The Waverly Gallery — StageWrite Post

4 out of 5 Stars

As some baby boomers begin to dwindle off into the twilight realm of dementia, the individual stories of mental decline have become so numerous. One might confuse the The Waverly Gallery as just another tale of this journey into mental oblivion. The real story in this well written, well-acted production is the performance of the main actor, Elaine May, and supportive family members.

If you see one performance this season, make sure it is Ms. May as the family matriarch, Gladys Green, in a bravura performance that is thick with language, humor, despair, and love. The fact that this is the 86 year old Ms. May’s first appearance on Broadway since 1960 makes the performance all the more remarkable.

She acts the hell out of this role.

On the other end of the age spectrum is the outstanding stage and movie actor (he has already won an Oscar) Lucas Hedges. We first saw Mr. Hedges in the compelling Off-Broadway play Yen. In The Waverly Gallery, he plays the narrator as well as the patient, bemused, and confused grandson, Daniel Reed. Ms. May and Mr. Hedges exude the warmth of the grandson/grandmother relationship but now with some role-reversal, as Gladys is the one who needs the oversight and care.

Joan Allen, another fine stage, screen, and television actor, is Gladys’s daughter Ellen Fine. This is an unglamorous and unblinking portrait of the sandwich generation caught between caring for elderly parents and independently minded but emotionally needy Millennials. Ms. Allen, in her own right, is a force and presence that holds up and expands Ms. May’s magnificence.

This production boasts another powerhouse actor, the one and only Michael Cera. When it comes to owning the stage with nuance and finesse, Mr. Cera is unparalleled. In this smaller than typical role for him, he contains his character, Don Bowman, so that the performance is never a distraction, but rather a catalyst for Ms. May. Is Don Bowman a huckster looking to bilk the elderly or a naïve artist searching for a break? Mr. Cera keeps us guessing.

Lucas Hedges, Elaine, May, Joan Allen, David Cromer, Michael Cera

Rounding out the cast is David Cromer as Howard Fine, Ellen’s husband and Daniel’s stepfather. It’s not easy being Howard: a distracted wife, a mentally disintegrating mother-in- law, and a befuddled stepson. Mr. Cromer is a successful Broadway actor and director and holds his own with this “where do I fit in?” character.

The playwright who gives us these rich characters is the prolific and talented Kenneth Lonergan. This story seems personal to Mr. Lonergan because it is personal. Humanity, heartbreak, and love are center stage in every scene. We know these people. Some of us are these people. And there is pain along with the love.

This entire journey is carried on the shoulders of this petite yet powerful character embodied by Elaine May in what is very likely to be a Tony award winning role as best actress. Don’t miss this.

Why We Went: We came for the package: Kenneth Lonergan, Elaine May, Lucas Hedges, Michael Cera, and Joan Allen. Elaine May came home with the prize.

MSG