| I saw it a few months ago but will reserve judgement until I can read
the script a couple of times (it comes out this month). The dialogue
was brilliant--funny and insightful. My problem is that I still don't
have a handle on what Wasserstein's point is. It is a fun look at
growing up in the 60's and 70's, but "The Search for Intelligent Life
in the Universe" (?--have forgotten the playwright) performed by Lily
Tomlin did it first and with much **more** insight about the times.
Wasserstein's insights take place more between characters, which is
equally hard to do, only different.
Some aspects of the Heidi character may not be logical, such as her
pining for the old boyfriend with whom she remains friends. For all
the careful insertion of a variety of characters--male and female,
straight and gay, true-to-self and sell-outs--this is an overly WASPy
bunch. I'm not familiar with Wasserstein's other work, so I can only
hope that there's more to her world than yuppie wasps. (Tina Howe's
work is stuck in that rut--despite her wonderful dialogue and staging.)
Despite my desire for perfection on all levels, the production running
in NY is **still** a thoroughly enjoyable theater experience. I
laughed, I cried, the earth moved, etc. Joan Allen, in the lead,
pulls you right in with her warmth and charm. And the role is an
actress's dream. One monologue I do remember is when Heidi is supposed
to speak at her alma mater (a girl's prep school?). Instead, she
breaks down and grieves for the women's movement which has encouraged
us to go our separate ways, strive for what **we** want (individually)
and leave each other without an on-going support system. I grieved
with her.
I applaud just about any play which makes the big time **and** has
strong female roles, esp. a lead. The play's strength comes from being
as much about a person who happens to be female as it is about being a
woman in the 60's, 70's and 80's.
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| Haven't seen this one, but have seen & helped stage "Uncommon Women...."
and have read "Isn't It Romantic". Also, as the host & moderator of THEATRE,
I'd also like to encourage you to come over and see what we have to say.
"Uncommon Women..." had some very enjoyable parts, though both
productions I've seen have been flawed, mostly in the choice of actresses,
though for different roles in each case.
It's been some time since I've read "Isn't It Romantic", so I'd be hard
pressed to give my impressions, but I remember finding it enjoyable.
--D
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| I believe that the playwright, Wendy Wasserstein, will be speaking at Winthrop
House at Harvard on the evening of Monday, Nov. 27. She'll be talking about
her career in the theater. (I saw this noted in a special Boston section of
last Sunday's New York Times.)
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