THE HANGOVER REPORT – Anthony Giardina’s timely THE CITY OF CONVERSATION plays Washington, where it belongs

city1Last night, I caught a performance of Anthony Giardina’s The City of Conversation at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Few plays in recent memory are better suited to playing our nation’s capital than Mr. Giardina’s play (indeed, in the aftermath of Justice Scalia’s passing, the play seems more relevant now than when it premiered), which chronicles the decades-long political and personal highs and lows of Hester Ferris, a Georgetown socialite. I was a huge fan of The City of Conversation when I saw it two years ago in New York; the play is tightly structured into three smartly constructed acts and the dialogue crackles with wit and tension. It was therefore with some excitement and cautious trepidation that I approached Arena Stage’s mounting – although I thought Mr. Giardina’s play was one of the very best plays of last season, would this new production taint my fond memories of the Off-Broadway staging? The answer, in short, is no.

Doug Hughes returns to confidently direct Arena Stage’s production, after having helmed the original Off-Broadway production at Lincoln Center. That production featured the majestic Jan Maxwell in the role of Hester in what sadly turned out to be her penultimate stage performance. Whereas Ms. Maxwell played Hester with a feral, primal intensity, Margaret Colin imbues the character with a more stately sophistication and charm. This changes the tone of the play significantly. If the play loses some of the urgency and excitement it had in New York, it now feels more grounded in realism. The rest of the cast is terrific. As Hester’s son (and grandson), Michael Simpson reprises his excellent work in a pair of thankless roles. Another standout is Caroline Hewitt as Hester’s primary rival; Ms. Hewitt’s truthful performance is an improvement over Kristen Bush’s somewhat histrionic turn Off-Broadway, creating a wonderful symmetry with Ms. Colin’s work that wasn’t there before. The in-the-round Fichandler turns out to be an ideal space for The City of Conversation; John Lee Beatty’s (who also repeats his duties here) beautifully detailed, intimate set makes it seem like we’re eavesdropping on the proceedings.

RECOMMENDED

 

THE CITY OF CONVERSATION
Regional (Washington, DC), Play
Arena Stage
2 hours, 15 minutes (with one intermission)
Through March 6

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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