A Strange and Intoxicating Brew
The Cocktail Party
Broadway After Dark
Judd Hollander
March 18, 2010
Long forgotten plays seeing the light of day after a lapse of several decades usually fall into one of three distinct categories: those that should have never been revived in the first place; those that are rather interesting curios but pretty forgettable once one leaves the theatre; and those select few which burst upon the stage like an unexpected gem, providing not only enjoyment, but also making you think about what you have just seen for a long time to come. Falling into that rarified final category is TACT's absolutely brilliant revival of T.S. Elliot's "The Cocktail Party," winner of the 1950 Tony Award for Best play and now running at Theatre Row Studios.
Revealing too much of the plot would be a disservice as there are surprises upon surprises and layers upon layers to be unveiled in the story. Sufficient to say, very few things, and very few of the people depicted, are actually what they seem. In "The Cocktail Party" Mr. Elloit has crafted a masterful work that is basically a deconstruction of relationships and marriage.
Casting is letter perfect. Koenig is wonderful as Edward. Someone who, at first glance, seems to have it all, but is actually a conflicted man, suddenly alone, hurt, and unsure why he feels the way he does. His trying to decide if he wants to continue in his situation with Lavinia turns into a fascinating explanation of what marriage could be-for better or worse. Rolfsrud is fine as Lavinia. Unfortunately, she doesn't have much to do in the beginning; yet by act two the character also gets to explore her needs as it comes to marriage and personal identity. The two play off each other nicely, showing strong chemistry between the characters.
Jones is wonderful as the mysterious "uninvited guest" (so billed in the show program). A man whose every movement, word and speech is calculated for maximum effect, he seem to have a sort of strange control over Edward, the latter drinking in his every word as he searches for the answers this man seems to have in his possession. There's also the interesting point of Edward and his guest repeating certain lines again and again, leading one to wonder if what is happening has actually happened innumerable times before. Jones's character also has a certain amount of deadpan humor, coupled with a tired understanding of how humans act and behave, adding yet another level to the mystery of just who this person is.
Harris cuts a hilarious path as the whimsical Ms. Shuttlethwaite. A longtime fixture of the London social circuit; she literally glides from one event to another, while madly interested in everything and everybody. As well as quite determined to find out what's going on with Edward and Lavinia, no matter how many times she has to "conveniently" just drop by. However she is never malicious or hurtful in her actions, rather simply curious for her own sake and also somewhat lonely. She is also a person quite capable of great caring and will do whatever she can to help her friends, even if it requires her going to some rather unusual extremes.
The wild card in the complex equation that is "The Cocktail Party" is Celia, a character with strong religious overtones. Ending an affair which has left her unhappy, and horrified at the way her life seems to be heading, she reminds one of a lost lamb or a little bird scared to leave her nest, but at the same time, completely terrified to stay. More than a coming of age crisis, this is a character in spiritual turmoil, wanting to make her existence matter to someone, most of all herself. A very complex creation, nicely brought to life by English's performance, the character projects a mixture of faux confidence, some very real fear and a quiet determination.
Alhadeff works well as Gibbs. At first he seems a bit too sure of himself and living in his own little world; yet, as with so many others in the story, there is more to him than meets the eye. Beck cuts a nice figure as the earnest and love-struck young Quilpe, a fellow who unwittingly inserts himself into a situation where he has no control of the outcome.
Direction by Scott Alan Evans is sure-handed, keeping the action focused and the story moving with nary a feeling of wasted time or extraneous business. Despite the somewhat long running time, the play never feels like it's overstayed its welcome. (Something especially hard to achieve when there's much more talking than action.). He also gives the actors enough freedom to really sink their teeth into their roles, while at the same time allowing the message of the play to come through.
Fascinating to watch and offering quite a lot to think about, "The Cocktail Party" is a beautiful piece of theatre brought lovingly to life thanks to the very able cast and crew. While this is one show where you definitely have to pay attention to in order to understand what's going on, it is more than worth the effort.