Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Shaw’s SAINT JOAN is revived on Broadway, solidly if a bit on the tepid side

• By drediman
• April 26, 2018
• No Comments

Condola Rashad leads Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of “Saint Joan” by George Bernard Shaw at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

So the Shawfest continues, and I’m not talking about the one in Niagara-on-the-Lake. On the heels of Bedlam’s penetrating pseudo-revisionist Off-Broadway production of Pygmalion and Lincoln Center Theater’s major, meticulous main stem revival of My Fair Lady – which heavily draws on Pygmalion – comes Manhattan Theatre Club’s Broadway revival of George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, which opened last night at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Saint Joan, which tells the story of the rise and fall of the feisty and strong-willed (to say the least) titular character, is one of those plays that arguably works better on the page than it does on the stage. It’s a wordy work, filled with dense philosophical debates regarding the nature and role of church and state, many of which still resonate to this day. On the stage, however, such arguments can stagnate without sufficient passion and a strong theatrical point of view (a feat which Bedlam accomplished with flying colors with their current Pygmalion, as well as their previous outstanding Saint Joan).

Daniel Sullivan’s staging for MTC plays it safe – this Saint Joan is solid and tasteful, if a tad on the tepid side. Indeed, the aforementioned debates, although beautifully delivered with clarity, don’t have the visceral impact they should have because of the production’s curious lack of urgency and specificity, resulting in some admittedly dull stretches. That’s not to say there isn’t anything to recommend about the production. Quite on the contrary, much of the acting is excellent, with the luminous Condola Rashad leading the way with a soulful, deeply-felt rendition of the marathon role (the production runs nearly three hours). Even if this lovely actress doesn’t necessarily register as a fearsome soldier, she’s able to convey Joan’s otherworldliness effortlessly. The rest of the top-notch cast is comprised of some of New York’s most venerable stage actors, including the likes of Walter Bobbie, John Glover, Daniel Sunjata, Adam Chanler-Berat, and, last but not least, Patrick Page. Each gives accomplished, thoroughly professional performances. I also rather liked the overarching visual conceit of surrounding – almost overwhelming – the stage action with bells, which I thought was effective and pretty to look at (Scott Pask is the set designer).

RECOMMENDED

SAINT JOAN
Broadway, Play
Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
2 hours, 55 minutes (with one intermission)
Through June 10