Herb Gardner's I'm Not Rappaport, now revived on Broadway, is a joyful experience. Two alter kockers, one of them an old Red, sit on a park bench in New York and cope with the contemporary world and the frustrations of being old. Performed by the sensational Judd Hirsch in a turn that can only be accomplished by many years of understanding the character (he won a Tony for the same role years ago) and with fine support by Ben Vereen and a very good Anthony Arkin, the delights multiply as the brilliantly written play unfolds.
Daniel Sullivan's snappy direction, the perfect Central Park set by Tony Walton (with excellent lighting by Pat Collins) and just-right costumes by Teresa Snider-Stein, all help bring the play to full life, juxtaposing Hirsch's absurd behavior with a natural reality in the stage picture. This is a comedic but very moving show that digs deep into the psyche of the two old men. Not to be missed.
Previews:
July 12, 2002
Opened:
July 25, 2002
Ended:
September 8, 2002
Country:
USA
State:
New York
City:
New York
Company/Producers:
Elliot Martin, Lewis Allen, Ronald Shapiro, Bud Yorkin, James Cushing, Roy Miller, Mari Nakachi, Tommy Demaio, Zandu Productions.
Theater Type:
Broadway
Theater:
Booth Theater
Theater Address:
222 West 45th Street
Phone:
(212) 239-6200
Running Time:
2 hrs, 15 min
Genre:
Comedy-Drama
Director:
Daniel Sullivan
Review:
Parental:
profanity, violence
Cast:
Ben Vereen, Judd Hirsch (Nat), Anthony Arkin, Mimi Lieber, Steven Boyer, Jeb Brown, Tanya Clarke.
Technical:
Sound: Duncan Robert Edwards & David F. Shapiro; Costumes: Theresa Snider-Stein; Set: Tony Walton; Lighting: Pat Collins.
Other Critics:
TOTALTHEATER David Lefkowitz +
Critic:
Richmond Shepard
Date Reviewed:
August 2002
