EDWARD ALBEE - DELICATE BALANCE AT AURORA

LEE HARTGRAVE – FOR ALL EVENTS

The Cast of "Delicate Balance" at Aurora Theatre

 Courtesy Photo

EDWARD ALBEE’S A DELICATE BALANCE

YES, IT’S SO DELICATE THAT YOU HARDLY NOTICE IT

Albee was once honored as “America’s greatest playwright.” Really? You could have fooled me. Most of his plays didn’t do very well on the stage, except for one – and that would be “Virginia Woolf.”  Personally, I think they should take that award back. A great playwright was Tennessee Williams – not Albee.

The first act sort of sets up the story. As usual (like Virginia Woolf) there is the incessant drinking and arguing. A love between a couple becomes very boring very fast. The boring couple gets kicked out of the friend’s house because something (will never know what) frightens them. The only thing really made clear in the nut cakes home, is the couple moved back home. I wish I could have stood up and cheered. Hey, one night would have been enough for me. And come to think of it…one Act is plenty out of the three-Act Play.

I love the Aurora Theatre – especially the intimacy of it. But with even the outstanding actors in this play – they must have a compelling script to make us love Albee. It’s pseudo psychobabble. Some news outlets are refusing to review plays, unless it is new material. The Actors in Albee’s bore did what they could. I marveled at the strength that they brought forth.

However – this will be the last time I will be tempted to see another Albee Play. I had hoped the Aurora would have revised the show (if Albee would permit) to give it more steam.

AT THE AURORA THEATRE IN BERKELEY

RATING: ONE GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE! –trademarked-

(((Lee Hartgrave has contributed many articles to the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday Datebook produced a long-running Arts Segment on PBS KQED). Hartgrave was also a founding member of the Bay Area Critics Circle and a two time President)))

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