Review
A Picasso
Manhattan Theatre Club Stage II
April 21, 2005
Morgan Wycks
mwycks@nyconstage.org
A Picasso, the new play by Jeffrey Hatcher has a fascinating "what if" set-up for a dramatic work to discuss free thought and a totalitarian regime eager to denounce it as decadent. Of course, this situation is certainly a major part of what Germany under the Third Reich was all about; so when Pablo Picasso (Dennis Boutsikaris), ignoring the ignominies of the Paris occupation while continuing to paint and live the high life, is forced to a basement for interrogation about art and its expression, the stage is set for a battle of philosophical wills.
The interrogator, although a woman (Jill Eikenberry), is seemingly a typical Nazi party hard-liner who confronts Picasso with first a test and then an ultimatum. In her possession are three works, possibly by him, which he must identify accordingly, and select one, if any are in fact his, for a private burning to be witnessed by the "privileged" few. It is her job that she delivers such a work without excuse. Picasso's notorious ego about his work and himself presents us with the conflict and though there is discussion about his loyalties to his native Spain, his stand on being apolitical leaves us in a cul-de-sac, at least until the interrogator's confession. And it is here that the play falls down for it becomes her conflict more than his for reasons too comfortable for such an arena.
In today's climate, where there's talk of government clamping down on free speech and where this play could have gone, it sadly shies away. Though the accomplished Ms. Eikenberry, despite a tendency to shake her head in the rhythms of her speech, reveals her "secret" in an absorbing and painful manner, one still feels the playwright has sold us short. It should be mentioned that her German accent is spot-on while Mr. Boutsikaris' Spanish-French inflections come by way of Brooklyn or New Jersey. Still there are moments when you think of the actor as Picasso, only to be diminished by Simonesque comic timing for Mr. Hatcher's laugh lines.
There is an ironic resolution for the play's end but one can almost see it coming. John Tillinger directs admirably with no surprises.
...end
Other Reviews
NY Times - Charles Isherwood
Curtain Up - Elyse Sommer
NYTheatre.com - Martin Denton
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