By Lauren Yarger
She growls and pounces and the audience roars as Rita Lyons (Linda Lavin) attacks. In Nicky Silver’s Broadway play The Lyons, however, the unfortunate prey who find themselves devoured in her deadly jaws are her husband and children.
Rita’s
husband, Ben (Dick Latessa) lies in his hospital bed wishing for impending
death to come a little quicker than the doctors hope – just so he doesn’t have
to listen to the endless stream of verbal abuse hurled his way by his wife, who
among other things, constantly asks for input on her plans to redecorate the
living room once he’s gone. She’s never liked it and can’t wait . . .
“I’m
dying, Rita,” he whines like a wounded animal.
“But
try to be positive,” she replies.
There’s
not a lot of love lost here and things aren’t too much better between Ben and the
children who have been summoned for a final goodbye.
The
reunion doesn’t go too well. Homosexual Curtis (Michael Esper) has never felt his father’s approval and
alcoholic Lisa (Kate Jennings Grant) hits the bottle again to cope with her
failed marriage and her mother's constant disapproval.
A
melee of insult hurling ensues, and this dysfunctional family is off on the
hunt for fresh blood with Ben giving that wounded cry every so often. Despite the depressing
subject matter, the first act is non-stop laughs thanks to claw-sharp zinger lines and
Lavin’s impeccable delivery and timing.
The
second act veers off target, however, and while it’s not quite the implosion
that too often can follow such a sizzling first act, it does lose steam and
focus. The scene shifts to an apartment Curtis is thinking of buying, his
encounter with the real estate agent (Gregory Wooddell) -- which is weird to put
it mildly -- then ends up back at the hospital where Curtis receives care from
the same plain-talking nurse (Brenda Pressley) who helped his father. (Set
design is by Allen Moyer).
Director
Mark Brokaw can’t help us make the abrupt shift. Silver’s goal in this
disappointing second half is to trade realism for laughs (and when Brokaw doesn’t
tighten timing, laughs get trampled.
This
one is worth it for the first act, however. Don’t miss the wickedly funny carnage that earned
Lavin this season’s best actress award nominations and which will give Tracie
Bennett's turn as Judy Garland in End of
the Rainbow, some serious competition for the Tony.
The
Lyons roar at the Cort Theatre, 138 West 48th St., NYC. Tickets: 212-239-6200; 800-432-7250.
Christians
might also like to know:
-- Language
-- God’s
name taken in vain
-- Sexual
dialogue
--
Theological issue: there’s a sort of purgatory. I kind of liked that Ben starts
being afraid he might end up in hell.
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