There is no denying that Glengarry Glen Ross is a masterpiece of modern American play writing. David Mamet has crafted a truly remarkable and timeless lesson of the human condition. It has played Broadway three times total including it's premiere production in 1984.
I have been lucky enough to have seen both Broadway revivals, first in 2005 and most recently in a limited run in the 2012-13 season. This most recent production of Glengarry cast Al Pacino in the role of Shelley Levine, a former top man in the Chicago real estate game who has been on a years long downward spiral and has totally bottomed out. Joining him as the young buck who is on his way to the top and riding high, Ricky Roma, is Bobby Canavale. This, I'm sure, seemed like a great idea as Al Pacino played Ricky Roma to Jack Lemon's Shelley Levine in the film adaptation of the play.
Unfortunately the production is a mess from beginning to end. The play begins in a Chinese restaurant with Shelley Levine begging his unsympathetic boss, played by David Harbour, for a good lead. The entire production is set off on a bad note because the set looks awful. I'm sure it was intended to give the impression of a cheap Chinese place on a Chicago street corner, but it comes off as looking fake. The scene itself is played almost entirely devoid of any of the laughs that Mr. Mamet has put into the heart breaking moments. Also, Mr. Pacino is pausing for dramatic affect and the pacing of the entire scene is way too slow.
The following scene, in the same run down Chinese place that you wouldn't even order take out from by the looks of it, introduces us to Dave Moss (John C. McGinley) and George Aaronow (Richard Shiff). Moss is playing for laughs, but in a buffoonish and cartoonish way that doesn't fit in with the rest of the production. This gives the scene a disconnected feeling from the one that proceeds it.
Act one ends with a short interlude between Ricky Roma and James Lingk (Jeremy Shamos) in which, sitting at separate tables, Ricky Roma launches a pitch to a perfect stranger and convinces him to buy into real estate in Florida. This scene is to give us a taste of the selling prowess that is Ricky Roma. This is the only scene in act 1 that is bearable to watch and that is because Bobby Canavale (who speaks mostly in monologue) has tempered it with the perfect amount of humor and desperation and paced it just as perfectly.
Act II is a complete jumble as all characters converge back at the office to solve a mystery of stolen leads. This production is playing the drama of the piece and letting the comedy chips fall where they may. The pacing is slow, and nearly everyone is acting a different production of Glengarry Glen Ross. The set design for the office scene is equally as drab and unexciting. Once again, surely to evoke the feeling of a cheap run down Chicago real estate office in the 1980's, but it comes across as though the producers didn't want to spend the money on decent sets.
Overall the production was a huge disappointment. It's still a wonderful play, and I'm sure many people who saw it enjoyed it. Director Daniel Sullivan usually does wonderful work. However, with this production things got out of hand. Perhaps it was the star power. I look forward to the next Broadway revival of this wonderful play, and hope that it's better than his one was.
Glengarry Glen Ross played it's final performance at The Gerald Shoenfeld on January 20th, 2013 after 48 previews and 45 regular performances (whenever a show plays more previews that regular performances it's never a good sign). The play was directed by Daniel Sullivan, set design by Eugene Lee, Costumes by Jess Goldstein, and lighting by James F. Ingalls.
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