I once read an article about Terrence McNally where the playwright said something along the lines of how he doesn't believe in workshopping his plays, and doesn't see the need for them. Sure, that's okay to say when you've had the storied career he has but I'm really not sure if that's the best way to go for emerging playwrights who do not have four Tony awards.
After seeing the world premiere of his latest play, Fire and Air at Classic Stage Company, I think he probably should rethink his policy on workshops.
I'm not saying a workshop would've really helped this play but perhaps a re-write or two would have. Bottom line, whatever it is on stage should not be the finished product.
Fire and Air focuses on Sergei Diaghilev (played here by Douglas Hodge), founder of the Ballet Russes, and his obsession with Vaslav Nijinsky. It is essentially a character study of Diaghilev, and McNally explores his struggles, both personally and professionally. What the plays lacks, among other things, is a true conflict and tension. The majority of the script centers on forcing his unhealthy love onto the young dancer, who is clearly using Diaghilev just to advance his career. It is yet another entry into the "older gay man preys on younger man" canon. It immediately reminded me of Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, and McNally clumsily shoehorns the novella into the play.
The play is rounded out by Diaghilev's long-time servant, Dunya (four time Academy Award-nominee Marsha Mason, who is wasted in the role), his cousin who may have also been his lover (Tony-winner John Glover), his patron (three time Tony Award-nominee and all-around goddess Marin Mazzie), and another young dancer he eventually sets his sights on (the always wonderful Jay Armstrong Johnson). But other than the dancer, these characters do nothing to add to the proceedings. They are dull and undeveloped, and constantly placate the protagonist. They soothe him, assure him that he is a genius, literally shuffle him around from one place to another, and finance his dreams. They basically exist so there are no obstacles in Diaghilev's way. All of these incredibly talented actors are completely wasted.
The problem is McNally doesn't paint Diaghilev interesting enough that we'd want to spend 2 hours with him (the play is about 10 minutes too long, and should be intermissionless; the pacing is deadly) and there's not enough depth to him. He's flamboyant and obnoxious, juvenile and creepy, and director John Doyle has Hodge flail around and really ham it up. It's practically embarrassing. And why is the actor, who is British, using an American accent to portray a Russian? Just let him use his regular accent! You can't help but watch Hodge's take and think, "no wonder Nijinsky doesn't want anything to do with him." We don't understand what drives his passion for ballet. From what I gather from the play he just wants to be around pretty young men. His actions show that he must equate ballet with sex but it provides no insight to the Ballet Russes. We don't really learn anything about the company. In fact, it's almost as though McNally knows a great deal about Diaghilev and Nijinsky but can't relay his knowledge into a compelling play. It's too...insidery.
James Cusati-Moyer is incredibly dull as Nijinsky. He's definitely striking, that's for sure, but he has no spark. Why would Diaghilev be so obsessed with him, other than his good looks? We're told he's an exceptional ballet dancer but we don't get a taste of it at all. There's no ballet in the piece (except for a bizarre scene towards the end where all of the characters are forced to do barre exercises, for whatever reason). If you told me Nijinsky was famous for being an exotic dancer, I would've believed you more, since Doyle spends more time focusing on his body than his dancing. What's worse is that Jay Armstrong Johnson, who is a spectacular dancer, is a better and more graceful mover in the short scenes of ballet we do get.
But how to fix this play? Other than cutting the intermission and making it a straight 90 minutes? (There are at least 3 fake out endings as well.) Give us a better glimpse into the Ballet Russes. We're told (we're constantly told throughout the play, never shown) when it has its hits and its flops, and when it has financial trouble but I wish McNally gave us a bit more insight into the founding and development of the company. Or...develop Diaghilev a bit more. Make him three-dimensional. Give him more depth. Give Nijinsky more depth. Clarify time and place. If the play is going to be about Diaghilev's obsession with young ballet dancers, focus on that. I know no more about the man now than I did before I saw the play.
Fire and Air is Classic Stage Company's third offering this season, and its third misfire (no pun intended.) All three of their productions, which also include As You Like It and Fiasco's Twelfth Night, have been dull, dreary, slow productions. I typically like John Doyle's work but maybe, just maybe he should stick to being the Artistic Director and bring in directors. Look at how well it works for New York Theater Workshop or The Signature Theater.
After seeing the world premiere of his latest play, Fire and Air at Classic Stage Company, I think he probably should rethink his policy on workshops.
I'm not saying a workshop would've really helped this play but perhaps a re-write or two would have. Bottom line, whatever it is on stage should not be the finished product.
Fire and Air focuses on Sergei Diaghilev (played here by Douglas Hodge), founder of the Ballet Russes, and his obsession with Vaslav Nijinsky. It is essentially a character study of Diaghilev, and McNally explores his struggles, both personally and professionally. What the plays lacks, among other things, is a true conflict and tension. The majority of the script centers on forcing his unhealthy love onto the young dancer, who is clearly using Diaghilev just to advance his career. It is yet another entry into the "older gay man preys on younger man" canon. It immediately reminded me of Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, and McNally clumsily shoehorns the novella into the play.
The play is rounded out by Diaghilev's long-time servant, Dunya (four time Academy Award-nominee Marsha Mason, who is wasted in the role), his cousin who may have also been his lover (Tony-winner John Glover), his patron (three time Tony Award-nominee and all-around goddess Marin Mazzie), and another young dancer he eventually sets his sights on (the always wonderful Jay Armstrong Johnson). But other than the dancer, these characters do nothing to add to the proceedings. They are dull and undeveloped, and constantly placate the protagonist. They soothe him, assure him that he is a genius, literally shuffle him around from one place to another, and finance his dreams. They basically exist so there are no obstacles in Diaghilev's way. All of these incredibly talented actors are completely wasted.
The problem is McNally doesn't paint Diaghilev interesting enough that we'd want to spend 2 hours with him (the play is about 10 minutes too long, and should be intermissionless; the pacing is deadly) and there's not enough depth to him. He's flamboyant and obnoxious, juvenile and creepy, and director John Doyle has Hodge flail around and really ham it up. It's practically embarrassing. And why is the actor, who is British, using an American accent to portray a Russian? Just let him use his regular accent! You can't help but watch Hodge's take and think, "no wonder Nijinsky doesn't want anything to do with him." We don't understand what drives his passion for ballet. From what I gather from the play he just wants to be around pretty young men. His actions show that he must equate ballet with sex but it provides no insight to the Ballet Russes. We don't really learn anything about the company. In fact, it's almost as though McNally knows a great deal about Diaghilev and Nijinsky but can't relay his knowledge into a compelling play. It's too...insidery.
James Cusati-Moyer is incredibly dull as Nijinsky. He's definitely striking, that's for sure, but he has no spark. Why would Diaghilev be so obsessed with him, other than his good looks? We're told he's an exceptional ballet dancer but we don't get a taste of it at all. There's no ballet in the piece (except for a bizarre scene towards the end where all of the characters are forced to do barre exercises, for whatever reason). If you told me Nijinsky was famous for being an exotic dancer, I would've believed you more, since Doyle spends more time focusing on his body than his dancing. What's worse is that Jay Armstrong Johnson, who is a spectacular dancer, is a better and more graceful mover in the short scenes of ballet we do get.
But how to fix this play? Other than cutting the intermission and making it a straight 90 minutes? (There are at least 3 fake out endings as well.) Give us a better glimpse into the Ballet Russes. We're told (we're constantly told throughout the play, never shown) when it has its hits and its flops, and when it has financial trouble but I wish McNally gave us a bit more insight into the founding and development of the company. Or...develop Diaghilev a bit more. Make him three-dimensional. Give him more depth. Give Nijinsky more depth. Clarify time and place. If the play is going to be about Diaghilev's obsession with young ballet dancers, focus on that. I know no more about the man now than I did before I saw the play.
Fire and Air is Classic Stage Company's third offering this season, and its third misfire (no pun intended.) All three of their productions, which also include As You Like It and Fiasco's Twelfth Night, have been dull, dreary, slow productions. I typically like John Doyle's work but maybe, just maybe he should stick to being the Artistic Director and bring in directors. Look at how well it works for New York Theater Workshop or The Signature Theater.
Comments
Post a Comment