SEEING DIFFERENT THINGS: (L-R) Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons back on Broadway after years. (Joan Marcus)
Katharine (Joan Allen) owns a small New York art gallery with numerous works for sale, despite the fact she seems to have a hard time letting any of the paintings go. This almost pathological refusal to bargain with potential buyers happens almost continually, to the great consternation of Thomas (Jeremy Irons). Thomas is a world-traveled photographer who has been working at the gallery for the past two years, while taking a self-enforced break from his profession.
Katharine's actions stem from past experiences, such as her parents' separation when she was a child. Later on, when she took a job as an artist's model, she found herself in love with her teacher only to find he was not only married, but that he already had a mistress. As for Thomas, he took himself out of the lineup, so to speak, after a shattering personal experience while on an overseas assignment.
AVOIDING LOVE: (L-R) Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons in a new play by Michael Jacobs, “Impressionism.” (Joan Marcus)
In addition to various flashbacks of the incidents described above, Thomas and Katharine's days are punctuated by dealing with various potential customers who drop by the gallery. These include Julia (Marsha Mason), a woman who wants to purchase a painting in celebration of her becoming a grandmother; and Douglas (Michael T. Weiss), a potential suitor of Katharine's, who is in actuality more enamored with a painting than he is with her.
Both Thomas and Katharine are, to different degrees, emotionally broken middle-aged people. By the time the story starts, though, Thomas has worked through much of his pain, while Katharine still carries her hurt from long ago. It falls to the owner of the bakery (André De Shields) where Katharine gets her cranberry muffins every Tuesday, and a young couple, (Margarita Levieva, Aaron Lazar) about to be married and who want to buy a very special painting, to show Katharine just how beautiful love can be.
An interesting story to be sure, made more so by the wonderful acting all around. The play is undone at points, though, by its heavy reliance on flashbacks. The snapshots of the past aren't nearly as interesting or emotionally involving as what's happening in the here and now. This adds to a somewhat disjoined feeling, which is exacerbated by Irons and Allen playing different roles in the flashbacks. Setting the show in the present with the characters explaining what happened before might have worked better.
Tying this piece together, on the thinnest whisper of a storyline, are the excellent performances of Irons and Allen, both making their first returns to Broadway in over 20 years. Irons, in particular, is a joy to watch on stage. There is a fluidity in his movements and confidence in his voice as he tosses off one coffee story after another (his favorite preoccupation of late), or a quip, or one-liner. (Irons can also make the simple gesture of placing a napkin over a cup of coffee speaks volumes).
Allen makes a strong impression (no pun intended) in the more closed-off role of Katharine, a woman throwing herself into her work so deeply, and so longing for someone to sweep her off her feet that she doesn't notice Thomas, who has long had feelings for her, right in front of her eyes.
De Shields works well in the role of Chiambuane, a sort of wise old sage, looking at the paintings through the eyes of wisdom and experience; a sharp counterpoint to the love and infatuation of the youngsters, while showing Katherine how a life without love is no life at all. Levieva and Lazar work well as the young couple; Mason is good in her role of a doting mother seeing her child growing up and moving on; and Weiss adds some unexpected passion as a man in love with a particular piece of art, even though he is a bit of a cad where Katharine is concerned.
Jack O'Brien's direction is okay, but it's hamstrung, like the play itself, by the off-kilter way the information is presented. The set by Scott Pask is nice and the lighting design by Natasha Katz, which includes images of many of the paintings used in the show, is excellent.
“Impressionism” is not a perfect play by any means, but it has some interesting things to say and ends up offering a rather lovely look at love, buttressed by several absolutely beautiful stage performances.
Also in the cast is Hadley Delany.
Impressionism
Gerald Schoenfeld Theater
236 West 45th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or telecharge.com
Information: ImpressionismThePlay.com
Open Run
Running time: Approximately 1 hour 40 minutes
Judd Hollander is the London correspondent for the New York publication The Stage.
