Lately, New York has enjoyed a revival of octogenarian A.R. Gurney's popular Love Letters and anticipates an upcoming revival of Sylvia. The Signature Theater recently produced What I Did Last Summer and The Wayside Motor Inn. It's often fascinating peeking at the inside lives of the rich and social. That's what makes Gurney's plays so popular. However, his latest at Signature Theater, Love and Money,while showing sparks of humor and elements of truth, turns contrived and disappointing.
Gurney is sharp and articulate in his observations of WASP gentility and their affluent lives, and you will spot many familiar Gurney touches in this play. Michael Yeargan designed an elegant Upper East Side brownstone, with handsome trappings of upscale leisure about to be disbursed. It is the home of elderly matriarch, Cornelia Cunningham, who plans to move to a retirement community. Played by Maureen Alderman, Cornelia may show occasionally lapses of memory, but this Buffalo-born gal's spry and funny perkiness does not seem quite ready for senior care. Unlike many, Cornelia disdains her wealth. When her young lawyer, Harvey Abel (Joe Paulik), drops by to discuss her estate, she is busy writing hefty checks, not to her family but to politically worthy causes, like Amnesty International and Save the Children. She has concluded that having too much money has led to the death of her husband and two children, and she has no use for her grandchildren, which pains her although she tries to hide it. Abel, however, brings news that may change everything. Cornelia's Buffalo hometown newspaper just published the story of Cornelia's estate plans and an illegitimate grandson has emerged, claiming his late mother was Cornelia's daughter. He is making a case for his share of the inheritance. The plot twists in troublesome ways, often leading nowhere. Almost before Abel can get the story out, the grandson, Walker Williams, is at Cornelia's door. To everyone's surprise, Williams, played by Gabriel Brown, is a charming, young African-American. (Yes, reminiscent of John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation). Being an F. Scott Fitzgerald aficionado, just like Cornelia, he calls himself "Scott." Cornelia is captivated by Scott's charisma, especially when he reveals an affinity for Cole Porter. Yet, she is not so quick to change her estate. Or maybe she will. Although she is as elegant as her surroundings, Cornelia likes to appear somewhat unconventional at times and displays a maybe-she-will, maybe-she-won't attitude. Directed by Mark Lamos, the cast is led by the smoothly layered portrayals by Alderman and Brown, who brings such an easy grace to Walker that even if you can't believe his line, you would be tempted to keep him in your life. As the doubtful young lawyer, Paulik is convincingly earnest but has problems dealing with Cornelia. As a minor cast addition, Pamela Dunlap does not have enough material to give distinction to her part as longtime housekeeper, Agnes. Kahayan Kim is Jessica, a Juilliard music student who wants Cornelia's piano and bursts out in song with, "Make It Another Old Fashioned Please" (Cole Porter, of course). The reason for her even being included is questionable, despite hints of a romance with Brown. Yeargan's set is lovely and detailed, with lighting by Stephen Strawbridge and costume designer, Jess Goldstein, dressed everyone in themes of classic understatement. There are some deft perceptions on the problems of dealing with great wealth, the guilt it often brings, and how to manage it. Unfortunately, plotting problems keep Love and Money from matching other more imaginative, probing works in the acclaimed A.R. Gurney catalogue.
