Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Kate Hamill’s stage adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN exudes warmth and a genuine interest in telling the story

• By drediman
• June 29, 2019
• No Comments

The company of Primary Stages’ production of “Little Women”, adapted by Kate Hamill, at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Photo by James Leynse.

This week, I was able to catch up with Kate Hamill’s big-hearted Off-Broadway stage adaption of Louisa May Alcott’s forward thinking classic novel Little Women, which closes this weekend at the Cherry Lane Theatre in the West Village (the center of the gay universe for the next few days). For those of you who may not know, Little Women – which is set in Massachusetts around the time of the Civil War – tells the story of the March family, particularly the strong-willed Jo, one of four spirited daughters and an aspiring writer.

I’ve truly appreciated the previous stage adaptations written by Ms. Hamill (who also plays Meg, the eldest March daughter, in the production). Her previous adaptations of two of Jane Austen’s most popular works, Sense and Sensibility (for Beldam) and Pride and Prejudice (also for Primary Stages), were notable for their theatrical accessibility, uncanny ability to speak to contemporary audiences, yet all the while retaining deep respect for the works on which they were based.

Ms. Hamill’s Little Women generally follows the same mold, albeit more gently wrought. Indeed, while the adaptation may not be the bold, rollicking delight that her Sense and Sensibility was (that staging’s success also owed much to Bedlam’s unique and energetic brand of theater-making), her version exudes warmth and a genuine interest in telling the affecting coming-of-age story. This is highlighted by Sarna Lapine’s good-humored, beautifully-paced production, as well as the racially diverse cast’s set of winning, affectionately-etched performances.

RECOMMENDED

LITTLE WOMEN
Off-Broadway, Play
Primary Stages / Cherry Lane Theatre
2 hours, 15 minutes (with one intermission)
Through June 29