The Play's the Thing

I have to admit that I get a lot of anxiety whenever I go to Classic Stage Company. It could be because if I'm not sitting on the aisle, I feel very penned in (I have severe claustrophobia). Or because one time I was there and got sick and had to bolt from my seat (that was unfortunately not on the aisle). Or because I have to fight myself to stay awake and alert every damn time I am there. We need to talk, Classic Stage Company. What are you doing? What are you doing? This season alone they produced a dull As You Like It and a criminally boring Twelfth Night, both of which had no spark whatsoever or reason to exist. After they blew it with Shakespeare, they produced the dull and undeveloped Fire and Air , one of the worst things I saw in 2017-2018. And now, they have dug their hooks (in conjunction with the Transport Group) into poor Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke . What did Williams ever do to them to deserve this treatment? This might sound sacrilegious but Su...

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 th...