The American Plan

[Dein Herr]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:00pm

Has anyone seen it yet? I caught tonight's performance (and so did everyone's favorite Brantley). I couldn't decide what I thought of it during the first act, but a few very hokey plot devices and some less than Tony-worthy acting in the second act had me leaving... less than satisfied, shall we say. I did very much like Lily Rabe in her role, though.


Anyone else?

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:33pm

I didn't think the play was a big enough event for Brantley to review it. I would have thought it'd be Isherwood's.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:38pm

I also saw it tonight, and thought it was wonderful. I thought all of the castmembers were strong, especially Rabe. I didn't find it hokey at all. The direction was great, in my opinion, making very effective use of tension and moments of silence. I was very pleased.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:41pm

Admittedly, the second-act plot twist probably wasn't as out-of-place back in 1990 (when it was first performed), when the issue wasn't as over-addressed as it is now.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:59pm

See, I didn't really view it as a plot twist. I didn't look at it as an issue so much as just another plot point. Thus it didn't seem out of place to me, but rather more like the backbone of the play.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 12:10am

Can someone give a brief summary and tell what the plot twist is? Or PM it?

[Dein Herr]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 2:27pm

*SPOILER*

Essentially the first act is about the courtship of Lili, a slightly odd and possibly mentally disturbed girl who lives with her mother across the lake from a resort in the Catskills, and Nick, a guest at the resort. The entire first act had me very entertained, as there are are all sorts of complications in their relationship (Nick has a girlfriend, Lili has to deal with that, Lili lies a lot, he has to deal with that, the mother discovers Nick has been lying, etc), but we leave them engaged and ready to be married at the end of the first act.

Then, another guest from across the lake turns up, and we eventually find out that he's Nick's old secret gay lover, here to try to get him back, and (in my mind) the story just went downhill from there.

I agree that the twist was probably a lot more unusual and provocative twenty years ago, but that really just prompts the question, "Why revive it now?" It got to the point where I thought I was watching a Logo original movie, albeit with much cleverer dialogue.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 2:47pm

I agree that the "plot twist" as everyone is calling it was much more shocking in the original production. But I feel as thought the way Grindley directed it, it wasn't so much about being a plot twist. It wasn't that surprising when it happened. I do feel, however, that he really accentuates the parallels between the relationships between the two men and between Nick and Lili. I didn't feel like I was watching something that was supposed to be groundbreaking, but more of an examination of human relationships and emotions. I thought the "basicness" of it was what made it beautiful.

[being.jeremiah]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 4:38pm

I saw the production last night as well, and agree with bjh2114.

* SPOILER? *
The moment Gil Harbinson is introduced top of the second half, it's already apparent of what's to happen. So, to borrow bjh2114's words, it's a beautiful "examination of human relationships and emotions," in an attempt to succeed in accomplishing The American Plan.