Day One--NYC!

The CultureBuddies left Nashua at the crack of dawn on Wednesday and made it to the city in time for a matinee of Blithe Spirit, a new revival of the Noel Coward play. We were looking forward to seeing that handsome devil Rupert Everett, and we both wanted to see Angela Lansbury on stage. Unfortunately, the play was a disappointment: it seemed so dated and the chemistry just wasn't there. The jokes were tired and lame and the play just seemed to drag on and on. Rupert was the only bright light (and was a handsome drink of water) coming down a staircase in a tux as the play opened, and even he seemed bored.

After a quick nap, we felt recharged and set off to see a new play, God Of Carnage. In short, it was fantastic! James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Hope Davis and Jeff Daniels play two couples whose sons have been in a playground fight; the play takes place during an afternoon gathering in one of their homes to talk about the incident in a "civilized" way. By the end of the ninety minute play, their meeting has become a free for all with all the politeness thrown aside. It is hilarious; the laughs come from the increasingly dark truths that emerge about marriage, parenting, moral responsibility, and human relationships as "civilized" behavior deteriorates. The actors are wonderful; it's unusual to see a play with four actors playing equal roles, and this one is perfectly cast. Marcia Gay Harden was a standout as the mother who is trying to mediate the meeting and does "passive aggressive" like no one else!

We crashed early after two very different plays in one day. Although we don't predict good reviews of Blithe Spirit, we agree that God of Carnage is sure to be a huge hit this Broadway season.