Airline Highway: Wow.
Airline Highway: Wow.
#1Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:03am
Wondering if anyone else has had this reaction: went to see a dear friend of mine, Ms. Judith Roberts in "Airline Highway" and after seeing the reviews I was worried.
Then I saw the play. I was stunned by the excellent writing and acting.
The themes explored by this excellent cast and writer, those of personal loss, shame, rage at feeling marginalized by society, all resonated again and again as I thought about his lovely, devastating work of art.
Am I alone in this? I hope not. But if I am, I almost don't care because the work was so powerful. The subjectivity of art, I guess.
I guess my question is, would anyone else be kind enough to relay a similar experience here in this public forum?
If so, I would really appreciate it, I am still stunned by what I saw yesterday afternoon.
From President Obama: "Over the years, musicals have been at the forefront of our social consciousness, challenging stereotypes, shaping our opinions about race and religion, death and disease, power and politics."
#2Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:08am
To me, this was an example of absolute top notch acting, direction & set design that sadly had an unbelievably weak text they had to follow. It was just a culmination of a thousand other plays and stories we'd seen before, just kind of mashed into this one parking lot setting. It's a shame for everyone involved that they didn't have a better play to work with.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#2Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:09am
Judith Roberts turns in a terrific performance; however, I cannot agree about the writing. Particularly, I found Roberts' monologue particularly weak -- it's a testament to her talent that she elevates it.
d'Amour possesses no ear for poetry, which is essential to carry off this kind of play. It comes off like a third-rate imitation of Tennessee Williams or, more closely, Lanford Wilson.
I enjoyed the performances of Robert, Freeman and White; I didn't find much of the rest of the acting memorable.
Updated On: 5/28/15 at 10:09 AM#3Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:31am
I have to disagree somewhat with the idea that the script is not up to par, though I can't quote it directly.
Miss Ruby's stunning monologue as she's bathed in white light and becomes vibrantly connected to her innermost thoughts: we understand the reason why they all adored her so.
Miss Ruby's life force is so engaging that her "seeing us" (the actual audience in the theatre) from the stage in that moment feels so important, it somehow connects us to our better selves.
We feel rewarded for coming to the theatre that day. Loved it.
The audience around me audibly responded to that writing, it was thrilling.
From President Obama: "Over the years, musicals have been at the forefront of our social consciousness, challenging stereotypes, shaping our opinions about race and religion, death and disease, power and politics."
#4Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:32am
Williams' influence here is blatant to the point where I'm surprised the play wasn't titled The Airline Menagerie of the Streetcar Highway.
mpd4165
Leading Actor Joined: 8/6/09
#5Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:32am
Jordan and Larry describe precisely how I felt when I saw this at Steppenwolf, some stunning design, great performances, and utterly disappointing writing. I found Act II incredibly especially forced and unbelievable, and the use of the stepdaughter as pure device.
#6Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:35am
Bill, I think the audiences reaction to Roberts' truly great delivery of the monologue is due to a combination of her talents, lighting design and staging. Watching her for the first time I was truly mesmerized by it, but I also realized that she and the rest of the cast elevated the text far beyond what it deserved.
#7Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:36am
For what it's worth, I really, really liked it.
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#8Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:37am
"Williams' influence here is blatant to the point where I'm surprised the play wasn't titled The Airline Menagerie of the Streetcar Highway. "
I would call Lanford Wilson's The Hot L Baltimore a pretty heavy influence, as well. The similarities of the plots are more than passing.
#9Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:39am
I LOVE you people for discussing this with me: can I say that? I do! xo
From President Obama: "Over the years, musicals have been at the forefront of our social consciousness, challenging stereotypes, shaping our opinions about race and religion, death and disease, power and politics."
#10Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 10:39am
I'm not familiar with that play. I'm going to pick it up this weekend!
#11Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 11:20am
Whereas "August: Osage County" allows us a smidgeon of (false) hope that we can leave the situation, "Airline Highway" denudes us of our sense that we can leave our shame, our misfortune behind us somewhere and re-emerge, cleansed.
The realization that we are already a vibrant life force is what this play gives us, our sense that our very existence is electric and meaningful and that catharsis is available to us every second we are conscious (or consciously trying to avoid consciousness).
From President Obama: "Over the years, musicals have been at the forefront of our social consciousness, challenging stereotypes, shaping our opinions about race and religion, death and disease, power and politics."
#12Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 12:05pm
I disagree with Larry on the idea that an ear for poetry is necessary for a play like this. I think d'Amour wasn't going exactly for Tennessee Williams redux (which would require that poetic language) but rather something more approaching verisimilitude and documentary than the heightened, poetic collage of a Williams play. I haven't read enough Lanford Wilson but I would hazard a guess that HOT L is probably a closer ancestor to this play than Williams.
I found AIRLINE HIGHWAY to be transporting, as if the proscenium of the Friedman represented a portal directly to the Hummingbird Motel. It had the highest artistry in craft of appearing to be completely uncrafted to the casual observer. Mantello's staging, especially, was top-notch; I don't know if I can ever recall feeling my eye so invisibly yet so assuredly drawn around a stage picture by the craft of the director before.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
MegInManhattan
Stand-by Joined: 3/10/14
#13Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 12:44pm
I also really enjoyed this play and found the acting to be superb. I was really sucked into each character's world and story. Admittedly, the whole thing bordered on indulgent though and seemingly "let's cover every possibly poverty sob story" that it could all be a bit much. I also didn't like when multiple conversations were happening at the exact same time, particularly in act 1. I get that it was supposed to be natural and how life would really be, but it did not work for a play because you couldn't concentrate on both at once.
But give me Miss Ruby's monologue and glam all day every day!
#14Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 12:50pm
For me, this play is an example of how a so-so play can be elevated by fantastic acting.
Everyone was superb, with highlights going to Caroline Neff and of course, Julie White, who both broke my heart. I was so sucked into Ms. White's performance, and the play touched me in a way that for some reason, I cried all the way home. Like, all the sobs.
I was really affected by this play, and I went back to see it again. the second time, I was not as emotional, but the acting was still just incredible. Not a weak link in the bunch.
Mantel did a great job with this, and I'm really holding out hope that White brings home her second tony for this. I think she truly deserves it.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
carolinaguy
Broadway Star Joined: 10/13/06
#15Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 1:12pm
I thought the play had the attitude that it was saying something profound and important; unfortunately, it never did. I did think the ensemble was great and want to also single out Joe Tippett, who as Bait Boy made the aging frat-boy trope seem fresh. I also loved Scott Pask's ultra-detailed design and the way Joe Mantello used the multiple levels of the playing space. But ultimately, the script came up empty for me.
I'm sending pictures of the most amazing trees/You'll be obsessed with all my forest expertise
Vespertine1228
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/30/05
#16Airline Highway: Wow.
Posted: 5/28/15 at 1:48pm
I really liked it until the last 15-20 minutes when it totally fell apart because the writer had no idea how to finish her play. It was still pretty fantastic though. I've been recommending it to everyone.
