B
In this ambitious, overstuffed play, Tom Stoppard addresses his relationship to his long-submerged Jewish heritage while simultaneously depicting the life of a highly assimilated Jewish family in Vienna between 1899 and 1955. With a cast of 38 (26 adults and 12 children), there are a lot of people to keep track of and little time to flesh out many of their stories. With a few important exceptions, they come across as generic without sufficient detail to individualize them. The extended 1899 episode includes a lot of exposition that occasionally approaches presenting a history lesson. On the other hand, it has colorful scenes of the family celebrating both Christmas and Passover and sets up the play’s most vivid personal conflict in the 1900 episode. We pick up events in 1924 after WWI has impoverished and diminished Austria and in 1938 when the Jewish community faces destruction. One of the three survivors in the 1955 section is a British man representing Stoppard who must confront his repressed early childhood memories and mourn those who have been lost. Watching the fate of this family is a painful experience even though you know its outlines in advance. One of Stoppard’s main achievements is to illustrate the magnetic pull of Vienna on its Jews, irregardless of its deep-seated antisemitism. The acting is generally strong. I was especially impressed by London carry-overs Faye Castelow as Gretl and Arty Froushan as both Fritz and Leo. Newcomer David Krumholtz as Hermann also made a strong impression. Director Patrick Marber mostly succeeds in enlivening what is basically a static play. After the play’s Olivier triumph, my expectations were perhaps too high. I found it slightly confusing, a bit disappointing, but at times powerfully moving. I recommend it to all serious theatergoers. It is now in previews at the Longacre Theatre prior to an October 2 opening. Running time: two hours 15 minutes; no intermission
