The Country Girl

Legends On Stage

Clifford Odets play returns to Broadway backed by some very big names. Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Charlie Wilson's War) directs a first-class cast including Morgan Freeman as Frank Elgin, Frances McDormand as Georgie Elgin, and Peter Gallagher as Bernie Dodd. While it took me awhile to warm up to the script, it was worth the sitting to see McDormand and Freeman deftly, carefully, and expertly reveal and show all the details there characters have to offer.


Odets' script starts with a stumble. Stage director Bernie Dodd is talking to his producers and basically tells the audience, in unnatural dialog, what the play's dilemma is - they've lost their lead actor and Boston previews start in a few weeks. They need a replacement. After the awkward setup, the dialog soon returns to something more enjoyable and less perfunctory. Dodd gets an old veteran actor who seems washed up to come read. Frank Elgin arrives and soon embodies the reading and part, showing off his fine talents and potential. Great! But the producers and director have a problem - Elgin is a known lush. Dodd assures the backers that he can control him. Off he goes to offer Frank the job but he can't find him. He heads to his home to find his wife, Georgie, there. The three soon find themselves thrown together because of the play. We watch, and worry, as the play develops, Frank struggles, and Georgie and Dodd's battle through their roles of supporting the lead actor.

McDormand and Freeman shine in this production. Never a blink, gesture, or sound is wasted. With such reserve and control, they can bring such strength to their roles that no shouting or strutting ever could. Gallagher was a little disappointing but perhaps that is the role of Dodd. He seems much louder and more overt. I didn't really believe a person like that existed but it served the purpose to bring out Frank and Georgie's relationship with more drama and suspense. I loved the raction of the audience, in particular one woman behind me who would gasp and even shout, "Oh no!" when Frank made a bad decision or something momentous happened on stage. Enjoy, and embrace the drama. With a cast like this, it is hard to go wrong.