Broadway Blog - COLLECTED STORIES Review Roundup

Tony Award winner Linda Lavin and director Lynne Meadow, who collaborated on MTC's The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, reunite for a new production of Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies' celebrated drama also starring Sarah Paulson. Collected Stories chronicles the relationship between two female writers: Ruth Steiner (Lavin), a celebrated New York author with a dry wit and a distinguished career; and her bright-eyed young protégé, Lisa Morrison. As their relationship evolves and the line between fact and fiction starts to blur, their fascinating story comes to an explosive conclusion.

Charles Isherwood, The New York Times: "The great Uta Hagen, who played Ruth in the 1998 Off Broadway production, was perhaps more ferocious and emotionally raw. Ms. Lavin's performance is smaller scaled but no less affecting in its gradual revelation of the vulnerable woman beneath the polished professional."

Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter: "Bottom Line: Beautifully acted revival of Donald Margulies' schematic but entertaining literary-themed drama."

Marliyn Stasio, Variety: "Anyone who takes acting seriously would walk a Broadway mile to see Linda Lavin play a distinguished but earthy author who is betrayed by the adoring protege who worms into her reclusive life. Pulitzer Prize-winning scribe Donald Margulies deftly if oh-so-laboriously lays out the groundwork for the final confrontation that allows Lavin to rip her guts out. Manhattan Theater Club a.d. Lynne Meadow, who previously directed Lavin in "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife" and helms here, respects her star's firepower and has hired a classy tech-team to prove it. But lordy, lordy, what a boring play it is."

Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press: "Like its set, "Collected Stories" is a solid piece of theatrical craftsmanship - in the expert hands of two fine actresses."

David Sheward, Backstage: "Lavin is the raison d'être for the play's Broadway debut, an offering from Manhattan Theatre Club, which also presented the first New York outing. While director Lynne Meadow has not found anything new in the play-her production is quite close to the previous two-set designer Santo Loquasto's Greenwich Village apartment set is more spacious."

Linda Lavin, Newsday: "What sets this play apart from dozens of others with identical descriptions, however, is that the characters are interesting, intelligent women, for a change..."

Michael Sommers, NJ Newsroom: "Paulson's ice-blond preppie Lisa contrasts well against Lavin's dark, authoritative presence and she, too, registers change over the play's passage. Paulson, however, is no match for Lavin during their final confrontation so the conclusion doesn't resonate as completely as it might. Hopefully Paulson will take advantage of her time onstage with Lavin to learn more about making a character truly live and breathe."

Jeremy Gerard, Bloomberg News: "Margulies offers no reason to believe that either Ruth or Lisa has ever written a word worth publishing. The gifted director, Lynne Meadow, indulges Lavin, who mutters, mugs, winces and sneers along with the yelling, as Paulson recedes into the attractive clutter of Santo Loquasto's lovely faded facsimile of a Greenwich Village floor-through."

Joe Dziemianowicz, NY Daily News: "But there's no regrets spending two hours savoring this satisfying work."

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