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Opined December 6, 2005
MISS WITHERSPOON, A new play by Christopher Durang, Directed by Emily Mann
Featuring: Lynda Gravátt, Mahira Kakkar, Kristine Nielsen, Jeremy Shamos, Colleen Werthmann
Scenic Design by David Korins, Costume Design by Jess Goldstein, Lighting Design by Jeff Croiter
Playwrights Horizons, 416 West 42nd S. Through January 1, 2006
What is most intriguing to me about this piece is the idea of it. Veronica, a woman who is not happy being alive dies because part of some giant whiz-bang
invention was sent into orbit and decided to come back down, partially on her. Death however, become Veronica. It becomes her so much that she is ready to
embrace it completely. Forget earth. Forget the mortal coil. Forget the whole darn thing. Just call her dead and close the book.
Except that’s not how it works. Seems as though our girl ends up in a part of the hereafter that is peopled with happy do-gooders who insist that Veronica needs
to be reincarnated in order for her to progress spiritually – even if she doesn’t want to. No amount of bargaining or pleading for the nice quiet Jewish hereafter,
which doesn’t amount to much because they don’t believe in one, will distract Veronica’s helpers. It’s their mission and they have chosen to accept it.
So, back Veronica goes into one life after another, all of which are ended early on (one in particular so violent as to throw off the direction of the tale) until she
lands into an incarnation which she accepts, because, well, the world does need her. Besides which, there really isn’t much of a choice. It’s reincarnation or,
well, reincarnation.
All of this is done with a wonderful supporting case, most playing several roles. As Veronica, Kristine Nielsen is never off the stage, never less than 100%, and
never boring. The audience loved her and I wanted to, but I was never completely won over. There are a lot of guffaws and grimaces that seemed overdone or
somehow not settled. As if she and the director hadn’t quite figured out what to do at various moments. Nielsen gets herself into a lather fairly early on and
stays there. That intensity is difficult to sustain both for the actor and the audience. In this production it leads to moments where Nielsen refuses to let go and
give the audience a crack at owning the moment. It becomes vaudeville.
This play isn’t rocket science, but it’s an enjoyable piece. It could have been better with some editing and creative guidance for the actors, but it has settled for
being OK.
© 2005 Tulis McCall