LcZees DEDICATION, OR THE STUFF OF DREAMS - First Preview 7/26

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 3:37am

*** NO SPOILERS ****

It was very entertaining and the audience loved it. But despite a delectably juicy premise, DEDICATION, OR THE STUFF OF DREAMS ultimately feels thin and dramatically undernourished. The play runs approximately 2 and a half hours, yet most of the characters seem only tentatively sketched and underwritten while some scenes go along entertainingly yet lead nowhere.

In a nutshell, the story concerns Lou Nuncle (Nathan Lane) and his partner Jessie (Alison Fraser) who run a small, struggling children’s theater. They are helped in their little enterprise by Brit Arnold Chalk (Michael Countryman). Lou and Jessie covet a derelict turn-of-the-century theater owned by the cantankerous Annabelle Willard. (Marion Seldes) who agrees to let them have the theatre - on one terrible condition.
Along the way, Jessie is reunited with her rock-star fresh-out-of-rehab daughter Ida Head (Miriam Shor) who is accompanied by her boyfriend Toby Cassidy (Darren Pettie).

The first act mostly noodles along as the characters gleefully run though the trunks and storerooms of the abandoned theater. There is some wonderfully heartfelt dialogue on the power and magic of theater to transform lives and Lane gives a beautiful, intimate monologue recounting an incident from his childhood.

But once Seldes appears late in Act 1, the play both comes together and falls to pieces: She so utterly and deliciously dominates the rest of the play that nothing much else matters. McNally has given her reams of audience-pleasing tart dialogue and Seldes savors every line, shooting withering looks and one-liners that made the audience squeal with glee. The scenes with Seldes, Lane and R.E. Rodgers (who plays Annabelle’s brooding driver, Edward, and who manages to hold his own with these two masters – no easy task) are the plays strongest, most focused moments, and shows Lane at his most subtle and effective. But it’s frustrating that McNally ultimately has given his friend so little to sink his teeth into – Nathan manages to give heart and soul to a character that we’d like to know about and never quite do. And right now, the ending seems patched on.

I look forward to seeing what gets beefed up during previews and afterwards.

Updated On: 7/30/05 at 03:37 AM

[SamIAm]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 8:59am

Thanks, Master. Seeing it this weekend but I was interested in your take on it. I like McNally a lot and though he often stretches but doesn't reach the ultimate emotional goal of a line or scene, he is at least trying which is more than most of the revivals and thin-skinned projects seem to do these days.

Plays like Doubt and hopefully McNally's continued work with Crucifixion are exceptions to this rule and I hope that McNally and other continue to TRY to reach the goal. I just want him to write something really solid and amazing...but in the meantime, I'll take this. Still sounds like an enjoyable show with some good performances.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 9:09am

Thanks for the review, LcZ. I see it in two weeks and am looking forward to it.

[HeartinNYC]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 9:13am

Thanks, Master, for your synopsis and review of DEDICATION. I've been looking forward to another Lane-McNally production for a long time, and it is heartening to know the audience reacted well to the show. Rehearsals must have been more than challenging giving the cast changes in mid-rehearsal, so it speaks well that people were drawn into the story.

With a stellar cast, an important playwright, and time to work on the show within previews, it sounds like something not to miss. I'm looking forward to seeing it this weekend!

[mandy2loveRB]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 12:39am

I saw it tonight. I loved it.
As much as I loved the story and acting, I completely agree with you about the ending. Ending has its own great meaning but it just looked...still looking for a good ending or something. Can't explain.

I, too, am looking forward to seeing this play will be after previews and I will definitely go back.
I was in the first row...I would recommend around row F & up.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 6:48am

Went back last night.

It's still in progress. It has a new last scene which I don't find totally satisfying.

But there are still a few weeks till it opens. I'm going back and hoping for the best.

Updated On: 8/1/05 at 06:48 AM

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 12:32am

I saw this tonight and was knocked out. Nathan Lane gives the finest, most nuanced performance of his career. Marian Seldes is remarkable. She can make you laugh or send chills up your spine with the mere lifting of an eyebrow. The rest of the cast is first-rate. I highly recommend it. This is a powerful, moving play. (BTW: Kitty Carlisle was sitting a few rows behind me. At 94, she looks wonderful and is as gracious as ever).

[HeartinNYC]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 1:30pm

Agreed, Hushpuppy. I saw DEDICATION last week, and thought it was extremely entertaining. It is always a treat to see Nathan Lane in something more dramatic ~ he has an astounding aptitude for drama, and I'd like to see him do more roles like this one. Marian Seldes was her usual touching and moving self, particularly in this production. I've heard the show is a work in progress, but even after having seen it during the first week of previews, I highly recommend seeing it as well.

Updated On: 8/5/05 at 01:30 PM