RSS
Home
Neil Simon Plays close on Broadway
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Noah Robbins as Eugene
The Neil Simon Plays – the revivals of Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound produced in repertory on Broadway – closed on November 1. Wait… Did those shows even open yet? The answer to that question is: Sort of.
There is a myriad of ways that one can react to a Broadway show getting its closing notice. Anything from despair to absolute joy is understandable, depending on your relationship to the play. My reaction to the closing of these particular shows is confusion, pure and simple.
The first of the two productions, Brighton Beach Memoirs, opened on October 25 at the Nederlander Theatre. Broadway Bound, the conclusion of the semi-autobiographical “Eugene” trilogy of plays by Simon (Biloxi Blues, which is not part of this revival, is the middle chapter), was to start previews on November 18.
Brighton Beach Memoirs received good, but not great, reviews when it opened. There was no breathless proclamation of the production’s brilliance, but there was nothing like this either. In fact, other than Mayor Bloomberg leaving Opening Night at intermission to go watch the Yankees, there was nothing to indicate that the show was in any danger.
The show was directed by this year’s critical darling, David Cromer, whose production of Thorton Wilder’s Our Town is still running off-Broadway. Plus, it’s Neil Simon, right? The guy is Broadway gold… I mean… Right?
So, what happened?
The closest thing I can find to an official explanation is a simple lack of interest at the box office. The plays just weren’t selling tickets and the producers decided that they couldn’t afford to keep the show(s) running. That makes the pertinent question: why the lack of interest?
You could argue that the shows lacked a marketable name. Jude Law is obviously not playing Eugene. Personally, I’m uncomfortable with that explanation because a.) I would like to think that Broadway has not become that much of a slave to Hollywood, and b.) Other shows, such as the aforementioned Our Town, have survived without stars (albeit off-Broadway). I would rather blame the economy and the upcoming holiday season than think that these shows would still be running with a John Stamos or Sienna Miller in the cast.
You could argue that the plays just aren’t fresh anymore. I have no idea if that’s true (I just know that several different people mentioned it to me this week). The original 1983 production of Brighton Beach Memoirs was a star-making vehicle for then unknown Matthew Broderick (who is currently having his own rough time on a New York stage). That may be exactly the reason why they handed these shows to director David Cromer. Perhaps the producers thought that Cromer could bring the same sense of newness and sincerity that he brought to Our Town. Certainly, if you read Brantley’s review of the show, he is seeking a similar tone.
You could argue that the shows were in the wrong theatre. Wait… You can? Well, I wouldn’t think so, but that hasn’t stopped the playwright from saying just that. Oh, I see… Those plays would still be running if they were two blocks north of there? Got it.
You could also argue that audiences just aren’t interested in Neil Simon anymore. Recent revivals of his work on Broadway have failed, including Barefoot in the Park, and The Odd Couple (in which they cast two Felixes and no Oscar). But, this explanation makes me more uncomfortable than any other because I consider myself part of the problem. I admit it: I have no real interest in seeing Neil Simon’s work performed. And, it’s not because it’s not great writing; it’s just that it’s not my cup of tea. And, it saddens me just a bit to think that there are good people out of work tonight because of that exact sentiment.
I can only hope that there’s more to it than that.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
