|
Regional Reviews: St. Louis The Graduate Also see Richard's review of Colder Than Here
The movie was a sensation when it came out, based on a novella by the fascinating Charles Webb, who scorned materialism and all its trappings. The young hero of the stage play, partly adapted by Terry Johnson from the book and the movie (which was written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham and directed by Mike Nichols), is smart, affable, good looking, and all that seduces us into his wildly independent view of his own life. Benjamin is pure 1960s. The play includes scenes not found in either the original novella or the film, and premiered in London's West End before moving to the Plymouth Theatre in New York in April of 2002, where it ran for about 11 months. It received no awards nominations, but looks like a million bucks in this new production in St. Louis. I was delighted to learn of Mr. Webb's rampant iconoclastic nature after seeing the show–I left the theater puzzling over the struggle uncontrollable, the yearning for freedom, or escape, shaking the earth beneath the feet of Benjamin, Mrs. Robinson, and her daughter Elaine. So, a kind of immortality was preserved for the original author, in the director's own style, conjuring the wildly independent Mr. Webb. The very fast-paced, two-hour (with intermission) comedy is directed by Rob Corbett, and feels all aglow at home on stage on the Washington University south campus on Clayton Rd. The "Greatest Generation" fathers are loud and gruff, and a kind of freedom arises from defying all that, when the right Mrs. Robinson finally comes prowling along. Note to self: The right Mrs. Robinson has finally come prowling along. Jessica Johns Kelly is an adder-like redhead, though it comes with a lot of bemused, startled joking, often at her own expense. The suburbs were not ready for female liberation forty-eight years ago. And here, as Mrs. Robinson, Ms. Kelly seems to have been cursed all her life with that horrible laser-vision, one that slices deep inside a terrible, fake relationship. One just naturally squirms in her presence, not least of all her husband's business partner's 21-year-old kid, who's back from getting his undergrad. But it all swings into the purest one-of-a-kind comedy (except possibly for something mad at the Folies-Bergère) thanks to the struck-by-lightning, horrified hilarity of Mr. Franks II as Benjamin in the opening scenes. Jean Heckmann, as costume designer, supplies the most un-sexy, saggy, white 1960s children's department briefs that Mr. Franks will spend much of act one wearing. While being cornered by an older woman. He eventually puts on a succession of shirts that would cost you upwards of $250 apiece, if new, at the fancy men's store. But probably they're just canny finds by Ms. Heckmann: beautiful, though they read as too 1950s for this show. The set, by director Corbett and Tim Kelly, is a great puzzle-box, and you will be shocked to glance at your watch to find that a whole hour has elapsed in just a brief instant. It all begins with Benjamin seated on the corner of his old bed, back in his old room, wearing that wet suit from the movie, including a large diver's mask. And, not far away on stage, we also see the guests at a party downstairs, swirling gaily like a school of tropical fish. Amie Bossi has a terrific striptease number in the middle–terrific in the sense that it conjures a very off-beat mood within the two young lovers, who stop in for a beer. Elsewhere, Dennis Crump is great as the perpetually astonished priest, with multi-part roles filled by the delightful David Eiben, Mike Clay, Sean Monarch and Mary Klein. It all passes like crazy because the show crams so much into every scene, with Jack Abels excellent as Benjamin's father. And Alex Alderson is equally peerless (if you will), in a 1960s "dad" type of way. These are the kind of old guys who always played by a set of rules, while insisting that others did the same. Mr. Alderson is his business partner of 17 years, in the role of Mr. Robinson. Here he's the one who infamously tells Benjamin about "plastics" in a fine, funny scene. The mothers are played by the awesome Jessica Johns Kelly and the wonderful Tracy Murphy as the comically beleaguered Mrs. Braddock, an admonition to anyone contemplating their marital status. Sarah Vallo is perfect as the kind, sweet girl whom maybe Benjamin should never marry, Elaine Robinson. And it just reminds one of what it really takes to be a first-rate stage adaptation of a bestselling book. It also shows what really great actors can do with a complicated comedy. But the final scene (save one) is highly polished: a uniquely backroom-at-the-wedding nightmare that plays out fantastically under the tireless, intelligent and utterly re-imagined direction of Mr. Corbett. Hallelujah! The Graduate, a Clayton Community Theatre production, runs through June 29, 2025, at the South Campus of Washington University, 6501 Clayton Rd., St. Louis MO. For tickets and information, please visit www.placeseveryone.org. Cast: Production Staff: |
