Interludes

VIEWPONTS – Streaming Diary: Henry Filloux-Bennett updates DORIAN GRAY to the present moment & MTC’s satisfying reunion reading of Richard Greenberg’s THREE DAYS OF RAIN

• By drediman
• March 18, 2021
• No Comments

As I patiently await the re-emergence of in-person performance this spring and beyond, I’ve continued to engage in various digital theater programming. Here are my latest thoughts.

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Barn Theatre / Lawrence Batley Theatre / New Wolsey Theatre / Oxford Playhouse / Theatr Clwyd
On-demand through March 31

One of the more purely enjoyable virtual productions I’ve come across since the pandemic began was the “stage” adaptation of Jonathan Coe’s satirical murder mystery novel What a Carve Up! Although the adaptation’s merits as actual theater are highly debatable (is it a play or a film?), the result was one of the more polished and immersive experiences of my many, many streaming engagements over the past year. The same UK-based creative team behind that endeavor has re-assembled to concoct an up-to-the-moment update of Oscar Wilde’s classic psychological thriller The Picture of Dorian Gray (RECOMMENDED), which dropped this week. Written by Henry Filloux-Bennett and directed by Tamara Harvey, the sleekly edited hybrid is structured as a series of investigative interviews (akin to What a Carve Up!), which heightens the juicy tabloid aspects – and entertainment value – of the piece. It’s an ingenious approach that effectively camouflages the precautionary health measures placed upon the production (e.g., remote filming, etc.). Additionally, the loose adaptation of Wilde’s original plot cleverly and vigorously incorporates social media culture into Wilde’s story of vanity and obsession, making the cautionary tale freshly relevant and accessible to younger audiences. The all-British cast is pleasantly well-credentialed (featuring such stage and screen favorites as Russell Tovey, Joanna Lumley, and Stephen Fry, together with young, fresh-faced talents), and they give Mr. Filloux-Bennett’s script considerable pop and a delicious winking playfulness.

THREE DAYS OF RAIN
Manhattan Theatre Club
On-demand through March 21

This past week also brought me Manhattan Theatre Club’s reading of Richard Greenberg’s 1997 play Three Days of Rain (RECOMMENDED), which reunited the cast members of MTC’s original Off-Broadway production – John Slattery, and Bradley Whitford, and film star Patricia Clarkson. Although the play made its debut on the Great White Way (tepidly received, alas) nearly a decade after its initial premiere by way of some starry stunt casting – particularly the then red hot Julia Roberts – the piece has long been thought of as one of the more accomplished of the playwright’s many efforts, as evidenced by its frequent regional and international mountings over the years. Three Days of Rain, with its elegant exploration of the mysteries that reside between generations, boasts a rock solid structure and avoids the moderately cloying intellectualism that sometimes sneaks into Mr. Greenberg’s writing. The play also calls to mind Tom Stoppard’s masterwork Arcadia with its time-traveling narrative and ideal balance between wit and emotion. Despite the barebones Zoom format of the reading, the play’s original stars – each in excellent form – dug deep into their respective characters, collectively delivering a surprisingly satisfying rendition of the play. Indeed, the trio of actors clearly have a fond affinity for the play and each other, which was heartening to see all these years later. I applaud MTC for programming this reunion reading, especially for folks like myself who missed these terrific performances nearly 25 years ago.