my office friend, so as we were approaching, Marian came over to her to say hello. Marian’s version of saying hello is putting her arms around you, so I suddenly was included in the embrace. The three of us just stood there, locked in Marian's hug. She said she was so happy to meet me and I truly believed her. I know she meant it. She's just so...lovely in person. Everything I dreamed she might be. We chatted for a moment about the play, then she leaned in and kissed me goodnight on the cheek. Wow! She has the softest, most luminescent skin! (sorry, too much? but it's true!) I then had to touch Richard Thomas on the back to get past him to leave. He turned and smiled. My golly, he is still so handsome! I think I look older than he does, which is a bit depressing. But anyway, it was fun having silly little celebrity moments. They make me love NYC a little bit more each time they happen...
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