Theater Review: The Best Man

Gore Vidal’s The Best Man (2012): John Larroquette, Angela Lansbury and Candice Bergen
Photo By: Joan Marcus

Now, Here's a Political Campaign Worth Watching
By Lauren Yarger
Candidates slinging mud at each other; decisions to be made about which man to run for President. Sounds familiar, but this isn’t tonight’s TV news. It’s the plot of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, getting a timely Broadway revival staged by Michael Wilson.

Audiences entering the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre are greeted by ushers in campaign garb, state and candidate banners lining the walls of the stage and house and sounds of the 1960 convention taking place in Philadelphia (the atmosphere is courtesy of set designer Derek McLane and original music and sound design from the brilliant John Gromada.) The political party here isn’t identified, but in today’s political climate some of the play’s campaign issues – tax reform, the national debt, oil prices, birth control -- can’t help but put us in mind of the upcoming election and the contest to win the Republican nomination for President in which none of the numerous prospects has seemed an obvious popular choice (even after this week's announcement that Sen. Rick Santorum was dropping out).

“Some day, the people are going to elect ‘I Don’t Know,” if the president ignores the opinion of the people, one of the characters quips, and it does indeed seem like we could be listening to current poll data results.

In the drama (on stage, that is), the two front runners vying for the title of “best man” to represent the party are liberal-leaning former Secretary of State William Russell (a terrific John Larroquette) and conservative Sen. Joseph Cantwell (Eric McCormack). Each hopes for the endorsement of Sue Ellen Gamadge (Angela Lansbury), the chairwoman of the Women’s Division of the party and that of former President Artie Hockstader (James Earl Jones, who in disguising his normal, very recognizable voice, unfortunately, often is difficult to understand).

Gamadge would like to see more of Russell’s wife, Alice (Candice Bergen), whose support of her husband on the campaign trail is forced. The couple hasn’t shared a life – or a bed – in some time, though Alice still seems to have feelings for Russell despite his past infidelities. The health of their marriage, and of the mental state of the candidate, who suffered a break down, just might be issues that could cost him the election if Cantwell makes them public. Russell counters with some dirt of his own bringing the religious Cantwell’s possible homosexuality into play.

The sharply directed play is engaging and surprisingly fast-moving despite a two-hour-40-minute run time with two intermissions. Larroquette scores a landslide victory with his portrayal of the seasoned politician hampered by his sense of right and wrong. Bergen’s comedic timing is perfect for long-suffering Alice. Any time we get to see Lansbury on the stage it’s a treat, but the scenes delighting us with her humor and southern drawl are too brief and leave us wishing the character were featured more. Strong performances also are turned in by straight man Michael McKean as Russell’s campaign manager Dick Jensen and by Kerry Butler as Cantwell’s bombshell wife, Mabel. Standing out in the large ensemble is Sherman Howard as news commentator John Malcom (who “broadcasts” from in front of a backdrop of period television monitors from the balcony box next to the stage).

With a less firm hand at the helm, a production so full of stars might have sped into a supernova, but Wilson’s attention to detail and focus bring the characters together in a shining galaxy ensemble.

One criticism: if we are going to project modern thought on the play to extent that we are supposed to believe the United States would have elected an African-American president prior to 1960 (which is fine), would it have been too big a leap to update the male-friendly language of the play to suggest that a “person” rather than a “man” would succeed Russell as secretary of state, especially given that Hillary Clinton currently fills that office? Would it have been too difficult to list Mrs. Gamadge in the program as “chairperson” or even “chairwoman” of the Women’s Division instead of “chairman”?

The Best Man campaigns at the Schoenfeld, 236 West 45^th St., NYC in an extended run through July 22. Tickets: 212-239-6200, 800-432-7250.

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