ift.tt/eA8V8J In 1993, Bernardo Bertolucci released a movie, “Little Buddha,” that explores the odyssey of a young American boy who is sought out by two Tibetan monks who believe hes the reincarnation of a lama, a high Buddhist teacher. At the heart of this conflict is that the boys parents are played by non-Tibetan types, Bridget Fonda and Chris Isaak. Neither Roger Ebert, who hated the movie, nor Janet Maslin, who liked it, had much of a clue what Bertolucci wanted to say with “Little Buddha.” See photos: 13 of Keanu Reeves’ Most Insane Movie Premises – From ‘John Wick’ to ‘Johnny Mnemonic’ (Photos) That lack of clarity is definitely not a problem with Sarah Ruhls new play, “The Oldest Boy,” which opened Monday at Lincoln Centers Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, and tells a very similar story. Actually, “The Oldest Boy” tells only half of Bertoluccis movie, the much better half, and wisely drops its parallel historical story of Prince Siddhartha, who appears in the form of Keanu Reeves. For those theatergoers who believe in virgin births, eternal progression, and reincarnation, Ruhl ups the likelihood of the little boy (played by a puppet and voiced by Ernest Aruba) being a reborn lama by making his father (James Yaegashi) a Tibetan refugee living in the United States and married to a white woman (Celia Keenan-Bolger). If this mother (Ruhl doesnt give her characters proper names) is shocked to be visited one day by a Buddhist monk (Jon Norman Schneider) and lama (James Saito), Ruhl makes it clear that the two men are even more shocked that shes white. As in “Little Buddha,” the parents in “Oldest Boy” eventually consent to sending their son to Nepal to be tested to see if hes the real thing, and later enthroned and educated. Of course, “The Oldest Boy” is really about the education of this sweetest mother, who back in the U.S. was an adjunct professor (“a very badly paid teacher”) and went through a rather ghastly experience during her final oral exam. Ruhl has a lot to say about the bonds of parents and children, of teachers and students, and how sometimes its necessary to break those bonds to learn. Sometimes, what with all this talk about education, “The Oldest Boy” feels more like a lecture than a drama, especially in the second act when the mother is less a participant than a narrator. Her memories of that awful oral exam are vivid and point to what might have been a more interesting play, about the horrors of academia in America. Its odd that in act two Ruhl didnt dramatize the traumatic oral exam, to use it as a parallel flashback to the scene in act one that dramatizes the mother and fathers fraught courtship. Also read: ‘The Real Thing’ Theater Review: Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal Live Up to Tom Stoppards Title Ruhls grasp of the subject isnt as secure in its audacity as in her plays “The Clean House” or “In the Next Room,” but she knows how to engage an audience, and is one of those few writers who makes us wish her plays were longer, not shorter. “The Oldest Boy” recalls “Little Buddha” not only in its story line but Rebecca Taichmans handsome staging, which includes a Cinemascope-size panorama upstage that expands to depict the mothers dreams and fantasies. The work of Mimi Lien (sets), Anita Yavich (costumes) and Japhy Weideman (lighting) is stunning. Puppet design and direction is by Matt Acheson, who could well put all child actors out of work. For the next Broadway revival of “Annie,” Acheson is the go-to guy. Also read: ‘Disgraced’ Theater Review: Josh Radnor, Gretchen Mol Join Hari Dhillon for a Broadway Brawl Keenan-Bolger is less successful playing the mother. Shes forever chirpy and upbeat, as if she hasnt quite grown out of her adolescent stint in “Spelling Bee,” but then maybe thats the point. In “The Oldest Boy,” shes more student than mother. Related stories from TheWrap: The Last Ship Theater Review: Sting Takes a Cruise to Nowhere Disgraced Theater Review: Josh Radnor, Gretchen Mol Join Hari Dhillon for a Broadway Brawl The Fortress of Solitude Theater Review: Jonathan Lethems Brooklyn Via Avenue Q
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 03:41:39 +0000
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