The Commons of Pensacola
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Cititour.com Review
Star casting continues to be a double-edged sword in New York theater. The presence – and familiar acting mannerisms – of Sarah Jessica Parker in Amanda Peet’s The Commons of Pensacola, now debuting at Manhattan Theatre Club-City Center, may be bringing attention and box office to the play. Unfortunately, her casting also makes this intriguing if uneven new drama feel like a very special episode of “Sex and the City.”
Mind you, Parker’s character, Becca, is far less glamorous than Carrie Bradshaw. She’s a semi-schlumpy former actress who has brought her much younger boyfriend, a vegan journalist named Gabe (Michael Stahl-David), to Florida for Thanksgiving to meet her mother, Judith (Blythe Danner). Oh yes, she’s also the daughter of a Bernie Madoff-like financier. Yet, for all the surface differences and despite Parker’s considerable stage chops, the shadow of her television alter-ego always seems to hover over the proceedings.
Without question, Peet’s play works best when it focuses on the repercussions of the scandal, especially as it affects Becca, who has lost all of her social standing and self-confidence in the aftermath. The play also smartly develops the relationships among Becca, the did-she-know or didn’t-know-she Judith, and Becca’s extremely angry sister Ali (Ali Marsh), who makes a brief visit after Judith ends up in the hospital. Seeing how the sins of the father (and maybe the mother) have altered this family dynamic, while perhaps somewhat well-tread territory, is the worthy crux of this 80-minute play.
What doesn’t work nearly as well is the far too many completely unbelievable plot twists – most notably one involving Gabe and Ali’s foul-mouthed teenaged daughter Lizzy (Zoe Levin) – as well as a few too many Neil Simonesque one-liners. These zingers add some needed humor to piece, but rarely feel organic. In addition, the character of Judith’s maid Lorena (well played by Nilaja Sun) is necessary to make a point, but hardly needs additional stage time once she’s been introduced.
Rising above any of the work’s flaws is Danner, who hands in a truly terrific performance under Lynne Meadow’s direction. Alternately crusty, defiant, and utterly heartbreaking, Danner delivers a complex portrayal of a woman whose life has been completely upended, and who uses every coping mechanism at her disposal to survive. Her authentic rapport with Parker (with whom she previously co-starred in MTC’s “Sylvia”) is equally crucial in giving the play some additional depth.
While Parker may be the bigger draw, this uncommonly great actress is really the prime reason to visit The Commons of Pensacola.
[Photo (top) by Joan Marcus]
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.nycitycenter.org/Home
Open/Close Dates
Opening 10/22/2013
Closing 1/26/2014
Theatre Info
New York City Center
131 W. 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
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