Offstage drama distracts from ‘Orphans’’ percolating smolder
LABEOUF (CENTER, WITH BALDWIN AND STURRIDGE). The Broadway debut that never was.
Every theater production goes through difficulties, from conception to birth—they’re an unavoidable part of creating art. But, some challenges are more troublesome and troubling than others.
Whether as a director or performer, we’ve had our share of “struggles,” from dealing with difficult actors whose bloated sense of self-worth dwarfs their ability to see the bigger picture, to a voice coach who wanted us to retain the original soprano range of our solo number in a historical play—a physiological impossibility!
Refreshing candor
Shia LaBeouf’s recent “run-in” with the legitimate stage is a curious albeit instructive case. His refreshing candor won us over when we interviewed him during a “Transformers” junket in Tokyo some years ago—so, we were only too happy to purchase an e-ticket for his anticipated Broadway debut via Lyle Kessler’s “Orphans.”
In the hour-long audition video that Shia himself posted on Twitter (and YouTube), it’s hard not to get impressed by the passion and ferocious intensity of his portrayal of a hardened thug and overprotective brother. Alas, the outspoken actor’s trip to the New York stage came to a screeching halt even before it could officially begin:
LaBeouf left the production one month before the March 19 start of its previews at the Schoenfeld Theatre—a decision he attributed to “creative differences” with costar Alec Baldwin! He was replaced by Ben Foster—who took an impassioned but “softer” approach to the role.
Following his departure, Shia then tweeted his e-mail exchanges with Kessler, director Daniel Sullivan, the show’s producers, and his co-actors, Sturridge and Baldwin, who graciously but cryptically answered, “I’ve been through this before… When change comes, how do we handle it—and what do we learn? I don’t have an unkind word to say about you.” (LaBeouf attended an early preview of the show, and even sat in the front row because, as he told David Letterman, “it was the only seat available.”)
We watched the play on the second day of its preview, and it was easy to see why serious actors gravitated toward Kessler’s three-character drama—its Pinter-style expressionism is a showcase for thespians who put a premium on character work.
Younger brother
Petty thief Treat (Foster) has been taking care of his agoraphobic younger brother, Phillip (Tom Sturridge), since the death of their sickly mother. The latter is a simpleton who never leaves their house, often walks on all fours, and spends a lot of time hiding inside their mom’s closet.
The brothers’ household dynamic undergoes a major shift when Treat abducts inebriated businessman Harold (Alec Baldwin), and hides him in their crumbling apartment, hoping to cash in on the perceived wealth of the nattily dressed captive—who turns out to be a big-time gangster!
Harold eventually unties himself but, explaining his soft spot for orphans, chooses to stay with his captors! Following a strange turn of events, he becomes their mentor—a father figure they eagerly welcome into their home. Then, things go from bad to worse—a situation that leads to the play’s gut-wrenching finale.
“Orphans,” which closed early this week after only 27 previews and 37 regular performances (a month earlier than intended), would have resonated more if its offstage drama didn’t distract from the narrative’s percolating smolder, as well as the dilapidation and moral decay aptly mirrored by John Lee Beatty’s two-story scenic design.
Baldwin and Foster were just as earnest as the Tony-nominated Sturridge, but the attractive trio evoked psychological actions that didn’t complement one another.
After all, while a play’s characters may be driven by disparate motives, the actors breathing life into them should always be “on the same page” to avoid confusing viewers—and themselves!
