Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them

Ok, don't let the long title scare you away. I caught Christopher Durang's new play at the Public last night and had a wonderful time. I wasn't planning on rushing to see it until I heard it was starring the amazing Laura Benanti, and although Laura really delivers, the whole cast is wonderful.

I admit that I really like Durang and his humor cracks me up. He has written a biting dark comedy about the fear of terrorism and what people will do to keep America "safe." The plot revolves around Benanti, who's on stage almost the entire play, and her recent marriage to man who may or may not be a terrorist. Her father (Richard Poe) and mother (the HILARIOUS Kristine Nielsen) add to the antics.

Not enough can be said about how much I respect and admire Benanti. I believe her to be one the brightest young actresses on the stage, and I hope she continues to work the rest of her life. This hope will easily be realized if she keeps turning in performances like the one she gave last night. Her character is the only voice of reason in the play; everyone around her is an absurd crazy person, and the weight of the play rests on her holding them all together. Luckily she is up for the task, and is able to get quite a few laughs herself.

Kristine Nielsen is managing to steal a few scenes as Laura's theater-going obsessed mother. It's actually funny to hear Laura yelling, "I hate the theater! Stop talking about the theater!!" Durang takes many insidery stabs that the audience ate up.

Richard Poe is a staunch Republican hell bent on protecting his country from the Muslim terrorist threat. Amir Arison plays the possible terrorist husband who constantly threatens harm on Benanti.

Nicholas Martin's direction was appropriate and kept the somewhat long play moving along at a brisk pace. He understands Durang's humor and what he's trying to say.

The physical production also needs kudos. The set is comprised of six rooms that are on a turntable. A lot of money must have poured into this because the sets looked great. The costumes are also well-chosen, especially Nielsen's dresses. (She only wears the same dress in different colors because the print and style flatter her body!)

***slight spoiler***
There is a great bit of direction involving the turntable when Benanti needs to go back in time to change something. The turntable spins and she runs through all the rooms with funny bits in each one as the time rewinds.
***end spoiler***

The audience was very responsive and I have a feeling this is going to get good reviews. Go see this in previews before the tickets become hard to come by.

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Updated On: 3/25/09 at 09:59 AM

I was there last night as well and I echo Whizzer comments.

Laura Benanti is a true star of the theater, and she proved that in last season's GYPSY. Here, in the first straight play I've seen her in, she commanded the stage and was absolutely spectacular. Her comedic timing, every line delivery...just perfect...and it was only the first preview!

The play itself was hilarious. This was the second Durang play I've seen (saw BETTE AND BOO and despised it), so it was a pleasant surprise to enjoy TORTURE last night.

As stated above, the sets and costumes were fantastic...a lot of money was thrown into this production!

I would definitely recommend this play...for Laura's performance alone...and also for the play itself and what it says about human society.

I think I read there is no stage door at the Public and that the actors come out the main doors? If that's the case, did anyone stick around? Did Laura sign/take pictures? I'm seeing this next month and would love to get a picture with her.

Thanks!

That's great to hear. It was a nice surprise when she came out after the final Gypsy performance. I will certainly stick around for her then! Thank you!

Um... saw this tonight, and... um, I liked it.

I loved the farcical nature of it, and enjoyed the first act thoroughly. I laughed a lot throughout, and overall, I certainly had a good time. But the more the play went on (and when you see it, you'll know what I mean), I slowly began to lose grasp of whatever Durang's points were. I actually didn't find the play to drag at all, but just thematically, and content-wise, it really would've been beneficial to have this be a 90-105 minute one act rather than 135 minutes with an intermission.

The performers are all really strong, though I don't understand the previous posters' ejaculatory praise for Benanti. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her performance, but she basically just capably plays the straight-man role while everyone else around her is insane and having boatloads of fun. As for the theatre jokes, I was laughing hysterically at the first few, but it eventually became way, way too much. Virtually all of them in Act II should've been excised.

Now, as to my ambivalence: I don't quite want to call this a "weakness" because I think I need some time to let the play stew in my mind, and perhaps give it a second viewing, but I left the theater more than a bit befuddled. Not in the sense that i was confused about what happened narratively, just a collective 'whuh?' feeling.

About 20-30 minutes before the play ends, a conceit is utilized that's very tongue-in-cheek and meta, and while I initially found it clever, that's where the play began to unravel for me. Not that I thought it suddenly became a weak play, I just stopped following Durang's line of thinking and couldn't comprehend what he was doing and why. At this point, the play pretty much stops functioning as what it was, abandons its storyline and becomes something else entirely. I am certainly not of the belief that every show needs to have a "message"/"point", but this is most definitively functioning as satiric/"statement" theatre for the majority of it, and then it just kind of devolves into a... well, I don't really know how to describe it. I laughed, but in service of what?

Like I said, I need to think about the play a bit, but at the moment, I'm tempted to call it a supremely enjoyable mess that underwhelms just a bit when it loses its narrative footing.

Has anyone else seen this besides the two posters above?

Updated On: 4/6/09 at 01:43 AM

I also saw this yesterday and I enjoyed it a lot! The play itself was hysterical. I found myself laughing out loud the entire course of the play and the rest of the audience seemed to do the same. At times some of the jokes got to be a bit overdone (especially in act II) but overall they flowed well.

Laura was stellar and fit that character like a glove. She really is the glue that holds everyone together.

Kristine managed to steal a lot of the show for me. Every single action of hers turned into a riot.

The set was also one of my favorite parts about this. The way they used it was a sight to see alone.

Basically, I can't wait to go back and see this again!

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No one thought the play lost its footing in the last 20-30 minutes and stopped being about anything, with the *vague spoilers* extended Hooters scene and the song...?

While I was watching it, I was kind of like, "Where is this going....?" but by the time it ended, I thought it -- even if a little bit convoluted -- did make a point. What if we could start over?

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Any other reports on the stage door? Is Laura still coming out (and signing/taking pics) or has the stalker-issue resurfaced?

I didn't stage door yesterday but did hang around in the lobby after for some time and happened to see most of the cast come out and talk with people, including Laura.

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