Behind closed doors in the state of New Hampshire during the early days of 2008, a former First Lady named Hillary is in a desperate bid to save her troubled campaign for President of the United States. Her husband, Bill, sees things one way; her campaign manager, Mark, sees things another. If any of this sounds familiar, don't be fooled; in a universe of infinite possibilities, anything that can happen, will.
In Hillary and Clinton, Lucas Hnath examines the politics of marriage, gender roles, and the limitations of experience and inevitability in this profoundly timely look at an American dynasty in crisis.
Lithgow and Metcalf, both Emmy-winning veterans of network sitcoms, know every comedic beat to hit. (The set designed by Chloe Lamford and lighting by Hugh Vanstone reminded me of watching politics unfold on TV, something we've all become all-too-accustomed to in the last several years.) But it is Metcalf, who seems to have become the exceptional director Joe Mantello's muse of late (she earned a Tony for their previous collaboration in Three Tall Women and they've announced their next collaboration will be Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) who elevates this production with devastating take-downs of her her husband like, 'You know given the chance I will eclipse you.' Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, the repercussions of that line, 11 years later, will knock the wind out of you.
If anyone could play Hillary Clinton, it's Laurie Metcalf - and here she is, in Lucas Hnath's 'Hillary and Clinton,' giving a performance that feels painfully honest and true. And if anyone could capture Bill Clinton's feckless but irresistible charm, that would be John Lithgow - and here he is, too. Who better to work with these actors, sounding the depths of these iconic figures, than director Joe Mantello, who is also on deck.
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