NEW YORK—Shortly after this writer saw Brighton Beach Memoirs, it closed due to poor ticket sales. Numerous theories have been bandied about as to why it closed prematurely. Although other factors may have contributed, I believe that at bottom, times have changed since the show first premiered. Audiences now are loathe to spend money unless they know exactly what they are getting for their dollar.
This show had little advance buzz, no word of mouth, and therefore no overriding reason to see it. The question for me becomes: Why did the producers, none of whom are theater novices, produce the show in the first place if they didn’t have the financial capital to see it through its first few weeks and allow sales and word of mouth to build?
What follows is a review written before the show closed prematurely:
THE WHOLE CAST: David Cromer's wonderful rendition of 'Brighton Beach Memoirs' came to life, very briefly, at the Nederlander Theatre. (Joan Marcus)
On the surface, the play is about Eugene Morris Jerome (Noah Robbins), an almost, but not quite 15-year-old boy (a stand-in for Simon) narrating the story and recording his thoughts in his journal.
However, the play could just as easily be about anyone else in the Jerome family. There’s Eugene’s older brother Stanley (Santino Fontana), a young man who works in the back of a haberdashery shop because his parents can’t afford to send him to college; their father Jack (Dennis Boutsikaris), who works two jobs to make ends meet; and his wife Kate (Laurie Metcalf), who runs the house and is constantly sending Eugene to the store for one item at a time instead of all at once.
Also living with the family is Kate’s sister Blanche (Jessica Hecht) and her two children. Laurie (Gracie Bea Lawrence), the youngest, suffers from asthma and is almost smothered by the family to make sure she doesn’t exert herself, thus leaving more chores for Eugene. Her older sister Nora (Alexandra Socha) is the object of Eugene’s newly emerging sexual lust.
Blanche’s husband died suddenly seven years earlier, leaving her unprepared for life as a single mother and provider. With bad eyes and very little confidence, she is unable to get a job and helps as best she can around the house, deferring all decisions about the family and her children to Jack and Kate.
Having seven people under one roof may have worked originally, but now the family is beginning to fray at the seams. The children are growing up and testing their limits, while at the same time, hard economic times are causing the family to constantly worry about having enough money to get by. Now, with Nora wanting permission to audition for a Broadway show, Stanley telling off his boss and possibly getting fired, not to mention Jack losing one of his jobs when his employer goes bankrupt, it’s only a matter of time before tempers explode and long-buried resentments, in several generations, come roaring to the surface.
THE BOY: Noah Robbins is enjoyable as Eugene, who takes advice from his brother, lusts after his cousin, and imagines he's pitching in the World Series. (Joan Marcus)
The facts of life talk between Stanley and Eugene is priceless, with Stanley listening with a mixture of nostalgia, bemusement, and empathy to Eugene’s explanation of his new rush of feelings. However elsewhere, Stanley changes from the wise older brother to a confused young man when he asks his father which is more important, standing on principles or keeping his job at a time when the family can’t exactly afford principles.
It’s also interesting to note that the characters, while all trying for their own bit of freedom and peace of mind, are each in their own way extremely selfish. This is brought home during a dinner scene where the family is grousing about how much they hate liver. But when asked why they are often served this dish, Kate answers, “Because we can’t afford a roast for seven people.” It’s a testament to the cast and David Cromer’s excellent direction that the scene works so well.
THE STAR: The production had star appeal in the Second City and T.V. veteran, Laurie Metcalf. (Joan Marcus)
Boutsikaris cuts a nice figure as Jack, the harried and wise patriarch, always attempting to reach an understanding with the various members of the family, and sometimes pushing himself too hard as a result.
Fontana makes a good Stanley. A somewhat angry young man wanting more than what life has given him, he repeatedly acts on impulse, often falling on his face when he does. The character, to his credit, takes responsibility for his own actions and Fontana has a wonderful chemistry with Robbins, their scenes together providing much of the humor (and a surprising amount of wisdom) in the story.
Robbins is enjoyable as Eugene, a youngster trying to grow up perhaps a bit too fast and trying to make sense of all that life and his family has to offer. This includes taking advice from his brother, lusting after Nora, and imagining he’s pitching in the World Series. He’s not only the narrator, but also the conduit for the audience to find a way into the play, and in that aspect, he works perfectly.
Director Cromer has staged the work masterfully, allowing both the text and characters to shine through. Most importantly, the story is given a feeling of unfolding before one’s eyes, instead of being a dated museum piece. The set by John Lee Beatty accurately sets the tone and place of the story, with the nicely drab (for the most part) costumes by Jane Greenwood adding to the weary aura most of the characters carry with them in this ultimately uplifting tale.
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Nederlander Theatre
208 West 41st Street
Opened: Oct. 25
Closed: Nov.1
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication, The Stage.
