James Braly: The Spalding Gray Of His Time

After a critically acclaimed, sold-out run earlier this year, LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION (20 years of monogamy in one terrifying hour), written and performed by celebrated monologist James Braly and directed by Hal Brooks (Thom Pain, No Child) opened Off-Broadway.   Life In A Marital Institution began performances on Thursday, June 26 for a limited engagement through Sunday, August 31.  James Braly talks to Broadway World about the evolution of his one man show.

How did Life In A Marital Institution Begin?

I had started performing at the Moth, a story telling organization downtown many years ago. I had started doing shorter works, about 15 minutes. I was doing shorter works- five, ten, fifteen minutes and had enough success down there and became a part of a community and started to feel the desire to do something longer. So I started putting together this piece which I ultimately called 'Life In A Marital Institution'. It was about fifteen stories put together and I would narrow it down to about seven or eight stories a night. Then I put it together in earnet for Anna Beckers and her production company in Westchester. And that was the beginning. Rather quickly I got several opportunities to perform in the city and after doing that I looked around and realized that other solo shows had a director, which I didn't. So I searched for one and that led me to Hal Brooks and after he came on that is when the show really accelerated.

How exactly did you find Hal Brooks? Had you seen anything of his before?

In the course of the developing the show while searching for directors the executive producer and myself had sort of gone out and looked at shows to get a sense of what was out there. And first I saw Thom Pain and at that time I knew nothing about Hal Brooks- and I think that got the best review of anything ever in the Times- and after seeing that that was how I became aware of Hal. So some time passed and I still did not find a director. I saw a second show which was Love Child. As I was watching Love Child I thought the direction was amazing. She just morphed into so many different characters and that kind of morphing-it was clear- was the result of a director. In the meantime I had started to interview directors and just couldn't find anyone that was right or was available at the right time. And I had a couple of shows coming up at Ars Nova and I really wanted someone right away. As I was walking one day I saw my friend Brooke Laney and during the course of the conversation we started talking about how I still hadn't found a director and she said "I know the perfect person." And she connected us.

What sort of affect did bringing Hal on board have on the show?

The form ultimately changed. One of the things that happens with a director is they are kind of like a personal trainer. Not that I know what a personal trainer does but I've heard what they do and what Hal did was he gave me permission and the confidence to explore aspects of the script and performance that had been on my mind but I didn't have the nerve to pull the trigger. As well as just tons of insight and perspective. Someone on the outside saying this is what it looks like and this is what it sounds like. And Hal was the one that eventually suggested before going off Broadway that we take it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

And it was after Edinburgh that it really took off?

During the eleventh performance two of the producers from 59E59 were sitting the in the front row and after the show came and said they wanted to bring it to New York off-Broadway. And that's what we did! We had a very successful run there, we sold out. We were nicely reviewed in the New York Times and that was really what allowed us to transfer here to Soho Playhouse.

What was the time frame from 59E59 and now at the Soho Playhouse?

It ended there March 16th and the first preview here was June 26th. We felt that the show at 59E59 was the show- it had acheived more or less its finished form. There were some performance shifts that happened because of the theater space lighting set, spacing.

What is your history as a performer? Have you always been an actor and this is your first venture writing a show or was this a new experience from start to finish?

I've always been interested in performance and then when I was a student I saw Spalding Gray and thought it was something I would love to do. Years later I stumbled into the Moth at Joe's Pub and then started going to that. After I started performing there things just took off. I became the only person to win the Grand Slam Competition twice. After that I started getting more serious about writing and started attending writing workshops and developing the script for Marital Institution.

So what are you plans after this? Are you hoping to bring this show across the country or are you ready to close this book and start your next play?

We are hoping to tour it. I've been talking to some people and there is a lot of interest in doing other kinds of things with it- but for now I would really like to tour it. The thing is, I have closed the book on it as a writer but I haven't as a performer. When I approach it as a performer its new every night and that is what keeps it fresh and keeps the tension and the stakes up every night. And that's fun.

LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION  is a poignant, humorous tale of lust, love, betrayal, and redemption OR the tragicomedy of married life. An international success, LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION has been called "a stylish monologue, reminiscent of those of Spalding Gray" The London Times and Edinburgh's Hit List calls it "a masterpiece of storytelling full of humour and pungent observation."  On this side of the pond, it played to sold-out audiences at 59E59 Street where it  was a New York Times "Highly Recommended Show" calling  the production  "Full of laughs and insight. James Braly is never less than excellent", Flavorpill raved that Braly's Life In A Marital Institution "is a fast-paced mix of anger, humor, and plain weirdness" and The New Yorker says "Braly presents it winningly, with a keen sense of the absurdity of everyone's eccentricities….". For more information please or to purchase tickets please visit www.sohoplayhouse.com

Photos by Jaisen Crockett

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