Although most Milwaukee theatergoers may be more familiar with the 1992 film of Glengarry Glen Ross, with its star-studded cast including Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon and Alec Baldwin, it's truly the original Pulitzer Prize-winning play that provides a more visceral and edge-of-your-seat experience. The play, which premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theater in 1984, is about the dealings in a seedy Chicago real estate office. Specifically, it's about the small-time, ruthless salesmen who will do almost anything to stay on top of the heap in this dog-eat-dog world.
The opening scene pairs two of the main characters: a gray-haired, over-the-hill salesman, Shelly Levene (Peter Silbert), and the firm's indifferent office manager (Lee E. Ernst). The entire first act is set in a Chinese restaurant located near the firm's ramshackle office. As the manager calmly pours himself a glass of hot tea, Levene is begging for his life. He knows that his career may be over unless he can successfully sell a few plots of land before the end of a sales contest. As the scene continues, Levene becomes increasingly desperate. He eventually settles on the one commodity—money—that may earn him a shot at keeping his job. (It has been frequently noted that Mamet's language, alternately rhythmic and staccato, is difficult to master. This is clear from the get-go, as neither Silbert nor Ernst deliver what should be a riveting exchange between the two men.)
Things improve slightly in the next scene, in which two salesmen also attempt to strike a different sort of deal. James Pickering gives a masterful, low-key portrayal as the more experienced Dave Moss. His character moves with snakelike precision as he approaches his prey, in this case a relatively young newcomer, George (Mark Murphey). Their brisk exchange of dialogue captures the exciting give-and-take for which Mamet has become famous. In the seeming wink of an eye, this light conversation about the unfairness of their work becomes a discussion of a robbery plot. Moss plans to heist the valuable sales "leads" and other documents from the firm and sell them to a competitor. But to pull it off, he needs an accomplice. That's where George comes in. George, with his perennially hang-dog expression, becomes hilariously animated at the thought of committing a crime. Pickering and Murphey play well off each other.
The third scene demonstrates how the firm's hotshot salesman, Richard Roma (James DeVita), snares an unsuspecting buyer (Jonathan Gillard Daly). In Act II, the play picks up momentum and intensity as all the salesmen convene in the shabby, crowded office. It looks as though it recently has been looted, with papers strewn everywhere. A police officer is interrogating the irritated salesmen, obscenities peppering their language. It's unfortunate that director Kate Buckley fails to create the necessary pressure-cooker atmosphere. Properly done, the audience is supposed to be on the edge of its seats as the rest of the play unfolds.
One cannot fault the cast. The well-dressed DeVita delivers on his character's smooth slickness. Mark Murphey, James Pickering, and Jonathan Gillard Daly are equally at the top of their form. There's an excellent exchange between Daly, who comes to the office exhibiting buyer's remorse, and DeVita, who attempts to salvage the sale at any cost. Silbert, who is not entirely convincing in the first act, redeems himself with an excellent monologue about how he just clinched an important deal. This success has transformed him from the whining underdog to the former cocky self of his younger years.
Lee Ernst gives a puzzling performance as the office manager. He never reveals just what side of the fence he is on. In the end, Mamet has expressed much about the male ego, morality (or the lack of it) in the workplace, and the desire to succeed as a mark of one's identity. This production has glimmerings of all these traits, although it never reaches the near-explosive state that catapults this play into a memorable experience.
As usual, production values are extremely high. The set is wonderfully split between a somewhat worn-out Chinese restaurant, complete with the necessary red and black color scheme, and the shabby real-estate office. Costumes enhance each character's style, from the sartorially resplendent Roma to the rumpled, conservative, slightly-out-of-fashion attire worn by the other salesmen.
