Vertical Hour

Sixty+ Minute Snooze
photo © Paul Kolnik

What happens when a noted British stage director takes a turn with a famous movie actress leading a play on Broadway? Nothing much. But at least Bill Nighy showed up to save me at least a few snores. Sam Mendeswas first known for his critically acclaimed theater directing in England before coming to the attentions of Americans as a film director (American Beauty, Jarhead) and husband of Kate Winslett. He seems interested in America and peeling into American norms and patriotism. These themes are forefront and contrasted against English perspectives in David Hare's play. The story and words seem very interesting, clashing an ivy-league political science professor (Julianne Moore) against her boyfriend's intellectually elite father who lives in rural self-banishment. Hare's words are all written with talent but agenda. It is all too clear he wishes to rally against the reasons for invading Iraq but in doing so his characters become cliché tools to force a dialog onto the audience. I don't believe the professor's contradictions - she is a war-torn former news correspondent, humanitarian, and political advisor for the Bush administration? I also don't believe a respected doctor would abandon all of his past life when faced with personal grief and struggles only to still remain an opinionated, battling old-fart. And I surely don't believe the young professor would turn away from her supportive, optimistic boyfriend just to win the attentive approval of his father. Motivation of action was completely lost in this play in favor of forced and contrived drama. Moore fumbled through her role so poorly that she even anticipated her lines to the point of responding over the lines of her co-actors. Her body language oozed insecurity, this in complete contrast to the professional, in-control description of her character. I could never imaging Christine Amanpour slouched inward like a thirteen year old girl at the mall. Why then did Moore play her role with such unassured timidity? Nighy at least used his whole lanky frame, long fingers and all, to dominate and claim the stage and his character's space, like an alpha-male marking his territory. So we watched them banter, we heard the political diatribes, and we watched the young couple's relationship crumble under the stress. A few family secrets were reveled but not much else happened. So sad, to waste such time and good ingredients on something that was barely palatable by evening's end.