By David Gordon, Managing Editor
Jeff Daniels has returned to the blood-red apartment set of Yasmina Reza's "God of Carnage," but he has switched roles. Tony nominated last year for his performance as pompous lawyer Alan, Daniels is now tackling Michael, the role originated by James Gandolfini. He is joined by Janet McTeer (as Veronica, the Marcia Gay Harden role), Dylan Baker (as Alan) and Lucy Liu (as Annette, the Hope Davis role).
The original cast of the play, which is centered on two sets of parents meeting to discuss the misbehavior of their children, captured lightning in a bottle. The audience could look past the fact that there wasn't much in the way of substance because the actors were so excellent at playing comedy. The second cast, made up of Jimmy Smits, Christine Lahti, Annie Potts and Ken Stott, was older, less interesting and generally colorless.
What this third cast has found, with the help of expert director Matthew Warchus, in the material is the tragedy. The devolution of the characters' relationships as they turn from civilized adults into children is far clearer and sadder here. It's clear that each character is at the end of his or her respective rope and will not be able to recover. Baker finds even more cynicism than Daniels did. Daniels, in his new role, is convincing as a working-class ‘Neanderthal'. Liu is rather stiff and unmemorable. McTeer (who originated her role in the London production) adopts an American accent, which, by the end, is just a guttural growl. It's a truly marvel to behold, and completely outshines the memory of Harden, her Tony winning predecessor.
Another marvel to behold is Bartlett Sher's extraordinary production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center Theatre. Two years after opening, it's still in excellent shape.
Laura Osnes, who won the role of "Sandy" in the most recent revival of "Grease," through a reality TV show, has replaced Kelli O'Hara in ‘Pacific' as Nellie Forbush, the self-proclaimed hick who falls for the older French plantation owner Emile De Becque (Paulo Szot, who won a Tony for his performance). Osnes' voice is thinner than O'Hara's, but she has a clear, pleasing soprano. It helps that she has quite fine chemistry with Szot, who is now stronger than ever. The age difference between the two (Szot is in his early 40s, Osnes is in her early 20s but reads much younger on stage), though there's an intentional age difference in the script, is at points uncomfortable.
In supporting roles, Loretta Ables Sayre and Danny Burstein remain unbeatable as Bloody Mary and Luther Billis, respectively, and they have found significant depth in their roles over time.
"South Pacific" closes in August. It would be a shame to miss it.