NEW YORK—In Alexander Dinelaris’s “Still Life,” a gifted, widely recognized photographer, Carrie Ann (Sarah Paulson), has dried up.
Carrie Ann just can’t find it in her heart to take another picture. Her beloved father Theo (Dominic Chianese), also a photographer, has recently died, and that’s what seems to have taken the starch out of Carrie Ann’s soul.
Her former professor, Joanne (Adriane Lenox), tries to persuade Carrie Ann to get moving—more importantly, to take on a newly offered plum assignment: to go to Tanzania for National Geographic (referred to as “Nat Geo”).
But Carrie Ann remains cool to anything positive in her life until she meets Jeff (Frederick Weller) at the opening of her current show. His life’s work could not be further from Carrie Ann’s: Jeff is a trend analyst. He figures out what makes the buying public tick and designs advertising campaigns that will entice folks to part with their cash.
However, Jeff is particularly moved by Carrie Ann’s recent photos (of dead animals), which she manages to make dignified and poetic. This ties in with a newly discovered darkness in Jeff. There’s been a recent downturn in his health, which he discusses at length with his best friend, a doctor, Sean (Ian Kahn).
As if to show as many facets of the human character as possible, the playwright introduces Terry (Matthew Rauch), Jeff’s boss, a nasty specimen. Simply put, he’s a real cad, who routinely insults women in the course of trying to seduce them. He also takes a brutally pragmatic road in running the business, even if it means firing someone who’s already in desperate emotional straits.
Woven throughout the doings of the characters is the philosophical stance that people are paralyzed by fear and that that’s the reason many of them can’t go forward in their lives. A press release states that it’s “a generation paralyzed by fear,” although for me, the text did not illustrate that. In any case, it appears that Carrie Ann is the only character caught in that particular dilemma.
The writing is fluid, and one might say, “cool.” Flashback scenes between Carrie Ann and her father are moving and have clarity: He has been jealous of her talent, something that he admitted only late in their relationship. Or perhaps these are scenes in Carrie Ann’s imagination, after he has died.
There is poignancy in the scenes between Jeff and Carrie Ann, as only he, at first, knows of the cloud permeating their relationship.
The play’s title conveys a double meaning: Carrie Ann’s current photos are still lifes. However, a remark by one of the characters indicates that there is “still life” in the future, in spite of life’s problems and pitfalls.
Director Will Frears has effectively coordinated the production elements and has elicited fine performances from his cast. Sarah Paulson displays a tenderness and warmth as well as uncertainty as Carrie Ann; Frederick Weller as Jeff shows appropriate inner conflict in his feelings toward Carrie Ann.
Adriane Lenox as Joanne particularly shines in her often tart treatment of Carrie Ann, who is one of her all-time favorite students. Ian Kahn as Sean displays genuine concern for Jeff. Matthew Rauch’s Terry is an intense, nasty fellow, one who attracts attention in spite of his nastiness. Actors Halley Feiffer and Kelly McAndrew do good work in multiple smaller roles.
Sets by David Korins are properly minimal and costumes by Sarah J. Holden are appropriate. Original music by Michael Friedman adds a nice touch to the production.
Still Life
Produced by MCC Theater
Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Running time: 2 hours
Closes: Nov. 1
Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts newsletter. For information: diabarth@juno.com.
