Old Acquaintance
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Cititour.com Review
When you come across a production of a rarely performed play by a middling dramatist, sometimes it doesn’t take long to realize why that play was downgraded to “rarely performed” status in the first place. Such is the case with this lightweight comedy by John van Druten, who today is probably best known for writing the play (I Am a Camera) that spawned the musical Cabaret.
This campy clash between two girlhood pals who grew up to become rival novelists aims for Dynastyesque bitchery, but Margaret Colin, who plays Kit, a highbrow author who appears to be the more mature one, can’t quite keep pace with the hilarious Harriet Harris as needy, neurotic divorcee Milly, a successful romance novelist whose daughter, Deirdre (Diane Davis), idolizes Kit. Although Milly is clueless, possessive and prone to hissy fits, her vices endear more than Kit’s virtues as they butt heads over Deirdre, Milly’s ex-husband and their careers.
If director Michael Wilson’s goal was to cast Kit and Milly as a study in contrasts, he’s certainly succeeded, but the evenness with which Colin reacts to Harris’ shenanigans defuses some potentially flammable conflict. The 40-something Kit seems to possess an overdeveloped sense of her own importance, and her ultimate conclusion that her younger lover would be happier with Deirdre, whom he’s just met, than with her strikes a disturbingly misogynistic chord.
But, as with any decent Dynasty episode, you can’t beat the dazzling eye candy on display courtesy of Alexander Dodge’s sets. He’s wrought a cozy, dignified apartment overflowing with books and art for Kit, and a chic but cold Park Avenue pad for Milly. Overall, though, van Druten’s script is probably best reserved for late-night viewing on Turner Classic Movies (a 1943 film version starred Bette Davis). Not all old acquaintances need to be renewed.
By Diane Snyder
Visit the Site
http://www.roundabouttheatre.org
Cast
Margaret Colin, Harriet Harris, Stephen Bogardus, Diane Davis, Corey Stoll, Cynthia Darlow, Gordana Rashovic
Open/Close Dates
Opening 6/28/2007
Closing 8/19/2007
Box Office
(212) 719-1300
Theatre Info
American Airlines Theatre
227 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
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