Theater Review: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Guest Review
By Misti Wills
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was last revived in a less than stirring production starring Ashley Judd in 2003.  The current production marks the straight play direction by musical director Rob Ashford and stars Scarlett Johansson as Maggie, Ciaran Hinds as Big Daddy, and Benjamin Walker as Brick. The real star of this production however, is Debra Monk as Big Mama. 

Cat can be described in one word: mendacity.  Everyone is lying about something, especially their relationships.  Big Daddy doesn’t “like” his wife Big Mama, His son Brick “can’t stand” his wife Maggie, his other son Gooper pretends to like his father and his wife Mae, though we suspect this apple also doesn’t fall far from the tree.   

Set in a gorgeously designed bedroom with sheer draped fabric curtains and high ceiling fans on a wealthy estate in the south (Christopher Oram, scenic design), the story of unhappiness unfolds.  Brick and Maggie have a loveless marriage because Brick’s best friend Skipper took his life when Brick hung up on him during a phone call where he confessed feelings outside of friendship. Before this,   Maggie suspected their relationship had crossed a line and she slept with Skipper for revenge. 

Brick is unable to forgive himself or her and spends the entire play drinking his life away.  He is stuck in many ways, especially since he got injured while running the night before and his foot is broken in a cast, leaving him only able to walk with a crutch.  Maggie is desperate to have a baby but Brick refuses to sleep with her and she is left to badger him to give in to her needs.   He simply tells her that if she feels like a “cat on a hot tin roof”, why not just jump off?  Neither, though clearly miserable, refuses to leave their marriage for either society’s sake or some sense of duty.

Big Daddy’s birthday is being celebrated and we find out that they thought he had cancer but the tests have come back negative and he only has a spastic colon.  Everyone except Big Daddy and Mama know the truth however, that in fact he does have cancer and it is terminal.The doctor later breaks the news to Big Mama with the support of everyone in the family except for Big Daddy. After verbally abusing everyone in the family, Big Daddy insults Big Mama in front of everyone and then is left alone for a talk with his favorite son, Brick. 

Brick and Big Daddy have a long discussion where they display a close relationship, despite their tense talk. Big Daddy favors Brick over Gooper and wants to know why Brick is drinking his life away. He finally gets the truth out from Brick about what happened with Skipper. In a drunken rage, Brick retaliates by telling Big Daddy the truth about his cancer.   

After all has been revealed, Gooper tries to get Big Mama to sign papers giving he and Mae and their five "no-neck" children the estate. She refuses and only wants to talk to Brick.  Brick tells Gooper to take it all, but Maggie wants to fight for their rights to the property too.  Big Daddy returns and in a moment of brilliant desperation, Maggie tells him she is pregnant with Brick’s child and he will have another heir.  The final moments of the play are Maggie and Brick in a rough embrace where we are not sure if they will try to make her lie come true or not.   

Johansson carries off the longing of Maggie to be loved and find her place, though it never quite reaches a deeper desperation stage.  Her chemistry with Brick is often off, mostly due to some awkward staging moments (Rob Ashford directs) trying to help him up when he can’t reach his crutches.  She misses the moments of where her longing could be excruciating like when he is close enough to touch her or undresses in front of her.     

Walker, last seen in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, has the stoniness of Brick and shows us the inheritance of verbal abuse he’s received, but also never quite connects deeply with the material. Of course, it’s difficult to connect when the action that is written is to simply drink and try to move without a crutch.  Walker's obvious physical prowess also makes it difficult to believe that this man can’t lift himself up without the use of a crutch. He has a beautiful scene with Big Daddy when the truth comes out about what happened with Skipper.  He says very clearly that he never struggled with homosexual feelings, though we are left wondering. 

Hinds (TV's "Game of Thrones") plays the southern tyrant with calculated ease.  Unlike other Big Daddy’s I’ve witnessed, he doesn’t shout while verbally abusing everyone but uses a steely calculated gaze and intimidating physique that could make all of the no-neck children terrified. His rapport with the amazing Debra Monk is stellar. They clearly are expert players here not missing a beat or intention in William’s language. Monk's response to his abuse is incredible -- she is at once ashamed and takes it in and yet also shows strength rising up in her to become someone new when he is gone. Her love for him is present in spite of the abuse and we can’t help but cheer for her.

All in all, the evening is an enjoyable one, presenting a clean production of a classic story.  Will it be remembered for years to come? Probably not, but it’s a roof worth staying on for three hours at the Richard Rodgers stage.

Cat plays through March 30 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th St., NYC. Tickets: 800-745-3000, 877-250-2929; http://www.catonahottinroofbroadway.com/.

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Misti Wills is an accomplished director, actress, adjunct professor of theater and member of The League of Professional Theatre Women. http://www.mistiwills.com/.