REVIEW: Critiquing - The First Six Lessons

Ah, Acting. Is there any more noble artform? To mimic, portray, and create life itself. It is the "birth of the soul", as espoused by veteran screen actor Beau Bridges in his latest play Acting: The First Six Lessons. Adapted from Richard Boleslavsky's how-to book of principles on the craft of acting by Bridges and his daughter Emily, and starring them as well, the play chronicles a five-year relationship between an acting teacher and his developing young protégé. Since this play deals primarily with deconstructing the methodology behind a performance, it seems only fitting to review said performance piece in a similar manner. So here goes: the six essential principles of theatrical critiquing, as applied to Theatre West's production of Acting: The First Six Lessons.

1. Conceptualizing. When it comes to reviewing a play, it is important to first and foremost comprehend and then present, in an intelligible manner, the overall purpose and significance of the show. In this case, concept is rich, novel, and actually quite brilliant. It operates and has meaning on several different levels. The first of which, obviously, is that it's a step-by-step discourse on the craft of acting, which (let's face it) many, many performers would benefit from watching. It's also a reminder of the wisdom that comes from experience, the necessity of trial by fire, and the benefits of apprenticeship. Where the show really draws its emotional power from is the proverbial passing of the torch, not only from the story of the older generation actor to the younger, but with the added "oomph" of a father fostering the family legacy with his daughter. Most audience members will go into the show with preexisting knowledge of the Bridges family, one of the most prominent acting families in film history. Most will be aware that this is a show starring a famous father and his daughter, who is attempting to carve a name for herself. But for those who don't, they will have the benefit of being made aware first hand in the opening monologue when Beau and Emily address the audience. While Emily literally sets the stage, Beau does it metaphorically by discussing Boleslavsky's book as being imparted to him by his father (the late classic film actor Lloyd Bridges, after whom Beau is actually named), which he has now passed on to his daughter Emily and created this play. The entire thing is quite ambitious. Condensing Boleslavsky's existential lectures into a mere 90-minute play, plus depicting the tutelage of a novice young actress-ling into a swan, as written and performed by two members of a famous acting family. That's a tremendous undertaking. Do they succeed? Well, that's to be answered in the next steps of the critic's method.

2. Raving. Contrary to popular opinion, it is the critic's duty to always search for and point out what is good in a show and direct the audience to what benefits they can glean from purchasing a ticket. And thankfully, Acting has merit in spades, starting and ending the Master himself, Mr. Bridges. A household name with multiple Golden Globes and Emmys under his belt, Beau Bridges is, in a word, marvelous in this show. His performance as The Teacher is nuanced, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny. His character call to mind all of those essential key figures in our lives that shape, mold, and inspire. And as if his main character wasn't enough, audiences are given a real treat in having Beau perform a couple supporting characters as well, each with their own distinct eccentricities and accents that are an absolute riot. The writing is also extremely well done. Written as a collaborative effort by Beau & Emily, the dialogue is sharp, witty, and perfectly timed and paced.

3. Criticizing (Constructively). Albeit notoriously unpopular, it is the critic's duty, by definition, to criticize and point out the missteps in a show, no matter how major or minor. It softens the blow to begin with minor. The most noticeable problem with Acting is the music. Almost every scene in the show is centered around the Teacher character imparting one of the big Six Lessons. But as he does, from out of nowhere, this piped-in music underscores Mr. Bridges' monologue, undoubtedly meant to herald its significance, however, as the rest of the show has no underscoring, the music comes across as both random and distracting. After the first couple of musical disruptions, it was difficult suppressing the urge not to raise one's hand, as though a student attending a lecture and shout out "Excuse me, Mr. Bridges? I'd really love to hear what you're saying, because I'm sure its profound, but I can't hear over this damn canned piano." Another common misstep shows make, in the personal opinion of this critic, is a heavy inclusion and reliance on other, perhaps more popular and renowned, dramatic work. In this instance, its Shakespeare. One of the key scenes in Acting centers around the Creature (Emily Bridges)'s interpretation of Hamlet. After watching Emily do Ophelia's monologue once, and then being given some notes by the Teacher, the audience has to watch the monologue reinterpreted again. So not only are we "treated" to a big helping of Shakespeare in the middle of an original play, but we then we have to watch it again. It's a minor note, particularly since the monologue is adeptly performed my Miss Bridges with distinguishable changes in between, and fascinating observations made by Mr. Bridges, but still...one can't help feeling that relying so heavily on it was cutting corners. The final misgiving about this play, and perhaps the most unfortunate, is the underdevelopment of the Creature character. Undoubtedly conceived as a showcase for Miss Bridges' range and skill as a young actress, her character's arc falls disappointingly flat when all is said and done. Make no mistake, Emily Bridges has all the promise and potential in the world. Confident, poised, and ready, she announces herself as a determined player-a young woman excited about her craft and up to the task. But, other than the aforementioned Ophelia scene study, her character isn't given much of a chance to demonstrate this development and growth that basically the entire storyline hinges on. We know who she is at the beginning: a wannabe actress who essentially knows nothing about acting. But between each scene, she has taken leaps and bounds in her career (she goes from nobody to film and stage star in no time), forcing the audience assume her talent and growth as a leap of faith. Other than struggling with the occasional monologue and audition, we never really see her strive for anything. The Teacher preaches about the necessity of drawing from real life and experience to fuel the emotion in a scene, but we are never let in on what happenings in her life she is drawing from. Ultimately, the effect is that the audience is deprived of experiencing that triumph and emotional growth with her, which is slightly crucial considering her character is the protagonist. Actually, we get a much more subtle, but fulfilling and well-rounded arc from the Teacher's character.

Classifying. Having listed the pros and cons, it's also important to determine and recommend who (if anybody) should go see this show. Although youngsters and audience members who have no vested interest in the craft of performance might find the dissertations a bit tedious, ultimately this show goes highly recommended to a general audience. Fine performances, a neat way of presenting fundamentals of an essential and often underappreciated profession (not unlike critics), and the chance to see in person the workings of an extraordinary father and daughter team all make this show a worthwhile and enjoyable evening of theatre.

Knowing when to shut up. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

The Facts. After all the rambling and all the hearsay, comes the hard facts. The where, when, and how. Acting: The First Six Lessons plays at TheatreWest (3333 Cahuenga Blvd., West LA, 90068) until May 16^th on Fridays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. For tickets, called (323) 851-7977 or visit www.theatrewest.org.

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