I would be careful to recommend this production of the play to other theatergoers. It would completely depend on the theatergoer because this is such an artistic and desperately tragic story. There are some people in my life, family and friends, who could not watch this play for the difficult topics, their lived experiences, or their lack of attention span. I do not believe this play exists for entertainment. This play is for the poor souls who struggle and need to be seen. The topics of this play are addiction, escapism, blame, trust, coping mechanisms, festering in the past, life, and death. Most of the story is told with tediously long and impressive monologues. It is hard to get through, and we do need works of art like this that display realism in difficult situations. Plays that make us a little uncomfortable at times, so we can ask ourselves “Why?”.
This production as a whole is well done. The director and designers paid attention to Eugene O’Neil’s overly specific stage directions to an impressive degree, especially with the casting. Mary had her signature faded reddish brown hair that she reminisced about for so long. Jamie didn’t look at all like the rest of his family, while Edmund looked like he really could have been a son of Mary’s. James Tyrone didn’t seem the older but devilish silver fox he was described to be, but was played very well by Brian Cox. I probably would have made the same casting decisions.
The following sentences are some of the other things I saw that were good but I would have designed differently. The fog horn in the background was a good touch and was played only in moments of clarity and truth. I saw the significance as the characters navigated through their individual fogs. However, I wish I saw more fog. Way more fog. I would have flooded the stage with fog that crept in through windows and doors. Simulating the hazy tortured living the characters endure at the end of every day. The music was very interesting. Very very minimal. I think there could have been more, more instrumental climbs and falls would have made the monologues more interesting and simulated lyrics of poetry.
The lighting with windows and sun angles were really cool! I thought the sun angles were very cool and accurate if we assume the audience is facing true north. The sun in the morning crept through the east window and set early afternoon through the west window. I really liked the white light at the end casting the family’s distorted long black shadows. It gave the ending this haunted uneasiness.
The set did well, I would have liked maybe a little bit more. Bookshelf, formal unused dining ware, or pictures maybe. But perhaps that ties to the theme of a house not being a home. The plainness of the room was notable and forced the audience to pay more attention to their words and expressions than the set design. I thought it was creative and important in the plot to center the action on the parlor, but in the play, it was supposed to be a little more decorated for mere appearance because that is just the pride and shallow ways of the Tyrones.
As far as the writing goes, I think that this retelling could have been made more modern. The monologues were too long for me to stay immersed in the story. It has been the only show of the trip that I have wanted to keep watching my invisible wristwatch.
–I thought Mary and Cathleen were the best parts of the play. Cathleen gave the play much-needed life and moments of comedy. To myself, Patricia Clarkson is now Mary Tyrone. She played the part very well and brought attention to some of Mary’s habits that are very important to the story. For example, her shaking hands and denial of addiction. There was a part in particular where Mary broke the 4th wall while dangling her feet off the stage to talk to the audience. Genius. Loved how in the context of the story, she’s talking to people who aren’t there because she’s hallucinating. So to her other fellow characters that makes her look crazy, but to the audience it feels like she can finally see what the others cannot. Like she seeing beyond the sad repetitive world. But like I said, to her sons and husbands, she just seems to be on another plane of reality and out of touch.
All in all, good production, but I think some elements needed to be work-shopped a bit more. I still can’t believe I met Louisa Harland!!! Ahhhhh. Best part of the night besides the final applause of the show.
Theatre in London U of A 