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The American Dream and The Sandbox Reviews
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The American Dream and The Sandbox Review by: Tom, Apr 28, 2008 |
What is the point of theater that is significantly incomprehensible?
I don't mean that in a bad way. A little incomprehensibility can be a good thing, if it's done well. I'm actually honestly curious: what itchy part of our brain does it scratch when we are compelled by a performance -- as I was earlier this evening by two of Edward Albee's early one-acts, "The American Dream" and "The Sandbox" (and recently with "The Maids" ... read more in San Francisco)-- but still feel somewhat lost at the end of it?
Clearly, most theatergoers think there is little point to the abstruse. At least when it comes to parting with the better part (if not more) of a hundred-dollar bill. There's a reason "Phantom" is still running after all these years, and part of it is that almost no one leaves the theater saying "OK, explain that to me."
But as I have previously said, art is there to help us look at reality in such a way that we can better get our minds around it. A full-scale map is useless. It has value only when geography is scaled down to the point that our gaze can more effectively encompass it. Art is life to scale. Art enables us to see aspects of existence in ways we couldn't if artists weren't there to reveal them to us.
I'm not saying "The American Dream" and "The Sandbox" are great art. I'm still trying to figure them out. They concern "Mommy" and "Daddy," "Grandma" and "Mrs. Baxter" and "The Young Man." Their motives and actions are obscure or absurd or horrific in turns, though the basic plot of both concerns Mommy and Daddy deciding what to do with Grandma -- or perhaps Grandma deciding how to leave Mommy and Daddy. Each play comes to a different solution. I won't attempt to explain much more that that.
What I will say is I was bored only once, and then only briefly. Mostly I was in thrall to Albee's imagination and point-of-view -- and an especially delectable performance from Judith Ivey.
Early in the evening, Mommy complains that it's hard to get satisfaction. After these two scratchy works, I can say the itchy part of my brain is completely sated.
by Tom Bestor |
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Disappointing. Review by: addisondewitt, Apr 10, 2008 |
| Let me say that Edward Albee is my favorite playwright. I have traveled to London especially to see WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? with Diana Rigg and David Suchet. I have seen THREE TALL WOMAN three times (does that make nine tall women?) and THE PLAY ABOUT THE BABY, four. I loved this year's revival of THE ZOO STORY and already have tickets for OCCUPANT. All of the above will explain my disappointment with THE AMERICAN DREAM and THE SANDBOX.... read more. Other than for Judith Ivey, I felt the actors was miscast and, under the playwright's rather leisurely direction, lackluster. One of the great things about Albee is his rhythm, his timing. Both were off in this production. Almost all of the hilarious lines that bubble off the written page were lost here, especially in the performance by the actress who played Grandma. (I was a youngster when I saw Sudie Bond play this role and her brilliant performance stays with me to this day. THE AMERICAN DREAM should sparkle, this production had very little fizz. A major disappointment. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
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