| . | 01/11/2009
Becky Shaw
By: Victor Gluck
Thomas Sadoski as Andrew and Annie Parisse as Becky Shaw
Photo credit: Joan Marcus
Although the title of Gina Gionfriddo’s terrific new contemporary romantic comedy, Becky Shaw suggests that it was inspired by Becky Sharp, the heroine of Thackeray’s novel Vanity Fair, it isn’t necessary to know the novel to enjoy or understand the play. Gionfriddo’s snappy dialogue, quirky characters and intriguing moral issues make this a memorable play as well as a delightfully engrossing evening in the theatre. Becky Shaw is a comedy of bad manners with enough twists and turns to outfox the most wily playgoer.
The pitch-perfect cast includes David Wilson Barnes (repeating his performance from the world premiere production at Louisville’s Humana Festival), Emily Bergl, Kelly Bishop, Thomas Sadoski and Annie Parisse in the title role. Director Peter DuBois who has impressed recently with gritty plays for LAByrinth Theater Company proves to be just as assured with Gionfriddo’s sharp and clever witticisms and ripostes.
The play’s catalyst is that Suzanna and Andrew, a recently married couple, have set up Andrew’s co-worker, Becky Shaw, with Suzanna’s adopted brother, the emotionally stunted Max. Andrew has only met Max, an acerbic money manager, twice, and Suzanna knows little about the emotionally needy Becky, still a temp at age 35. It is not a match made in heaven, and the fallout involves all five of the play’s characters. However, the play begins with part of the back story. Suzanna’s father had recently died leaving her and her mother Susan, an extremely pragmatic victim of multiple sclerosis, with little cash after years of living a life of luxury. Max is having trouble getting either of them to face the reality of the situation.
Becky Shaw is about needy women offered a choice between men who can’t commit to long term relationships or, alternately, sensitive nurturing men. It concerns money, and those who have it and those who don’t. It is also about mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, friends and lovers, goodness and lying. Gionfriddo knows that modern love is a battle, but so is the relationship between parents and children. Her wise and witty one-liners tell us a good deal about life in this decade: “Prostitution, marriage… Same thing. It’s two people coming together because each has something the other wants.” “Romantic relationships are the pairings of equals.” “Goodness and incompetence often go hand and hand in men.” The author has no illusions about love but knows that there is no successful alternative.
On another level, the play is a reworking of Thackeray’s novel of nineteenth century manners and mores. Suzanna, Becky, Max and Andrew are modern variants of Amelia Sedley, Becky Sharp, Joseph Sedley, William Dobbin, Lord Steyne and Rawdon Crawley. In Vanity Fair, Thackeray makes it obvious that he finds Becky Sharp to be greedy and scheming, even though she must make her way in the world having been born into it with nothing. In Gionfriddo’s update, the question is whether Becky Shaw is a con artist or a victim. Does a poor girl have the right to climb into another social class or economic bracket by her wits? Gionfriddo’s answers are less simplistic than Thackeray’s, and also more surprising.
David Wilson Barnes as Max and Emily Bergl as Suzanna
Photo credit: Joan Marcus
The casting is perfection. Barnes as the ascerbic Max never lets his guard down for a minute. Bergl’s Suzanna grows from weakness to strength before our eyes as she begins to understand the men in her life and what she most wants. As her widowed mother who has acquired a boy toy as her new companion, Bishop makes pragmatism into a comic virtue. Sadoski is completely believable as a man exceedingly vulnerable to needy women and their problems. And, of course, Parisse in the title role is just as ambiguous as she can be, leaving it up to the viewer to decide on her real motives and ethics.
Derek McLane’s settings for the play’s nine scenes glide in and out swiftly, allowing the play to never miss a beat. Gionfriddo uses clothing to comic effect and Jeff Mahshie is up to the job of revealing character by what a person wears. The lighting by David Weiner beautifully delineates hotel rooms, restaurants, living rooms, and a park bench.
Becky Shaw is a wise, witty, and winning new romantic comedy, as well as an update on a nineteenth century masterpiece. Gina Gionfriddo’s writing is fresh and clever; her insights, sharp and cunning. Peter DuBois’ direction is superb, and he and the cast help make Becky Shaw the first important play of 2009.
Becky Shaw ( extended 6 weeks to March 15 )
The Second Stage Theatre, 307 W. 43rd Street, in Manhattan
For tickets, call 212-246-4422 or http:// www.2ST.com
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