Love-Lies-Bleeding Meets Washington Post Critic at Kennedy CenterNoted author Don DeLillo's
Love-Lies-Bleeding -- an examination of euthanasia -- has met the critics after opening Sunday evening at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. Yet, the only review I could find was that by
Washington Post critic Peter Marks (a
second Post story by Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts notes how veteran stage actor Sam Waterston was in the audience Sunday).
Taking issue with the literary delivery of the play's dialogue,
Marks states "That (the) contemplative springboard gives way to a thoughtful if rather clinical evening in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater." While calling the play's present-day scenes "laborious," and deeming Louis Cancelmi's portrayal of Sean, son of stricken artist Alex (John Heard), "oddly robotic," Marks praises the portion of the production that provides the compelling back story on the relationship between Alex and his second wife Toinette (Martha Lavey), as well as Heard's performance and the excellent lighting design by J.R. Lederle.
As previously noted, I've now seen this play both at its original Chicago Steppenwolf Theatre home and then again on Sunday at the Kennedy Center. The only discernable difference I found was Heard's portrayal of Alex after he had suffered a stroke. In Chicago, Heard's Alex had the slurred speech of a paralyzed stroke victim, while at the Kennedy Center, he spoke plainly. I was later told by someone associated with Steppenwolf that Heard's portrayal changes with every performance.
Time is ticking before time runs out on this play's DC run. Performances run through June 25 only.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Love-Lies-Bleeding Blooms at Kennedy Center Tonight (June 18, 2006)
DeLillo's Love-Lies-Bleeding Transfers to Kennedy Center (May 25, 2006)
Assassins Loose in Washington for Another Week (May 31, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding (The SOB Review) - Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL (May 8, 2006)
Cautious Recommendations for Love-Lies-Bleeding (May 8, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding Opens Tonight in Chicago (May 7, 2006)
Labels: Critics' Capsule, Don DeLillo, John Heard, Kennedy Center, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Martha Lavey, Play, Steppenwolf, Washington DC
Love-Lies-Bleeding Blooms at Kennedy Center TonightTonight marks the opening for Chicago-based Steppenwolf Theatre's
Love-Lies-Bleeding at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' Terrace Theater. On the surface, the play -- produced with the assistance of the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays -- is an examination of euthanasia, but at its heart is the question of when life begins and ends.
I've had the opportunity to take in the production, both in Chicago and Washington, and will be reporting on the critical reviews of Don DeLillo's play in the next couple days. In the meantime, no matter which side of the issue you may fall, I'd encourage anyone living in DC to see this important drama. But you'd better hurry. Performances only run through June 25.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:DeLillo's Love-Lies-Bleeding Transfers to Kennedy Center (May 25, 2006)
Assassins Loose in Washington for Another Week (May 31, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding (The SOB Review) - Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL (May 8, 2006)
Cautious Recommendations for Love-Lies-Bleeding (May 8, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding Opens Tonight in Chicago (May 7, 2006)
Labels: Don DeLillo, Kennedy Center, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Opening Night, Play, Washington DC
DeLillo's Love-Lies-Bleeding Transfers to Kennedy CenterEast Coast audiences will soon have the opportunity to see the thoughtful, nuanced
Love-Lies-Bleeding by Don DeLillo (pictured), June 17-25 at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theatre. This production is transferring directly from Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, home of the play's world premiere earlier this month. Jointly produced by Steppenwolf and the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays,
Love-Lies-Bleeding examines family members' ethics, love and pain surrounding the moral question of whether to end a stroke victim's life.
As I noted in my May 8 review, "Whatever your moral convictions, DeLillo expertly weaves together both sides of the heartbreaking debate on when or if it’s ever appropriate to end another living being’s life. To be frank, I walked into this production fully anticipating that the Amy Morton-directed study in human emotions would be completely lopsided. Rather than being preachy, it provides a thoughtful analysis of what’s truly at stake on all sides."
With the transfer of the outstanding original Chicago cast -- including Steppenwolf's artistic director Martha Lavey and screen actor John Heard -- Washington audiences (and politicians), some of whom no doubt personally stepped into last year's Terry Schiavo debate, will surely find this production every bit as compelling.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Love-Lies-Bleeding tickets at Steppenwolf (show closes May 28).Click here for Love-Lies-Bleeding tickets at the Kennedy Center (June 17-25).Related Stories:Assassins Loose in Washington for Another Week (May 31, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding (The SOB Review) - Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL (May 8, 2006)
Cautious Recommendations for Love-Lies-Bleeding (May 8, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding Opens Tonight in Chicago (May 7, 2006)
Labels: Don DeLillo, First Word On New Show, John Heard, Kennedy Center, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Martha Lavey, Play, Steppenwolf, Terry Schiavo, Transfer
Love-Lies-Bleeding (The SOB Review) - Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL***1/2 (out of ****)
No matter which side you took during last year’s dramatic debate over the tragic Terry Schiavo case, chances are it compelled you to take action. Whether it was contacting your Member of Congress or enlisting your attorney to draw up a living will, chances are you had a strong opinion on whether anyone can or should terminate a life, or a shadow of one. The issue likely stayed with you.
So it’s against that backdrop that Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre premiered one of the year’s most riveting dramas embodied in Don DeLillo’s
Love-Lies-Bleeding. Whatever your moral convictions, DeLillo expertly weaves together both sides of the heartbreaking debate on when or if it’s ever appropriate to end another living being’s life. To be frank, I walked into this production fully anticipating that the Amy Morton-directed study in human emotions would be completely lopsided. Rather than being preachy, it provides a thoughtful analysis of what’s truly at stake on all sides.
Steppenwolf’s astounding Artistic Director Martha Lavey takes to the stage in a tremendously nuanced multi-dimensional performance as Toinette, former wife of the patient whose life hangs in the balance. She and her stepson attempt to convince her ex’s current wife Lia -- played with emotional conviction and depth by Penelope Walker -- to pull the plug on a life that is described as a persistent vegetative state. Seemingly, nothing could move Lia to pull the plug on the man whom she knows like none other. Through flashbacks, we get insight into what made life worth living, whether or not it was to continue.
As much as I admired this production, including the wonderful use of lighting to convey various moods and settings, the biggest drawback was the juxtaposition of using both John Heard and Larry Kucharik to portray the same husband and father, Alex, in various state of being. Heard seemed capable of handling the role of Alex after a stroke, but I left wondering why he couldn’t also portray Alex in extremis (my intellectual companion didn’t realize that they were, in fact, the same character until I explained it).
This play will help the dialogue continue, because it will stay with you. (In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that I am an enthusiastic member of Steppenwolf's Auxiliary Council Board of Governors.)
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:DeLillo's Love-Lies-Bleeding Transfers to Kennedy Center (May 25, 2006)
Cautious Recommendations for Love-Lies-Bleeding (May 8, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding Opens Tonight in Chicago (May 7, 2006)
Labels: Amy Morton, Don DeLillo, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Martha Lavey, Play, Steppenwolf, Terry Schiavo, The SOB Review
Love-Lies-Bleeding Opens Tonight in ChicagoThis evening, one of the last plays of the season from Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf Theatre opens.
Love-Lies-Bleeding, by respected author and infrequent playwright Don DeLillo, includes a small ensemble featuring film actor John Heard and Steppenwolf's Artistic Director Martha Lavey (pictured here), among others. The world premiere play centers around a rather controversial theme: euthanasia.
Given the media and political uproar of the Terry Schiavo case just over a year ago, I'll be interested in seeing what the critics have to say about this delicate topic on the state between life and death. Having already seen the show myself, I'll also weigh in with my own comments pertaining to the performance.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:DeLillo's Love-Lies-Bleeding Transfers to Kennedy Center (May 25, 2006)
Love-Lies-Bleeding (Review) - Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL (May 8, 2006)
Cautious Recommendations for Love-Lies-Bleeding (May 8, 2006)
Labels: Chicago, Don DeLillo, John Heard, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Martha Lavey, Opening Night, Steppenwolf, Terry Schiavo
