NEW YORK—Eugene O’Neill’s “Mourning Becomes Electra” is a monumental work. Basing it on the Greek playwright Aeschylus’ Oresteia, the Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning Irish-American playwright has put his own spin on the saga, moving it from ancient Greece to severe, judgmental New England, right after the Civil War.
Residing in the small town’s most elegant home, the wealthy and high-status Mannons (patriarch Ezra Mannon is a former judge), grudgingly respected by the community, have secrets to hide. Given their puritanical outlook, guilt pervades the entire family, inevitably resulting in passionate and ultimately tragic outbreaks. Early intimations of greed, jealousy, lust, adultery, incest, madness, suicide, and the ultimate crime—murder, finally come to pass.
Doomed to become victims of their heredity and personal history, the family story begins prior to the first act. Before Ezra Mannon was even born, his father Abe and uncle David had both fallen in love with a nurse working for the family, Marie Brantome. When she becomes pregnant by David and gives birth to a son, Abe, in a jealous rage, throws David out and cheats him of his inheritance. Both Marie and David come to a sad end.
Now the play begins. The war has recently ended. Ezra Mannon (Mark Blum), a Brigadier-General in General Grant’s army, is due to return home. He could not be less welcome to his wife, Christine (Lili Taylor), who has, in his absence, taken a lover, none other than Adam Brant, nee Brantome (Anson Mount).
Residing in the small town’s most elegant home, the wealthy and high-status Mannons (patriarch Ezra Mannon is a former judge), grudgingly respected by the community, have secrets to hide. Given their puritanical outlook, guilt pervades the entire family, inevitably resulting in passionate and ultimately tragic outbreaks. Early intimations of greed, jealousy, lust, adultery, incest, madness, suicide, and the ultimate crime—murder, finally come to pass.
Doomed to become victims of their heredity and personal history, the family story begins prior to the first act. Before Ezra Mannon was even born, his father Abe and uncle David had both fallen in love with a nurse working for the family, Marie Brantome. When she becomes pregnant by David and gives birth to a son, Abe, in a jealous rage, throws David out and cheats him of his inheritance. Both Marie and David come to a sad end.
Now the play begins. The war has recently ended. Ezra Mannon (Mark Blum), a Brigadier-General in General Grant’s army, is due to return home. He could not be less welcome to his wife, Christine (Lili Taylor), who has, in his absence, taken a lover, none other than Adam Brant, nee Brantome (Anson Mount).
Daughter Lavinia, the Electra of the play’s title (Jena Malone), knows of her mother’s betrayal and hates her for it. Lavinia, who adores her father and would do anything for him, must wait for the right moment to tell Ezra of Christine’s infidelity, because he adores Christine in spite of her coldness toward him.
But Christine, having obtained poison through her lover Adam, murders Ezra in his bed the very night he returns home. Lavinia suspects Christine of the crime, but cannot prove it. Not yet.
When Lavinia’s brother Orin (Joseph Cross) returns from the war, Lavinia tries to enlist his aid to verify their mother’s crime and mete out just punishment.
More and more violence occurs, leading to a shocking finish.
Playwright O’Neill has leavened the proceedings by introducing a charming brother and sister: Peter Niles (Patrick Mapel) and Hazel Niles (Phoebe Strole). Friends of the Mannons, they each hope to marry, respectively, Lavinia and Orin.
But happiness and a normal existence are not in the cards for the Mannons. When
finally the history of the Mannons is resolved, the only survivor is the strong-willed Lavinia.
Also filling out the cast: The family gardener, Seth (Robert Hogan), serves as narrator for the audience and confidant to Lavinia. He knows things that she doesn’t know, for, being in his 70s, his history with the family goes back a long time.
A small group of townspeople introduces the acts and informs the audience of various events.
This is a heavy and heady project consisting of three plays shown in a four-and-a-quarter hour session. How has The New Group fared in its presentation? In my opinion, they have done remarkably well, considering the limitations of the theater itself and in some cases, the talent available.
Jena Malone, who truly carries the show, seldom leaving the stage, does a fine job as Lavinia. Unfortunately, as her mother, Lili Taylor presents a weak Christine. This role is equivalent to the Greek Clytemnestra, and should project power, even though she is often fearful. Taylor speaks softly and rapidly, almost hysterically, and seldom stands up to her daughter, thus losing the chance to show a powerful conflict between these two characters. It is puzzling that director Scott Elliott has permitted this odd interpretive choice, especially when it appears that he has otherwise closely followed O‘Neill’s directions in the text.
The supporting cast is very good. Not outstanding perhaps, but well up to the task. I would particularly pick out the aforementioned Ms. Malone, Mark Blum, Robert Hogan and Anson Mount as fulfilling O’Neill’s requirements in this complex work.
A commodious set, though desirable, was not possible on the small stage. However, set designer Derek McLane has handled the problem by utilizing the stage proper for the various scenes without laborious set changes, with the front of the Mannon mansion remaining rigidly in place upstage and casting its brooding influence over the proceedings, with the aid of lighting designer Jason Lyons. Costumes by Susan Hilferty appropriately reflect the period’s and characters’ needs, particularly with the lovely green gowns worn by the mother and daughter.
All in all, a worthy and respectable showing of a 20th century theatrical masterpiece.
Mourning Becomes Electra: A Trilogy
The New Group @ Theatre Row
410 West 42 Street
Tickets: (212) 279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Closes: April 18
Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts newsletter. For information: [email protected]
