Three Tall Women

A-

What a thrill it is to see Glenda Jackson (Marat/Sade, Strange Interlude) onstage in the Broadway debut of the 1991 play that restored Edward Albee’s reputation and won him a third Pulitzer Prize. In the role of ‘A,’ the 91- or 92-year-old woman allegedly based on Albee’s adoptive mother, she is absolutely mesmerizing. Her embodiment of the indignities of advanced age is painful to see. Her casual bigotry and spitefulness should repel us, but she commands our respect and sympathy too. She is such a forceful presence that even as superb an actor as Tony-awarded Laurie Metcalf (A Doll's House, Part 2), who plays the 52-year-old ‘B,’ her long-suffering caretaker, almost fades into the background when they share the stage. Alison Pill (The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Blackbird) as 'C,' the callow 26-year-old lawyer sent to sort out A's financial mess, has the unenviable task of holding her own against these two theatrical titans. While A’s failing health causes her daily indignities, she still has vivid reminiscences of her youth to share. Some are painful, but others are hilarious. A sudden stroke interrupts her stories and ends the first act. Almost without a pause, we see an elegantly dressed B and C discussing the A lying in bed. Suddenly A saunters in in fine attire minus the physical and mental problems she had previously displayed. We soon realize that the three women now represent A at three stages of her life, with three very different perspectives. We gain a better understanding of how she became the A of Act One. They discuss which is the happiest stage of life and unite briefly at the end. Miriam Buether's (The Children; A Doll's House, Part 2) set design creates a lavish bedroom befitting a woman of wealth. Ann Roth's (The Nance, A Delicate Balance) costumes are both attractive and helpful in defining the characters. Joe Mantello's (The Humans, Casa Valentina) direction is fluid. I do have some reservations about this production. I feel that Laurie Metcalf is miscast. While she is fine as the caretaker in Act One, I found her hard to accept as the middle-aged version of A in Act Two. While I could picture Alison Pill eventually turning into Glenda Jackson, I could not envision Laurie Metcalf as the intermediate stage of that process. I also thought it was a mistake to omit the intermission between acts. I needed a few moments to absorb what had transpired in Act One before being presented with the altered world of Act Two. Finally, I was surprised that the actor who plays A’s estranged son gets no credit in the Playbill. Admittedly, it’s a small nonspeaking role, but it is a role. My reservations should in no way discourage you from rushing to get tickets. The experience of seeing Glenda Jackson onstage is not to be missed. Running time: one hour 45 minutes; no intermission.