I was asked to review Arcadia by Tom Stoppard and went to a performance. Now, I love Stoppard; I starred in his Travesties for a sizable run in Los Angeles in 1984 and found new, sometimes profound inferences each week. I saw and loved Unfortunately, for this current production, I have to agree with the critic for the New York Times who suggested that we read the play before going to it because of the incomprehensibility of the words spoken by the actors. Stoppard's ideas, the juxtaposition between 1809 and today in mathematical ideas is fascinating, but the actors need to let the words come out at a rate and level to enhance meaning, not obscure it. I felt very frustrated and left at intermission.
I blame the director David Leveaux for not guiding the performances into clarity. I'm going to the Drama Bookshop today and buy a copy of the play.
the first production of Arcadia when I was the theater critic for WNEW radio.
Previews:
February 26, 2011
Opened:
March 17, 2011
Ended:
open run
Country:
USA
State:
New York
City:
New York
Company/Producers:
Sonia Friedman Productions, Roger Berlind, Stephanie P. McClelland, Scott M. Delman, Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz, Disney Theatrical Group, Robert G. Bartner, Olympus Theatricals, Douglas G. Smith, in assoc w/ Janine Safer Whitney.
Theater Type:
Broadway
Theater:
Ethel Barrymore Theater
Theater Address:
243 West 47th Street
Website:
arcadiabroadway.com
Genre:
Drama
Director:
David Leveaux
Review:
Cast:
Billy Crudup (Bernard), Raul Esparza (Valentine), Lia Williams (Hannah), Tom Riley (Hodge), Margaret Colin (Croom), Glenn Fleshler (Brice), Grace Gummer (Chloe), Edward James Hyland (Jellaby), Byron Jennings (Noakes), Bel Powley (Thomasina), Noah Robbins (Gus), David Turner (Ezra Chater).
Technical:
Set: Hildegard Bechtler; Cost: Gregory Gale; Light: Donald Holder; Sound: David Van Tieghem; Music: Corin Buckeridge.
Critic:
Richmond Shepard
Date Reviewed:
March 2011
