Thomas Wolfe wrote that you can’t go home again, but Carrie Watts is ready to die trying. The elderly lady lives in a cramped Houston apartment with her henpecked son and his shrewish wife, who seems to take delight in tormenting her, banning Carrie’s hymnsinging, her dashing through the rooms and when she is chided. The play deals with Carrie’s attempt to escape to the home where she grew up and had her children, Ludie. “The Trip to Bountiful” by Horton in 1953 and then as a play on Broadway, both starring Lillian Gish, and was made won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The current Broadway revival has a mostly African-American cast and marks the long overdue stage return of Cicely Tyson. The great actress seems to relish every moment, as does the audience, breaking into laughter at her saucy remarks and mannerisms and audibly groaning when plot complications threaten the old lady’s plans. They even sing along with her on the hymns that so disturb her daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae (played by the lovely Vanessa Williams). Cuba Gooding Jr. is completely believable as Ludie, and Condola Rashad is a sympathetic young woman who meets Carrie on her journey. The production reminds the audience that the bus station has a section for “colored” passengers, though the white sheriff (Tom Wopat) treats Carrie with the respect she deserves.
Douglas Carter Beane is having a good year. Earlier this season, he re-invigorated Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” so that grownups could enjoy it as much as the kids. for adults, shedding light on a generally overlooked part of entertainment and social history. A “nance” was an effeminate comic in burlesque shows during the 1930’s and was generally played by gay actors. The title character in Beane’s work is portrayed by Nathan Lane, at the top of his form. Lane’s character, a self-hating gay man, who picks up a young hunk (played by Jonny Orsini) at the automat. Miles is a conservative Republican at a time when Mayor LaGuardia is leading a drive to shut down the burlesque houses. Lewis J. Stadlen is the house’s top banana, and Cady Huffman is a stripper whose liberal politics clash with Miles’ even though she is otherwise sympathetic to him.
her rise to the top, with the help of Barbra Streisand, whom she wisely latches onto at the beginning of her career. Through her sharp tongue, Mengers gets back at all the talents she brought into the limelight and then dumped her. Movie lovers will be Doyle in “The French Connection” for Gene Hackman (rather than Charles Bronson) or for obtaining the part of Mrs. Mulray in “Chinatown” for Faye Dunaway. Wellwritten by John Logan and directed by Joe Mantello, “I’ll Eat You Last” may not have
action moves from the off-stage lives of the characters to their stylized comedy routines on stage. The play loses some momentum in the second half, as Miles’ fortunes take a turn for the worse and his personality sours. Nevertheless, “The Nance” is one of the season’s most fascinating works. Bette Midler is making a rare Broadway appearance in “I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers.” This is a onewoman show about the late high-powered Hollywood agent. While it seems a shame to present Midler and not have her sing, she is still mesmerizing as the catty Mengers, who recalls her own sad childhood and then
Resident