For almost
the whole of the first act of Our
Mother’s Brief Affair, it seemed to me a pleasant enough, funny enough stage
comedy, but not particularly unique from the pack. Grown brother and sister
Seth (Greg Keller) and Abby (Kate
Arrington), are concerned about their
widowed mother Anna (Linda Lavin), who
is of the age where cognitive loss can affect the memory, and talking about
past events whose reality is up for debate. In particular, one about a secret, extramarital affair she had
when they were just children. An affair with a mysterious lover (John
Prococcino).
Then,
just at the act break of this possibly-deceptive memory play, the lover, as
recalled by Anna, reveals his own secret. An identity he usually finds it best
to conceal. But in her, he believes he has finally met a person who would
understand. And when he names his true name—
—well,
that’s when I said to myself, “Oh. Now I
know why this is a Richard Greenberg play.”
The reveal crystallizes the themes, and in keeping with Mr. Greenberg’s œvure,
they’re of a heady order, and of some historical significance, which suddenly
makes the accuracy of memory, of documentation, of possible alternate
interpretations, very important.
Here’s
what pulls me up short, though. Waiting for the Act Break to get a story
surprise is one thing; tried and true. Waiting for the Act Break to clarify why
you’re watching…well, that’s a long time.
And withholding that has the effect of
making what is otherwise a perfectly respectable, decently funny comedy about a
universal family issue, the memory of elderly parents, seem somehow slender,
and as if it hasn’t quite fulfilled its own assignment. Under the no-frills,
to-the-point direction of Lynne Meadow,
it’s well acted by all, but even the ever-commanding mistress of comedic nuance,
Linda Lavin, seems somewhat constrained by the task of trying to fill the
enigma.
Ironically,
I don’t mean this to be a negative review. I was certainly entertained by Our
Mother’s Brief Affair; the language is
engaging, the pace unfaltering…it’s all worthy goods, delivered with cool
assurance.
I
just wish it had more urgency of purpose…
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