playing hooky, part 3 -- It's Only a Play

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So, as you know, we love the Broadway theater. This time around we chose a comedy, It's Only a Play.

Just the talent on the stage alone -- Nathan Lane, Stockard Channing, Matthew Broderick, F. Murray Abraham....

The play is set in the townhouse of Julia Budder (Katie Finneran), and the story takes place in her bedroom. It is opening night  for a play called "The Golden Egg", written by Peter Austin (Matthew Broderick), starring Virginia Noyes (Stockard Channing), and directed by Frank Finger (T. R. Knight).    Also in attendance are James Wicker (Nathan Lane), a television star who is Austin's best friend, Ira Drew (F. Murray Abraham), a theater critic, and Gus P. Head (Micah Stock), a wannabe actor hired to take coats at the party.  The opening night party is in full swing downstairs, but up in Julia's bedroom  they are anxiously awaiting the reviews, especially the comments from Ben Brantley of the New York Times.

The play lampoons Broadway, American theater and the entertainment industry.   The humor comes mostly from the dialogue, from the name-dropping and Broadway insider jokes. 

Hysterically funny.  I especially loved Nathan Lane.  He and Broderick have real chemistry together. 

Given that they're lampooning Ben Brantley, I simply had to read Brantley's review of the play.   Brantley loved the performances, but felt the play runs a bit too long.  I disagree, the time just flew by.

Another successful evening of theater.

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