If you want to see a REAL actor at work go this is the show to see. Vanessa Redgrave is nothing short of amazing. At first, her dramatic pauses annoyed me. Then, somehow they made sense while she was telling Joan Didion’s story and I didn’t notice them anymore. Her delivery is so smooth with the extremely complicated writings of Didion. She goes from happy memories to sad memories in different years of time to the present without jolting the audience. Come prepared, it is a story about grief and loss. One way or another she will get to a part that will strike a chord with you. If that doesn’t do it, the light sniffles of the audience will.The simple transitions of the staging are well designed. However I wish the background had a little bit more of a purpose. Because of the vagueness, it became a bit of a distraction for me. I kept trying to figure out the meaning of each of the backdrops.
The lighting and direction was great. They also play a little bit with the sound which integrates lovely with the story.
I highly recommend seeing this piece not only for it’s work of art but to remind yourself that we are all humans and in no way perfect.
www.magicalthinkingonbroadway.com
