THE HANGOVER REPORT – Joshua Harmon’s sprawling PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC delivers rich family drama despite its flaws

Nancy Robinette, Kenneth Tigar, Ari Brand, Pierre Epstein, Peyton Lusk, and Richard Topol in Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of “Prayer for the French Republic” by Joshua Harmon at New York City Center Stage I. (photo by Matthew Murphy).

This week, Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of Prayer for the French Republic by Joshua Harmon opened at New York City Center Stage I. Set in Paris, France, Mr. Harmon’s new play chronicles – through a pair of parallel stories over a wide expanse of time – the intergenerational saga of a Jewish family from 1944 (i.e., towards the conclusion of World War II) to the mid/late-2010s, during which time hate crimes towards Jews have started escalating.

Hands down, Prayer for the French Republic is the playwright’s most ambitious and somber work to date. His previous works – notably Bad Jews and Significant Other – are distinguished mainly for their keenly observed sense of humor. Which is not to say that Mr. Harmon’s latest is devoid of comedy. Thankfully, he occasionally unleashes flashes of hilarity, bringing levity to an otherwise serious and lengthy play. Indeed, at a sprawling three hours with two intermissions (remember those?), the play takes its time establishing characters and bridging the gap between the two new narrative threads. As the piece unfolds, the interplay between the disparate time periods becomes increasingly playful and fluid (calling to mind Tom Stoppard’s masterpiece Arcadia), and the characters casually yet elegantly break through the fourth wall more frequently. Although the play sags towards the middle of the third act and concludes a bit unconvincingly (e.g., muddled character motivations) and in a somewhat convoluted fashion, Mr. Harmon’s overall creation is impassioned and delivers rich drama despite its flaws.

The MTC production has been gracefully staged on a turntable by David Cromer with his trademark steadiness and astute attention to detail. One of my favorite aspects of his directorial work is how he sensitively uses silence to chisel the shape of the theatrical experience, which results in a brand of intense naturalism that’s distinctly his own. As per usual for Cromer productions, the director elicits some honest, finely wrought performances from his accomplished company of actors.

RECOMMENDED

PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
Off-Broadway, Play
Manhattan Theatre Club at New York City Center Stage I
3 hours (with two intermissions)
Through February 27

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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