From Broadway
World - 11/10/07
Geffen's 'Life' Pure Quality Theatre
by James Sims
In Hollywood, it is often the case that when a real world
catastrophe happens to occur shortly before the release of a motion picture
which tells an eerily similar story, executives are quick to shelve the project
in hopes of avoiding the offense of any sensitive-minded people. The rationale
behind such a decision might benefit the occasional terrorist-themed action
flick, but, luckily for the Geffen Playhouse, playwright Jane Anderson's world
premiere production of Quality of Life made it to the stage, benefiting from the
recent rash of wildfires plaguing Southern California.
Although Quality of Life does not directly deal with the Los Angeles and San
Diego County blazes – it actually is set amongst a fire some year ago further
north – the timeliness and still raw emotions of local audiences only further
add to the already heavy-hitting themes explored in this riveting exploration of
morality and politics.
Anderson's work, which she also directs, follows the lives of two couples, one
from neo-con Middle America and the other from the hippy dippy California
wilderness, as their paths converge over mutual devastation. As the center of
the play are Neil and Jeannette, fascinatingly played by Dennis Boutsikaris and
Laurie Metcalf, whose recently burned down hillside home brings about a chain of
events that ultimately leads to the public outing of their plans for a
Shakespearean suicide. Neil has long been suffering from a fatal bout of cancer,
and wishes to end his prolonged demise in peace, while his free-spirited wife
Jeannette is unable to imagine living without her one true love.
Enter JoBeth Williams as Jeannette's cousin Dinah, along with Scott Bakula as
Bill, her overly righteous husband. Wrought with their own suffering – the
brutal murder of their teenage daughter – these two seemingly miserable pairs do
anything but love the company they find themselves in. When right-winged Bill
catches wind of his liberal-minded counter part's Kevorkian-like plans, a bully
pulpit approach is taken as he attempts to take a moral high ground in the
fighter over defining the quality of life.
That is not to say Anderson pushes her own political beliefs upon the audience,
rather she carefully constructs two somewhat fair and balanced views on issues
of suicide, drug use and religion. Of course, the usual backgrounds are pitted
against each other – whacky California agnostics versus Jesus freak flyover
territory dwellers – but such is reality in current politically fractured times.
Quality of Life remains highly relevant leading up to next years presidential
elections, and the enormously talented cast treats the work with utmost
sincerity. Metcalf and Williams have the most dynamic characters to develop, as
both come to terms with the others choices and their roller coaster emotional
journeys drive the heart of Anderson's work.
Bakula plays Bill as a beaten and forlorn tragic figure, capturing the heavy
burden of a tortured parent, while Boutsikaris is warming as Bill's foil, gently
crafting Neil as the odd voice of reason, having looked death in the face and
accepted it willingly.
Such cluttered and convoluted beliefs of both dogmatic and freer spirited
thoughts are reflected through Francois-Pierre Couture's fire ravaged stage
design. Ghostly photography of charred land fills out the backdrop giving a
harsh reality check for Southern California residents.
As Warren Zevon's "Keep Me in Your Heart" plays out the production, Quality of
Life is sure to remain in audience's minds for a long time to come.
The Quality of Life plays through November 18, 2007 at the Geffen Playhouse,
located at 10886 Le Conte Avenue in Westwood. Tickets range from $69 to $74 and
can be purchased online at GeffenPlayhouse.com or by calling 310-208-5454.
© 2007 BroadwayWorld.com
