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The Year of Magical Thinking Reviews
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Mourning Becomes Vanessa: The Year Of Magical Thinking Review by: Beth M, Nov 11, 2007 |
MOURNING BECOMES VANESSA
By Beth Mandelbaum
The Year of Magical Thinking offers witness to an intense journey through the stages of grief: shock, denial, anger, depression and acceptance, though not always in this order. It may not be a play for everyone, but perhaps it is a play that everyone ought to experience. As the playwright lets us know in no uncertain terms, right at the beginning, as the ... read more ever magnificent Vanessa Redgrave looks directly, almost fiercely and perhaps with underpinnings of anger, at the audience, and tells is that she is telling us her story because THIS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU. And that this is a journey that you can never understand or fully appreciate until IT HAPPENS TO YOU. And the clear message, spoken in no uncertain terms is that IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU.
The play moves in and out of time and space, through a myriad of powerful recollections, relating to the deaths and illnesses of Ms. Didion’s husband and daughter. Some of the evening felt to me as though it was written through the eyes of a reporter, who is more of an objective observer than a participant who is personally experiencing many of these deeply wrenching and tragic circumstances that have all to frequently occurred in Ms. Didion’s life over a several year period in the early years of the millennium. But as the play evolves, we witness the transformation that true grieving inevitable brings---a deep realization that one’s loved one is truly gone and is never coming back, a realization that allows the deep and genuine feelings of mourning to flood in.
My understanding of the meaning of the title “Magical Thinking,” as described in the play, appears to be forms of rituals of control, i.e., the kinds of things that are done traditionally in many cultures in which it is believed that if one does certain specific things then the outcome should be fine, or at least hopeful.
In the play Ms Didion moves through a variety of potentially devastating experiences with an extraordinary degree of control, to me apparently to keep a distance from the emotional intensity of the tragedies that she experienced, and also as a way to try to “magically” cause the best possibly outcome to occur.
By going through her own unique and deeply elaborate rituals of control, she, at an intellectual level, knew that things were terrible wrong, but she could still maintain the belief that her loved one would come back. She also, very slowly and painfully, comes to grips with an understanding that telling a loved one something to the effect that “Things will be all right and you will be safe, because I am here,” does NOT mean that a tragic outcome can be avoided.
She experiences these and other extremely powerful insights later in the play that change her perception and her world forever. Magical Thinking becomes no longer possible, and the deep mourning process begins.
This play held a deep fascination to me, as an amazing depiction of one person’s experience of going through the various stages of grief, and the struggle to make sense of it all. (Though some of it I could relate to, especially my memories of when my father died)
It may be very hard to begin to imagine the experience in which one minute Ms. Didion was talking with her husband about something as prosaic as whether or not he would like to go out for dinner or order in; and then a few moments later, she realizes that her husband was no longer talking with her. Five minutes later the paramedics arrived; and 45 minutes later she found herself in a hospital where a doctor and social worker take her into a private room. And she realized, at the level of intellect, that the unspeakable had happened. She heard her own voice saying in her mind, “He’s dead, isn’t he?” And this was confirmed by the doctor and the social worker. And when asked by the social worker, “Is there anything else that we can do for you?”, Ms. Didion’s response |
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A True Master Class Review by: FRB, Aug 28, 2007 |
I am a young professional actor (theatre mostly) from Washington, DC, and I came to the Aug. 22nd performance, which was a birthday gift (and my first Broadway show). Words cannot express how fortunate I was to catch this production. I have been ardent admirer of Ms. Redgrave and her work for years,
and finally seeing her on stage was truly one of the highlights of my life. Her performance and this production reminded me once again why I am ... read more proud to be a practioner of the craft. |
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must see!
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| 3 |
Thoughtful Theatre Review by: NedRacine, Aug 21, 2007 |
| No doubt that Redgrave's personal performance carries this show. She is articulate and convincing. But I was not consistently affected by the material. In the end I did not fully appreciate how Didion transitioned from her grief to a state of acceptance. Still, many moments were very touching, and this show will be appreciated by people looking for a thoughtful, serious experience at the theater. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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| 4 |
Powerful and Riveting Review by: Chiley, Aug 21, 2007 |
Ms. Redgrave is not my favorite theater or film personlity but she is billiant here. All the self styled Anti-Americanism by both the author and the actor are not present...what is present are the beautifully presented words and emotions of a woman losing her family over the span of two years-presented whole-heatedly in 90 minutes.
Those familiar with Didion's writing will better relate to the overall script and presentation,... read more, but the emotions and the attempts to rationalize the events and feelings of death and helplessness are for all of us.
Ms. Redgrave has the true command and presence that a script like this requires...and imediately, as she embodies Ms. Didion, she carries each person with her.
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Seniors, Adults
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| 5 |
MS. REDGRAVE ELUMINATES THE STAGE Review by: IHAVETHEBESTKIDEVER, Aug 6, 2007 |
| WE SAW THIS SHOW LAST WEEK. WHAT AN ENCHANGING STAGE PRODUCTION, SIMPLE AND DIRECT. MS. REDGRAVE "SPOKE" TO US AS IF WE WERE IN HER LIVING ROOM. THE SCRIPT WAS AN EXPLORATION OF LOVE, LOSS, AND LIFE BEFORE AND AFTER, BUT NOT NOW. I CAN NOT IMAGINE ANYONE ELSE, TALL AND POSTURED AND ELOQUENT ENOUGH TO DIRECT OUR JOURNEY. WHAT A THEATRICAL DELLIGHT. |
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must see!
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Business Associate
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| 6 |
THE BEST THING ON BROADWAY Review by: lauren, Jun 13, 2007 |
| NEVER have I felt the way I did after seeing this show. This is a must see for any passionate, literate person who has ever lost a loved one . Vanessa Redgrave's performance was outstanding, so much so I was the first to stand at the end of the show, I have never felt the urge to do that at any broadway show. Read the book first... and you will feel the same. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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| 7 |
No Big Deal. Review by: Terry, May 24, 2007 |
Underwhelmed.
A big yawn for me.
Sorry, that is how I feel, so please don't attack me.
To each his/her own. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 8 |
NINETY MINUTES OF MAGICAL THEATRE Review by: Joanie, May 17, 2007 |
| NINETY MINUTES OF MAGICAL THEATRE. VANESSA REDGRAVE WAS MAGNIFICENT. HER PERFORMANCE AND JOAN DIDION'S WORDS WILL STAY WITH ME FOREVER. A MOST MEMORABLE AFTERNOON. |
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must see!
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| 9 |
See Redgrave, Now! Review by: Fox, May 1, 2007 |
| This subdued, elegant performance by Redgrave transcends her material. There is no poetry or depth in Didion's prose until the final moments of the play. Despite the heavily emotional story, the play reveals Didion's shallowness as a writer and inexperience as a playwright. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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| 10 |
Positive Values, NOT! Review by: RALPHIE, Apr 29, 2007 |
DAZZLINGLY DULL, an attempted bouquet to the left, this one will receive the usual hoopla set aside for anything starring a self-styled activist. I bought the ticket based upon the eye-catching title and the interesting summary. Neither offers a clue of the dullness watching --- not a play -- but a one person boring rant.
Who is Joan Dideon anyway? I live in the real world but never heard of this supposedly "extremely intelligent" woman.... read more. Turns out she's just another Michael Moore wannabee but without the extra pounds. I don't care a thing about the loss of Ms. Dideon's husband; but might be interested in a play about the wife of that wonderful old Jew who stood his ground in the doorway at Virginia Tech and gave his life to save others. This is what heros --- really decent people --- do. These are persons to be held up as examples to the public in a Broadway play or elsewhere.
Skip this and catch JOURNEY'S END. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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A rare experience Review by: ILOVEPLAYS, Apr 28, 2007 |
A riveting 90 minute monologue by the great Vanessa Redgrave. Don't miss her.
A master class for all actors to visit. And a treat for the serious listener/theatregoer.
My Saturday matinee audience gave it a heartfelt standing ovation. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Seniors, Adults
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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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