A Flashback and a RIP

The sad news that actor John Mahoney passed away Sunday really struck me.  Not only was he tons of fun on Frasier for all those years, but he was also in one of my very favorite movie scenes of all time: the scene in Moonstruck where he tries to explain middle-aged men to Olympia Dukakis.  That scene is written magnificently and is even more magnificently acted by Mahoney and Dukakis.  I once tweeted about how much I love that scene and I was pleasantly surprised to get so much agreement online, even from some of the movie's cast members.  I believe that's the first time I ever saw Mahoney and he was forever in my mind as one of my favorite actors, no matter the project.  He will most definitely be missed.

When Roundabout Theatre Company announced in 2007 they were reviving Craig Lucas' brilliant Prelude to a Kiss and that John Mahoney would be playing the old man, I was IN.  Well, I was in as soon as Roundabout announced they were doing the play at all, since I adore Craig and his plays, but the addition of John Mahoney sealed the deal.  I knew he would be wonderful and I was not wrong.  So, to celebrate John Mahoney and to share an old review from my archives, I present this flashback from 2007 - I'm not sure why it was so brief, maybe because I sent it out alongside another review, but please enjoy: 

3/5/2007:  Prelude to a Kiss is such a lovely, delicate script that says so much about life, love and who we are.  It's one of my very favorite plays (and Craig Lucas is one of my very favorite playwrights).  It's a beautiful almost-fairy tale, yet it's sad and humane as well.  It is just a gorgeously written script, with a lot of truth and longing and humor, and it’s being given a lovely production at Roundabout right now.  And the absolute number one reason for its success is John Mahoney, who is giving a fantastic performance as the old man.  Really grand Tony-worthy work.  That monologue in the second act is breathtaking - he doesn't add any fancy actor-business, he just lets Craig's beautiful words land and break your heart.  "We might as well have a good time while we're here, don't you think?"  

photo credit: Sara Krulwich

I liked Alan Tudyk a lot, Annie Parisse maybe not as much, but she wasn’t bad or anything.  She was actually perfectly fine, but she just sort of played the text (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I guess) and didn’t delve any further.  I suppose my main quibble is I didn’t see the fear that grips this character, and if you don’t see the fear, you don’t really have a reason to rejoice when she says “I’m not afraid anymore.”  Perhaps that’s just me.  But the beauty of the final exchange between Rita and Peter is still sublime: "Never to be squandered...the miracle of another human being."  I just want to cry even typing it, let alone hearing it.  Oh, and I don't want to forget to mention that James Rebhorn and Robin Bartlett play Rita's parents and are terrific, as is the original music by John Gromada.  I give the production a great big thumbs up.  Don't ever squander the opportunity to see a Craig Lucas play.  😊