"Oleanna" review (Broadway)
 

I saw Oleanna on opening night of the previews last week, Tuesday night (I got 59$ ticket on broadwaybox.com). It was very interesting, maybe the most unusual play I've ever seen. Takes place on one set, with only Julia Stiles (from the Bourne movies) and Bill Pulman. Ms. Stiles was a little wooden w/her acting (it was her Broadway debut, although I think she played the part in Seattle before it went to Broadway). But her part is difficult as she and Bill Pullman are constantly talking over one another and interrupting each other. She plays a college student who goes to her professor (who is about to get tenure) for "help" and she ends up going to the tenure committee to complain about him and ultimately to accuse him of sexual harrassment. The audience watches what happens in each of their interactions and decides for themselves if the professor did cross the line and use his power over her, or if she is wrong and has her own agenda. I thought Pulman was very good, and Stiles will be good if she can relax and slip into the part a bit more.

After the play, there was a discussion between the audience and two top labor/employment female lawyers on the stage, to hash out what had happened during the play and the issues. Almost the entire audience stayed for that. I appreciated the discussion and chance to think further because the play was so thought-provoking. I believe Stiles and Pullman also listened to the audience discussion as when I finally exited about 40 min after the play was over, they had not exited the stage door yet. The insert in the playbill said that these discussions would occur during all the preview performances I think - at least they had the lawyers who would lead the audience discussions listed for the next 5-6 performances.

The theater is small and I think any seat is a good seat, at least in the orchestra seating where I was.

Thanks for posting this. The play seemed really interesting to me and I actually like both of the actors.

<< Ms. Stiles was a little wooden w/her acting >>

Who knows? You might feel this way even if you saw it two months from now, but perhaps that's why plays have 15 or more preview performances.

Thanks emd, for the report. I think we will do a less "serious" play or musical. It is a celebratory trip..anniversary amd birhday.

Judyrem, let us know what you decide on. So many good plays on Barodway ond off-Bway this fall. I chose Memphis and Oleanna as they were both in Previews so I got great discounted seats online, and they both sounded interesting to me.

She acted the role for a month in LA this past summer, so the role is not new to her. Are you sure that she was not portraying it in the manor that Mamet intended?

I don't know what Mamet intended. But her character was wooden to me- maybe that is the way it is supposed to be, I don't know. She did not seem to be "inside" the part she was playing-- she seemed to me to be be just a step away from reading off the script. But what do I know, this is just my perception.

Yes, I see now from reading online that it was in LA where she played this role, not Seattle.

Well, being the perfectionist (i.e. control freak) that he is, it is hard for me to imagine his accepting a sub-par job from one of his actors. It is true that people say that he sometimes has trouble writing for women.....which could also be a factor.

Perhaps she was just having an off night or not feeling well. She is an actress who is not a big "emoter" and maybe that is the quality you were picking up on....Did you google the LA reviews? Might be interesting to see if they thought the same as you.

Emd, so far we have Hair tickets for Sat mat.. We are going to do a cast party at Birdland on Mon eve. I think we will just do Tkts for Fri and Sunday. And, maybe when we get in on Thursday, I may head on over to TKTS. I love plays and shows :-).

here is a LA TImes review from when the play was in LA (not Seatlle as I thought). Although it doesn't say much about Stiles.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/cult...r-forum-1.html

and another:
http://www.theatermania.com/los-ange...-wo_19461.html

and here's the twitter site, w/links to audience reactions
http://twitter.com/oleannabroadway

You may find yesterday's review in the NYTimes interesting, particularly because it's written by a critic who saw and clearly remembers the original 1992 production which incidentally was directed by David Mamet himself.

http://theater2.nytimes.com/2009/10/...oleanna&st=cse