Relatively Speaking

I don't get to go to the theater often, but every once in a while we splurge and visit the ol' Broadway. Saturday night we saw Relatively Speaking.



Relatively Speaking, directed by John Turturro, presents three one act plays: Talking Cure by Ethan Coen, George is Dead by Elaine May and Honeymoon Motel by Woody Allen. They tell different stories, but they all revolve around the concept of family, mostly mothers.

May's bittersweet "George is Dead" is the strongest play in the pack. The main character, Carla (Lisa Emery), has to deal with a marriage problem as well as her old, rich, socially clueless and demanding "friend"(!) Doreen (Marlo Thomas). Doreen finds out her husband George died in a ski accident and rushes to Carla's apartment for consolation. Marlo Thomas plays Doreen to such perfection that you hate her, yet at the same time can't help pity her. Just like Carla.

Woody Allen's "Honeymoon Motel" is, well, classic Woody Allen. I unfortunately cannot say much about the play without a spoiler, but it includes a multitude of dysfunctional characters, most of whom are related to each other. Let's just say they are trying to resolve a family dispute with the help of a psychiatrist, a rabbi and a pizza delivery boy. If you like Woody Allen's hyperactive, verbose style of comedy, you will love Honeymoon Motel. The cast includes Police Academy's Steve Guttenberg, The Simpsons' Julie Kavner and Caroline Aaron from Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Coen's "Talking Cure" had a few good moments, but it was not long enough for him to develop his quirky characters.

If you are going to be in town for the holidays and if you like the works of these playwrights, Relatively Speaking might be worth checking out. If you don't believe me, you can read this article where one of them (May), interviews the other two. It plays at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre until 15 January 2012.