THE HANGOVER REPORT – Glenn Close is majestic in MOTHER OF THE MAID, Jane Anderson’s effective, sturdy new play

Grace Van Patten and Glenn Close in Jane Anderson's "Mother of the Maid" at the Public Theater. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Grace Van Patten and Glenn Close in Jane Anderson’s “Mother of the Maid” at the Public Theater. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Last night at the Public Theater, I caught Jane Anderson’s highly anticipated new play Mother of the Maid, headlined by legendary stage and screen icon Glenn Close. Ms. Anderson’s play tells the familiar story of Joan of Arc, but with a twist – it’s told primarily from the perspective of her mother, Isabelle, who is played by Ms. Close. Unsurprisingly, as the plot unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that the apple doesn’t fall very far from the three. Indeed, the doting Mama Arc possesses the same steely determination and charisma that are the trademarks of her famous daughter.

There’s no doubt that Mother of the Maid is solidly written. Ms. Anderson has penned a sturdy play that effectively – if conventionally – draws us in, which each scene serving a clear purpose in the work’s overall structure. Her semi-colloquial dialogue is refreshing in its directness. In theatrical terms, George Bernard Shaw’s intellectually-wrought Said Joan is inarguably the most recognizable play written about this singular historical figure. Ms. Anderson’s version is a different beast altogether. Unlike the Shaw classic, Mother of the Maid relies solely on its emotional wallop to make an impact, which it does (thanks largely to the stellar acting; see below).

In a word, Ms. Close is majestic and passionately fervent in the title role, as one would expect her to be. It’s a treat to see her in such intimate quarters as the Public’s Anspacher Theatre, and she’s even more fiercely magnetic up close. Every moment of her performance – even when she’s not speaking – is present and alive. As Joan, the young Grace Van Patten gives a luminous, no-nonsense performance that befits the character. She’s one to watch, and it was a pleasure to see her play against Ms. Close. The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the whole thing is directed with lucidity and coherence by Matthew Penn.

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MOTHER OF THE MAID
Off-Broadway, Play
The Public Theater
2 hours, 10 minutes (with one intermission)
Through December 23

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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