Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Sparks fly when inter-generational political perspectives clash in Mario Correa’s N/A

• By drediman
• June 28, 2024
• No Comments

This week, Mario Correa’s N/A opened Off-Broadway at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center. The two-hander stars veteran stage and screen actress Holland Taylor (most theater-goers may remember her memorable 2013 solo turn as Texas Governor Ann Richards in Ann) and Ana Villafañe (who originated the role of Gloria Estefan in On Your Feet!) as, respectively, “N” and “A” — lightly veiled stage manifestations of Democratic House Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose clashing inter-generational political perspectives are well-documented.

It’s likely that piece will appeal to those looking for something a bit more serious-minded and thought-provoking than your typical summer theatrical fare. To that end, Correa’s new play largely succeeds, echoing such political and debate-driven works as Peter Morgan’s Frost/Nixon. In N/A, the playwright lays out the skirmishes between the two politicians in a way that straddles myth and reality, thereby effectively highlighting their ideologic differences — N is an established force in the party who seeks to enable change through slow, grinding compromise that is emblematic of the U.S. legislative machine, while A is a young upstart whose unwavering idealism aims for immediate and sweeping wholesale shifts from the status quo. Inevitably, sparks fly when the two strong-willed women face off.

The relatively unflashy staging by Tony-winning director Diana Paulus largely stays out of Correa’s way, relying squarely on the two characters’ combatting ideas and shifting power dynamics to captivate the audience as they battle for the very soul of the Democratic Party (the intimate but arena-like Newhouse works brilliantly for such a premise). Thankfully, both Taylor and Villafañe are in fighting form, skillfully sculpting uncannily accurate facsimiles of Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez without sacrificing any of the passion and clarity of their respective intellectual stances.

RECOMMENDED

N/A
Off-Broadway, Play
Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre
1 hour, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Through August 4