Saw 2 Gems This Week: "Tea & Sympathy" & "Fugue"

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 10:02am

Strong performances in all. Good productions.

Since "Fugue" is a new play, I'll mention that the writing is very good, as most often in previews, one may see places to nip & tuck. Kudos to Judith Ivey for direction.

Am very pleased to see these 2 plays 1 day after the other. Others may enjoy the sequence, as well.

Milla

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 10:04am

FUGUE has been kicking around for close to 20 years. Should be pretty much nipped and tucked by now.

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 10:11am

20 yrs? I must really be out of the loop. This is the 1st time I'm seeing it on the boards in NYC...

Still believe a n&t may be serviceable...

Milla

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 10:16am

The first time on the boards, but that script has been hitting producers' offices since at least 1989.

Actually, I think it has been produced before, years ago, for some reason, I'm remembering Valerie Harper.

Updated On: 3/15/07 at 10:16 AM

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 10:26am

There's a talented, adorable young actor named Ari Butler in "Fugue" who reminds me of a very young, brown-eyed Tony Curtis.

Well, if it took this long to get produced, I say I'm glad that it finally did. It's dramatic, but not maudelin with just the right amount of comic relief. If you see it, I'll look forward to your comments.

Milla

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 5:55pm

I've contemplated seeing "Tea and Sympathy" when I come to NYC the first week of April since it seems to be done so rarely. Can you offer any specifics about this production?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 6:00pm

Yeah Tea is an interesting choice--Has anything about it been "updated" to suit our modern audiences?

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 3/15/07 at 11:06pm

I did not feel the play was old-fashioned, as cultural intolerance sadly never seems to go out of style. It is clearly still set in 1953 & everything that was typical in our society is in full bloom. It seems to me that the play does depict homophobia but is not homophobic itself, & it is not evasive. What I enjoyed was the depiction of the desperate need for love and understanding, of all kinds.

The final scene, as always, is memorable, & in this case very well done. I know my eyes watered....

Milla