Monday, September 23, 2013

Quick Hit Off-Broadway Theater Review: The Old Friends

The Old Friends
By Horton Foote
Directed by Michael Wilson
Signature Theatre

What's It All About?
The characters of Mamie Borden (Lois Smith), Albert Price (Adam LeFevre) and Julia Borden Price (Veanne Cox) from Only the Heart are revisited in the world premiere of Horton Foote's play focusing on the the dynamics of family and relationships in 1965 Harrison, TX. Sybil Borden (Hallie Foote, the playwright's daughter) and her husband, Hugo (Mamie's son) are moving back to rent her childhood home from her sister, Julia, following their hard times in South America. It's humiliating, especially when spoiled Gertrude Hayhurst Sylvester Ratliff (Betty Buckley), an old nemesis, sees Sybil -- or the jewelry the impoverished woman needs to sell, rather -- only as the object of winning a competition with Julia as the women try to outbid each other in a show of wealth. The competition extends to men too, as lushy Gertrude stakes her claim on Howard (Cotter Smith), the brother of her late husband and the manager of her ranch, whom she jealously thinks Julia likes. Julia flirts, forcing her rotund, husband Albert (he's lushy too) into fits of jealousy. But Howard would rather be around his old love, Sybil. Rejected, Gertrude throw herself at young farmhand Tom Underwood (Sean Lyons) and threatens financial ruin for Howard if he tries to leave her employ. Mamie, however, seems oblivious to the intrigue around her and happily makes plans to go live with kind, welcoming Sybil.

What are the Highlighs?
Well, it's Horton Foote. I happen to love everything written by this playwright who recently died at the age of 92 after rewriting this piece. It has his daughter, Hallie Foote, and Director Michael Wilson, two of the premiere interpreters of the playwright's work, involved. That's a lot of highlight. LeFevre also stands out at the mean-spirited, sad Albert.

What are the Lowlights?
These folks seem a bot darker than the usual family and folks we know in Harrison. They are somewhat less forgiving, with a less hopeful message. The women might not be as likable in this work, but they still are written by a writer who understands and respects them, so their stories feel real. Betty Buckley is larger than life as Gertrude, but spends a great deal of her time yelling.

More information:
The Old Friends has been extend through Oct. 13 at Signature Theatre, 480 West 42nd St., NYC. Tickets: (212) 244-7529.

 The design team includes Jeff Cowie (Scenic Design), David C. Woolard (Costume Design), Rui Rita (Lighting Design), John Gromada (Sound Design), Paul Huntley (Wig & Hair Design), Gillian Lane-Plesica (Dialect Coach), Mark Olsen (Fight Director).

Christians might also like to know:
-- God's name taken in vain
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Gracewell Prodiuctions

Gracewell Prodiuctions
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Our reviews are professional reviews written without a religious bias. At the end of them, you can find a listing of language, content or theological issues that Christians might want to know about when deciding which shows to see.

** Mature indicates that the show has posted an advisory because of content. Usually this means I would recommend no one under the age of 16 attend.

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists. Her play concept, "From Reel to Real: The Jennifer O'Neill Story" was presented as part of the League of professional Theatre Women's Julia's reading Room Series in New York. Shifting from reviewing to producing, Yarger owns Gracewell Productions, which produced the Table Reading Series at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT. She trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Intensive and other training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run. She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She wrote reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/.

She is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), an award-winning website featuring theater and arts news for the state. She was a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. She previously served as theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer, Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web.

She is a Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She is a former vice president and voting member of The Drama Desk.

She is a freelance writer and playwright (member Dramatists Guild of America). She is a member if the The Outer Critics Circle (producer of the annual awards ceremony) and a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women, serving as Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter. Yarger was a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

Copyright

All material is copyright 2008- 2024 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.

Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.

Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.

Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.

Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.

Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.

Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.

Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.

Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.

Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.

Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Derogatory (category added Fall 2012) Language or circumstances where women or people of a certain race are referred to or treated in a negative and demeaning manner.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide, or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Reviewing Policy

I receive free seats to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle. Journalistically, I provide an unbiased review and am under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows my readers want to know about I will purchase a ticket. If a personal friend is involved in a production, I'll let you know, but it won't influence a review. If I feel there is a conflict, I won't review their portion of the production.

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