Another theater day: All the Way and Love and Information

We got tickets for All The Way, way in advance; being big fans of Brian Cranston in Breaking Bad (hint: that's why this play is in the big house). We were really looking forward to it and I very purposely did not read any reviews going in, figuring to go with my eyes wide open and unfiltered by anyone else.

As luck would have it, we got a two-for-one offer from the Dramatists Guild on Friday for Caryl Churchill's Love and Information at the Minetta Lane Theatre. Bette emailed me at work and wondered if it might make for another of our double header theater days. And so it did.

We saw the Churchill play first. I have to admit, while knowing she was around and that her work was performed extensively, I did not know her work at all. What an introduction! Love and Information is a series of scenes(some more, shall we say 'elliptical' than others) about love, connection, communication (and lack thereof), memory and perception (and lack thereof) some barely a line long, some several minutes. A blackout separated the pieces.

Every single aspect of the production was immaculate and amazing: the design, sound, lighting, direction all worked seamlessly to frame the work of the playwright and actors (15 and each one truly gifted). Going in with no expectations may have helped, but I was totally blown away by this. (I'd love to know how they did the scene changes, a few seconds in absolute black - granted minimal was the word with the sets for each piece but still! And while there was no visible scrim at the front of the stage, they projected numbers in black on something; and the black was so total you could see no visible scene change - really effective!)

Speaking of expectations: they were present and high for All the Way. I was very disappointed. Pretty much the antithesis of the afternoon experience. Brian Cranston went all the way, alright, but by that I mean all the way over the top! The focus and intensity I had known him for in Breaking Bad was rarely in evidence (and would have been perfect for LBJ!). Instead he was mugging and obvious, barely scratching the surface of this complex character. I lay the blame partly on the actor, but maybe just as much on the director for not reining him in and focusing him more. Equal blame to the script as well: history plays can try to do too much, and while the period involved in this piece is only a year, the playwright tries to explore every nook and cranny of that year, and a lot of it without much depth.

My expectations were also high because I love Robert Caro's books and the LBJ (despicable though he is) portrayed in them. This play didn't touch the hem of the tapestry woven by the books, but tried to incorporate as much from them as possible as if the playwright wanted to say: look at all the research I've done. Major events in LBJ's career are mentioned and tossed aside (my question being: why mention them then?).

So I guess Brian Cranston deserves kudos for swinging for the bleachers (he could have made millions doing movies and TV these last few months); I just wish he'd hit a home run. I felt he had it in him . . . just didn't get where he needed to be!