B-
In Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s (Honour) 2014 play about Patricia Highsmith, now in its New York premiere at 59E59 Theaters, she weaves lots of facts about the writer’s life into an entertaining scenario about the last year of her life. The author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, feeling insufficiently appreciated in the US, moved to Europe and spent her final years in seclusion in a small village in Switzerland. Notoriously racist, anti-Semitic, abrasive and contemptuous of the literary establishment, she was not an easy person to like. None of her relationships with either women or men lasted very long. Highsmith (Peggy J. Scott; Is He Dead?, The Lucky One) lived alone with her kitten, pet snails and collection of antique firearms, knives, swords and, surprisingly, Broadway show tune recordings, in her Alpine retreat. Her seclusion is interrupted by the arrival of a young man representing himself as Edward Ridgeway (Daniel Petzold; Pushkin), a seemingly callow editorial assistant at her publishing house who has been sent to get her signature on a contract for a new Ripley novel. The last assistant they had tasked with that assignment ended up having a nervous breakdown. Edward is determined to do better and deflects her abuse long enough to persuade her not to kick him out. As the play progresses, he gains confidence and uses her insecurity about her literary legacy to his advantage. To say much more would be to spoil the fun. There is lots of snappy dialogue about writers and writing and the relationship between an author and the character he or she becomes famous for. The play does not quite build up tension appropriate to a thriller and its final twist is not completely successful, but on the whole it is an entertaining evening. Both actors shine, especially Petzold in the trickier role. James J. Fenton’s (Southern Comfort) set has some sleekly modern design elements that seem out of place. Charlotte Palmer-Lane’s (Bedlam’s Peter Pan) costumes very cleverly reflect the changes in Edward. Dan Foster’s (The Chocolate Show!) direction is uncluttered. If you are a fan of Highsmith's work, I expect you will enjoy yourself. Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission.
In Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s (Honour) 2014 play about Patricia Highsmith, now in its New York premiere at 59E59 Theaters, she weaves lots of facts about the writer’s life into an entertaining scenario about the last year of her life. The author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, feeling insufficiently appreciated in the US, moved to Europe and spent her final years in seclusion in a small village in Switzerland. Notoriously racist, anti-Semitic, abrasive and contemptuous of the literary establishment, she was not an easy person to like. None of her relationships with either women or men lasted very long. Highsmith (Peggy J. Scott; Is He Dead?, The Lucky One) lived alone with her kitten, pet snails and collection of antique firearms, knives, swords and, surprisingly, Broadway show tune recordings, in her Alpine retreat. Her seclusion is interrupted by the arrival of a young man representing himself as Edward Ridgeway (Daniel Petzold; Pushkin), a seemingly callow editorial assistant at her publishing house who has been sent to get her signature on a contract for a new Ripley novel. The last assistant they had tasked with that assignment ended up having a nervous breakdown. Edward is determined to do better and deflects her abuse long enough to persuade her not to kick him out. As the play progresses, he gains confidence and uses her insecurity about her literary legacy to his advantage. To say much more would be to spoil the fun. There is lots of snappy dialogue about writers and writing and the relationship between an author and the character he or she becomes famous for. The play does not quite build up tension appropriate to a thriller and its final twist is not completely successful, but on the whole it is an entertaining evening. Both actors shine, especially Petzold in the trickier role. James J. Fenton’s (Southern Comfort) set has some sleekly modern design elements that seem out of place. Charlotte Palmer-Lane’s (Bedlam’s Peter Pan) costumes very cleverly reflect the changes in Edward. Dan Foster’s (The Chocolate Show!) direction is uncluttered. If you are a fan of Highsmith's work, I expect you will enjoy yourself. Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission.
