Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The hyped revival of PLAZA SUITE, starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, is a timid, moderately amusing throwback to a Broadway of yesteryear

• By drediman
• April 1, 2022
• No Comments

This week, the much hyped revival of Neil Simon’s 1968 play Plaza Suite (one of the unqualified hot tickets of the current theater season) finally opened on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre. I say finally because the highly anticipated production – which stars the husband and wife team of Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick – was supposed to have opened on the Great White Way back in the spring of 2020 (following an out-of-town tryout in Boston), and we all know what transpired then. Set during the late 1960s, the work is comprised of a trio of one-act plays depicting three very different couples who book in the same suite at the Plaza Hotel.

Although there’s no question that the comedy is dated, that’s not necessarily a bad thing (though some may question why such an inconsequential play should be revived at all). In my estimation, there’s a market for such nostalgic Broadway shows that require minimal brain power from audiences (such experiences are perfect for fun-seeking tourists and tired businessmen looking for some light escapism after a taxing day at work). Indeed, everything about the well-appointed production – the detailed, picture-perfect set is by veteran scenic designer John Lee Beatty – seems specifically designed to be an amusing throwback to a Broadway of yesteryear. And as a vehicle for Ms. Parker and Mr. Broderick, Plaza Suite is a safe and smart choice, allowing them to showcase their “versatility” as actors by animating simple stock characters.

Despite the pair’s undeniable star power, their characterizations are sadly timid – Ms. Parker resorts to tiresome hamming, while he’s largely a limp stage presence (as he has mostly been since The Producers) – and the snappy comic pacing you’d expect from a Neil Simon play is strangely off. That being said, there are occasional flashes of life in director John Benjamin Hickey’s wayward production, particularly her admittedly poignant portrayal of a painfully desperate wife in “Visitor from Mamaroneck” and his entertainingly cartoonish performance (signs of life, at last!) in “Visitor from Forest Hills”. Additionally, many of the jokes throughout the evening do land with the audience primarily by virtue of the playwright’s rock solid understanding of how to set up a joke.

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

PLAZA SUITE
Broadway, Play
Hudson Theatre
2 hours, 40 minutes (with one intermission)
Through June 26