Brief Encounter
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Cititour.com Review
Delicate. Romantic. Fresh and retro all at the same time, the transplant Brief Encounter, which just opened on Broadway (by way of London and Brooklyn) is a magical mix of traditional stagecraft and cinematic muscle. Adapted and directed by Emma Rice, the show bubbles with joie de vivre. Noel Coward's one-act "Still Life" led to the 1945 film of Brief Encounter, and this production seamlessly blends both works and both mediums. Augmented with Coward's sophisticated songs, arranged with the unexpected twang of Django Reinhardt-style gipsy jazz by Stu Baker, Brief Encounter is a heartbreaker and a mind-shaker.
Hannah Yelland plays Laura, the lonely woman who meets by happenstance a doctor, Alec (Tristan Sturrock), at the small café of a train station. Both married, both desperate for a more fulfilling existence, they succumb to their mutual attraction. Yelland is the embodiment of the aloof Brit hiding her internal struggle with finesse. Sturrock is a bit warmer, allowing Alex the desperation of loss and the frustration of living up to one’s moral obligations.
Taking a tip from the John Doyle school of directing, Rice has cast multitalented supporting players who beautifully balance the action, singing and playing instruments as they add both comic relief and their own mirror to the main relationship. Dorothy Atkinson is particularly adept at characterization with a keen sense of comic timing.
Neil Murray's costumes are period perfect and even offer a tip of the hat to Hollywood history with a Calvin Carpenter/Debbie Reynolds look for two characters. His set design is even more impressive, with minimal platforms and "magic" movie screens serving as moving trains and platforms. Simon Baker's sound design is an integral part of the action and serves multiple functions beyond the oft-heard rumbling of trains.
With all of its technical bells and whistles, Brief Encounter might have become a silly exercise in innovation, but with a keen eye toward keeping the doomed romance at the forefront of the piece, Rice has actually enhanced the story. Brief Encounter is a tender and wonderful experience in the theater which is not to be missed.
By Lesley Alexander
Visit the Site
http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/index.html
Cast
Joseph Alessi, Dorothy Atkinson, Damon Daunno, Gabriel Ebert, Edward Jay, Annette McLaughlin, Adam Pleeth, Tristan Sturrock, Hannah Yelland
Open/Close Dates
Opening 9/10/2010
Closing 1/2/2011
Box Office
212-719-1300
Theatre Info
Studio 54
254 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
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