The Heiress

[operalover21]

I attended the opening night of this revival of this always terrific play based on the Henry James novella Washington Square. First, the good news. There are 3 really terrific and fully formed performances on display here. First, Dan Stevens (of Downton Abbey fame) is a wonderful Morris with great stage presence and just enough charm and oilyness to make you fully believe him, David Straitharn as Dr. Sloper is authoritative, menacing, and outstanding, and Judith Ivey is hilarious as the Aunt.

 

The bad news is The Heiress. Film star Jessica Chastain, in her Broadway debut, is all over the place. I don't know if it's the direction or just her own choices but they're mostly wrong. While it's hard to get the image of the Oscar-nominated -- and utterly perfect -- Olivia de Havilland from the William Wyler film out of one's mind while watching this play, other actresses have successfully filled those shoes (I'm thinking Cherry Jones in particular). Chastain is mostly a cipher, I felt no real stage presence. She plays it as far too much the victim. It just didn't work for me at all.

 

For years, I couldn't see this play because of the film (one of my favorites). I mean, when you have de Havilland, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins, and Montgomery Clift directed by Wyler and a score by Aaron Copland where do you go? But gradually I've seen a few really good productions. This one is very good with the exception of the title character which leaves a big hole, obviously.

 

I'd still recommend it because the other are so good and, btw, Downton Abbey fans were in full force as there were gasps of delight when Mr. Stevens made his entrance!

[+ Topseed]

I saw the magnificent Cherry Jones in a Tony-winning production of this some years ago. Very hard to think that anything could top that...or even come close.

[operalover21]

I saw the magnificent Cherry Jones in a Tony-winning production of this some years ago. Very hard to think that anything could top that...or even come close.

 

She was great. Not in de Havilland's league, of course, but great.

[edjames]

I started this thread a couple of weeks ago:

 

http://www.companyofmen.org/showthread.php?89884-The-Heiress

 

Reviews were good but no overwhelming and I had to agree with them...

 

http://theater.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/theater/reviews/the-heiress-with-jessica-chastain-at-walter-kerr-theater.html?_r=0

 

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/downton_abbey_no_it_washington_square_MF6GJpEf8bdIbY9sg1mxGN