I continue to believe that the Studio Theatre at The Repertory Theatre of St Louis is one of the most reliable spaces in the country. Some of the best productions I have seen in St Louis have been in that space....FALSETTOS, RABBIT HOLE, A QUESTION OF MERCY, SHIRLEY VALENTINE, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, CLOSER, A NUMBER, and SOUVENIR are just a few of the productions that I have seen there that have remained with me. And it is without bias (ok, maybe a little bit of bias) that I can also say that it provided TITLE OF SHOW with the ideal performing space and was an artistic experience that I will find hard to top anytime soon.
Now, having said that....I walked into the Studio Theatre last night a little less excited than I normally would. I was there more out of duty than extreme interest. The play currently running is A STEADY RAIN by Keith Huff. I saw this play on Broadway a few seasons ago starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman. It's a 90 minute two-hander that is basically a series of monologues telling the story of two Chicago cops. The only reason it got to Broadway was Craig and Jackman. This is a Show that begs, practically pleads, to be in a space where the actors are so close to you that you can see them sweat and feel their stares. You can't accomplish that on Broadway in a play that is this intimate. I left the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre feeling very disconnected from the material and very unmoved by the plight of these two men. Although I admired the performances, I still felt that even from Row F in the Center Orchestra I was unable to truly appreciate the material. So I decided that I just didn't like the play itself and left it at that.
So walking into the Rep last evening, I was crossing my fingers hoping that it was a quick and harmless 90 minutes. I sat in the lobby before the Show silently wishing that I could slip into the Mainstage to see SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE again....(which is fabulous and closes January 29).
When I took my seat in the Studio, I immediatey looked at the tight boxed set designed by Robert Mark Morgan and felt something that I hadn't felt in NYC....atmosphere. Rather than two folding chairs sitting on a practically bare stage, Morgan has set this production in what is obviously a police precinct. There is a table with two chairs on both sides of it and two coffee mugs sitting on it. There is an old fan sitting on top of a file cabinet and copies of mugshots pinned to the walls. I took an opportunity to say to myself that it was time to open my mind and approach the evening as though I was seeing this play for the first time.....and it turns out that I truly was seeing it for the first time.
I was riveted by this production. It's fair to say that 90 minutes felt like 10. I felt the twists and turns of the script for the first time and due to the brilliant performances of Michael James Reed and Joey Collins, my heart was invested in these two characters and I longed for a different ending to the piece since I knew what was inevitable.
Michael James Reed plays the role that Daniel Craig played on Broadway. In NYC, I felt that Craig gave the stronger of the two performances but I still felt at a distance. Reed's portrayal allowed me to feel his angst, guilt and remorse up close. It's a strong performance. Joey Collins doesn't have the height or the matinee idol looks that Hugh Jackman brought to the part....and that's an enormous plus for the script and the production. The plot developments in the latter half of the play never rang true with Jackman in the part, but Collins gives a raw unflinching performance that absolutely makes every byzantine twist in the script plausible. It is very difficult to keep your eyes off of Collins. Just a few weeks into 2012, but Collins is giving one of those performances that I will say is going to be difficult to top for me this season.
Steve Woolf directed this production and he accomplishes something that John Crowley failed miserably at in NYC....he keeps this production visually interesting and keeps it moving. There is never one moment that makes you look at your watch. He has created pictures on that small stage that ably assisted by Peter E. Sargent's light design constantly create the perfect mood. Woolf's use of music adds another layer to the atmosphere. Aside from the performances, it is truly Woolf that is responsible for the success of this production. What became stagnant and visually dull in NYC has popped to life in that small Studio Theatre and I walked out knowing that I was going to try and see this production once more before it closes.
A STEADY RAIN is playing thru February 5. Brave the winter weather that is inevitable in St Louis this time of year and see it! Amazing what the right space, actors, and director can do to a piece that I had written off as tedious. This production is anything but.....
No comments:
Post a Comment