THE HANGOVER REPORT – Tim Blake Nelson’s SOCRATES overflows with riches, led by the riveting Michael Stuhlbarg

Michael Stuhlbarg in Tim Blake Nelson's "Socrates" at the Public Theater. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Michael Stuhlbarg in Tim Blake Nelson’s “Socrates” at the Public Theater. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Last night, I caught Tim Blake Nelson’s new play Socrates Off-Broadway at the Public Theater. As the title suggests, the play centers around Socrates, the influential Greek philosopher whose incessant questioning of Athenian authorities (across the spheres of politics, war, and the arts) and uncompromising search for absolute truth eventually brings about his infamous demise at the decree of his own city.

Running at a solid three hours, Socrates intoxicates with the sheer volume of its intellectual richness and robust debates. I would even argue that Mr. Nelson’s ambitious play, like a decadent steak dinner, is too rich to fully digest and appreciate in one sitting. The long but fast-paced first act is packed with exposition (perhaps too much), giving numerous examples of Socrates’ ingratiating genius, while the second act slows down considerably, focusing instead on the core of Socrates’ philosophy and the circumstances of his eventual execution.

The period but elegantly minimalist production is helmed by veteran director Doug Hughes. His staging is clean and muscular, making for scenes that are beautifully and passionately played. He creates some striking visual tableaus – particularly in the second act – which exude a soft painterly quality, most likely inspired by Jacques Louis David’s famous Neoclassical painting “The Death of Socrates” (which can be viewed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art). In the title role, Michael Stuhlbarg is titanic, successfully embodying the philosopher with every fiber of his being, resulting in a riveting, completely commanding performance. The rest of the cast is never less than solid, if just foils for Stuhlbarg’s voracious Socrates.

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SOCRATES
Off-Broadway, Play
The Public Theatre
3 hours (with one intermission)
Through May 19

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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