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The Invention of Love |
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Author: Tom Stoppard
Reviewer: Carolyn Albert for Theatre Reviews Limited |
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If you're a TOM STOPPARD fan, you already know that the celebrated playwright delights in presenting a great mystery that will unravel phrase by witty phrase to reveal a spectacularly moving central thesis. What makes his method truly amazing is that he reaches the heart by a most circuitous passage - not through the emotions but via an elaborate and often tortuous route circling through the intellect - where you would swear not a neuron of feeling resided. Thus, the viewer is surprised to have been so moved.
  
In "THE INVENTION OF LOVE," Stoppard appears to be offering a scholarly rebuttal to the recent flurry of drama about Oscar Wilde. Stoppard's subject is poet A.E. Housman. Housman was a homosexual in England who, unlike Wilde, carefully concealed his sexuality. The theater program includes a helpful chronology illustrating that Wilde and Housman were contemporaries: Housman entered Oxford in 1877 in time to see Wilde graduated in 1878 with great honors and awards.
While noting that Wilde suffered by flouting the conventions of the time and then brazenly calling attention to his behavior, Stoppard suggests that repression can have even more devastating effects. Indeed, he even brings Wilde onstage to insist that his blatant flaunting of his own homosexuality was a far better way to live. Certainly it was more spectacular - a shooting star that blazed and burned out too quickly.
Stoppard depicts Housman as having a lifelong obsession with one man, an athletic schoolmate, Moses John Jackson (David Harbour). Stoppard further suggests that Housman stymied his own promising career in order to work alongside Jackson. Housman's patient suffering is far less dramatic; therefore, it is to Stoppard's already impressive credit that he could find a structure to present it.
Stoppard's devices are to make nearly everyone else in Housman's life highly verbal, glib, and witty, and Housman the most clever, scholarly, and witty of all. Present him at Oxford University in his youth where he studied the classics under a contrasting variety of Oxford dons, show the politicos and journalists of his era, and even depict him in death. Using a brilliant metaphor for Housman as a scholar of ancient Greek and Latin, Stoppard assigns him the mythological death journey. At age 77, Housman (Masterfully portrayed by RICHARD EASTON) is ferried across the river Styx by Charon (Jeff Weiss). However, this ferryman is no somber Stygian, but the joking master of ceremonies who warms up his audience.
As an additional conceit, Stoppard brings the River Styx into Oxford where Moses John Jackson was a star on the rowing crew. Stoppard adds a third bit of water-play, a remembered boat trip when the young Housman (ROBERT SEAN LEONARD), Jackson, and a third friend took an excursion and found a stray dog upon whom Jackson lavished such affection that Housman would gladly have become that dog. Thus, Housman at age 77 not only observes his younger self but, in some of the most imaginatively-written and moving scenes, actually confronts the young man he once was, with all the hope and promise and few of the disillusions that would follow.
When the Oxford dons argue, their conversation often turns to Classical love which dwelled strongly on love between men or between men and boys. Stoppard ironically shows how scholars could venerate the poetry and poets of the ancient ages, while smashing any current practitioners. That "beastliness" or "spooniness" as they referred to it, would be both corrupt and dangerous. Stoppard uses the trials of Oscar Wilde to depict the politicians and journalists of the era to further deprecate the practitioners.
While the events of Housman's life and times are presented quickly and spectacularly, it is done with such skill that it isn't necessary to follow every argument to arrive at the sweet and sad conclusion. The presentation has a production crew of brilliant support to vivify Stoppard's scenes. Director Jack O'Brien maintains of flow of energy using Brian MacDevitt's gorgeous lighting illuminating Bob Crowley's sparkling sets (Crowley also designed the costumes). Original music by Bob James adds subtle undercurrents - all kept thankfully clear by Scott Lehrer's sound.
Casting by Daniel Swee brought a large cast to the stage of the Lyceum; often it was difficult to keep track of who was playing whom, but all were so clear and crisp and well-portrayed, it almost seemed not to matter. Daniel Davis was a flamboyant Oscar Wilde; Michael Stuhlbarg, Paul Hecht, Byron Jennings, and Mark Nelson stood out in various roles; and David Harbour was effectively presented as an ironically pedestrian Jackson, the object of so much of Housman's adorations. The two Housmans, young and old, were excellent. Robert Sean Leonard has scored many theatrical successes in leading roles. Although Richard Easton has impressive credits, this role has brought him solidly to the forefront among actors.
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Produced by Lincoln Center Theater under the direction of André Bishop and Bernard Gersten.
CAST: Daniel Davis, Neal Dodson, Richard Easton, Mireille Enos, David Harbour, Paul Hecht, Brian Hutchison, Byron Jennings, Robert Sean Leonard, Andrew McGinn, Peter McRobbie, Matthew Floyd Miller, Mark Nelson, Guy Paul, Martin Rayner, Peter A. Smith, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Turner, Jeff Weiss.
Theater: Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street (East of Broadway).
Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday at 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00 p.m.; Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Currently scheduled through May 27th.
Tickets: $40-70. At box office or Tele-Charge: (212) 239-6200 or by clicking on "Buy Online Tickets" above.
Audience: Adult.
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