The Country House

On Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

“There are no Broadway Stars, only Stars on Broadway”.  Has Blythe Danner sealed her fate with
this comment?  Certainly not.   Blythe truly is a Broadway Star in this portrayal of successful actress, Anna Patterson in this new play by Donald Margulies. 

This sort of family reunion takes place in the Berkshires Massachusetts’s home of Anna Patterson who is the family matriarch to this dramatic  family of Actors.   She is joined by her obnoxious,
outspoken granddaughter Suzie (Sarah Steele), Suzie’s Father Walter (DavidRasche) and his much  younger girlfriend Nell (Kate Jennings Grand), and the self-loathing son of Anna, Elliot (Eric Lange).  There is one unexpected guest who is a long time friend of the family, Michael (Daniel Sunjata). Michael is also an Actor who is young, handsome, and has become a famous television star.  Anna finds him at the supermarket and invites him to stay at the house after finding his rental home has become uninhabitable after a recent extermination treatment.

The elephant in the room is the one missing person.  Kathy.  Kathy died a little over a year ago.  She was the mother to Susie, Sister to Elliot and daughter to Anna.

So what happens when you put an emotionally unstable family of Actors together under one roof? 
In this twisted and tumultuous weekend we find everyone is looking for love in all the wrong places, and jealousies erupt and personalities clash.   As the story progresses we see Elliot as  the protagonist.  He is a tortured soul who is screaming out for acceptance, validation, love and
attention.  He has failed as an actor, and as a son, and he cannot get over the loss of his sister, nor can he escape his suicidal self. Eventually this all must erupt to a dramatic end.

Despite its dark parts, you will find many funny moments that would be expected in a family of Actors, and these moments are delivered fervently by a well cast group of real life Actors.   

Will Suzie forgive her father for bringing his young girlfriend to the family home so soon after her mothers death?  Will Walter be able to keep up with his younger girlfriend?  Will Elliot’s screenplay tell us his inner secrets?  Will Anna remember her lines for her upcoming play at the Williamstown TheatreFestival?  Will Michael ever get off the couch and into his own rental home?  The answers to all of these questions can be found at The Country House, and you will be delighted in their delivery.   Walter said it first, but this definitely is not “just a bunch of people shouting in a room that’s missing one wall”.  –thisbroadsway 9/20/2014