Impressionism (The SOB Review)
Impressionism (The SOB Review) – Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, New York, New York***1/2 (out of ****)
Alright, alright. I know this is much too little too late, but at the risk of being stuck out on a precarious limb, let it be noted that I was absolutely charmed by Michael Jacobs’s Impressionism.
Maybe some critics just couldn’t see for forest for the trees. Coincidentally, in this story about the potential for love, its leading characters -- art gallery owner Katharine Keenan (Joan Allen) and onetime photographer turned Keenan assistant Thomas Buckle (Jeremy Irons) -- have difficulty seeing the infinite possibilities of a relationship that's right in front of them.
A truly lovely story with a lovely cast (André De Shields in particular deserves credit for his two scene-stealing roles) and lovingly directed by Jack O'Brien, Impressionism is one of those plays that stealthily sneaks up on you and packs an enormous emotional punch.
I guess it’s true that art truly is in the eye of the beholder.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: André De Shields, Broadway, Impressionism, Jack O'Brien, Jeremy Irons, Joan Allen, Michael Jacobs, Play, The SOB Review
posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, May 04, 2009
5 Comments:
I'd read quite a few reviews that didn't love it and so I'm glad to hear something good about it. I skipped it in large part due to reviews although as everyone knows, those smarty pants reviewers often get it all wrong. If I get another trip in before long, I may add it to the list.
Dale, Sorry to say (and this is where the too little too late part of my post comes in), the show is closing early this Sunday.
Steve, I can't say that I loved it the way you did, but I certainly thought the reviews were much too harsh. It certainly has its charms, modest though they may be. And de Shields and Irons are actually very good. (I liked the set design, too.)
You're not alone out there in the critical wilderness. :-)
ModFab, I admit that I came in with significantly lowered expectations, in part because of the withering reviews.
But something was clearly in the air for the performance I saw. It was clear that I was not alone in loving the show.
And isn't that part of the beauty of seeing a live performance?
In Impressionism, award-winning performers Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen make the most of a script that wasn't quite ready for prime time.
What This Show Is About
Impressionism takes place in the New York gallery of Katharine Keenan and in flashbacks from her life and the life of her friend and sort-of employee, photojournalist Thomas Buckle.
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