Sylvia
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Cititour.com Review
Is there any comic performer on Broadway as gifted as Annaleigh Ashford? As she has proven time and again, most notably in her Tony-winning turn last season in “You Can’t Take It With You,” she possesses the rare gifts of impeccable comic timing, physical fearlessness, and complete likeability, all of which helps Daniel Sullivan’s revival of A.R. Gurney’s 1995 play “Sylvia,” now at the Cort Theatre, rise to heights of true pleasure. Oh, and did I mention, she’s playing a talking dog!
While running freely in Central Park (lovingly evoked by the uber-talented designer David Rockwell), Sylvia is taken in by Greg (Matthew Broderick), a rather unhappy middle-aged man looking for companionship -- and a sense of purpose. True, he has a loving wife Kate (Julie White), but she’s reinvested in her career as a teacher, while Greg finds his job to be “not real.” Unfortunately, Kate is also loving the “no-kids, no-dogs, we’re finally living in NYC” life, and struggles to put the kibosh on Sylvia staying in her new nest. Ultimately, though her ultimatum threatens her 22-year marriage, as Greg has become attached, hook, line and leash, to the adorable pooch.
Despite the play’s serious undertone, which is admittedly undercut by Broderick’s appealing if superficial performance, “Sylvia” is primarily a comedy, one with a great deal of laughs thanks to Gurney’s sharp dialogue, smart characterization, and the antics of the priceless Ashford as the sassy Sylvia. Her facial expressions alone can be worth the price of admission, not to mention the delight of watching her grudgingly roll over, take a shoe in her mouth, or
White’s natural inclination as a comedienne adds to the fun, especially in the moments when Kate becomes temporarily unhinged, and the chameleonic actor Robert Sella is downright hilarious in a trio of roles, including a fellow dog owner, Kate’s snooty college chum, and a very unconventional couples’ therapist.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://sylviabroadway.com
Cast
Annaleigh Ashford, Matthew Broderick, Robert Sella, Julie White
Open/Close Dates
Opening 10/27/2015
Closing 1/3/2016
Preview Open/ Preview Close Dates
Preview Opening 10/2/2015
Closing Open-ended
Box Office
212-239-6200
Theatre Info
James Earl Jones Theatre
138 West 48th Street
New York, NY 10036
Map
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