by Warren Leight
At the John Golden Theatre
Reviewed by J. Cooper Robb for Theatre Reviews Limited
"Side Man," winner of the 1999 Tony Award for Best Play is a fine example of one of the theater's most enduring forms of drama: the memory play. Spanning over three decades from 1953-85, "Side Man" is narrated by 30 year old Clifford, who playwright Warren Leight calls the play's most autobiographical and boring character. However, while Clifford may be "Side Man's" central figure, the focus of the story is on his parents and his father's jazz playing buddies. But what the play really aims to capture is a particular time in American history and a disappearing culture. This it does by exploring the paradoxical nature of the past, the combination of the unique and the universal sharing a moment in time. The only thing constant is change, particularly in the world of popular culture. So while "Side Man" focuses on the extinction of the trumpet player, it could just as easily be an ode to Silent Movies or the golden age of radio.
"Side Man," Leight's first big hit is well written though certainly not destined to become an American classic. Leight has a sly sense of humor and presents several strong characters, yet the play works far better on a personal rather than communal level. It's a play filled with fascinating people, but we never fully connect with the play on a broader plane, the personal issues don't translate as well as they should to a larger scale. The disappearance of a culture does not concern us nearly as much as the break-up of a family. The main reason for this is Leight's choice of storyteller. Clifford, understandably so, is more concerned with his parents arguing than the effects of Elvis Presley's pelvis on the Big Band era.
Leight is terrific at creating a plethora of fascinating scenes, but not so adept at finishing them off. He compensates for this with a lot of door slamming and character exits to provide a sense of finality. With the constant scene changes and rapid time flow this all could have ended up being something of a mess if not for the efforts of director Michael Mayer and the terrific cast.
Mayer uses almost all of the play's faults to its advantage, keeping the sprawling action well maintained with superb blocking and astute pacing. Actors often deliver lines as they exit the stage and in the first act he cleverly involves Clifford in the action by casually utilizing him as a stagehand. With three New York shows simultaneously running ("The Lion in Winter", "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," and "Side Man") and his remarkable work on last year's "A View From the Bridge," Mayer has become one of America's most sought after directors.
Tony winner Frank Wood, who shuffles his way along as dedicated jazzman and Clifford's father Gene, leads the cast. It's a brilliant, controlled and heartfelt performance that anchors the play. Edie Falco outdoes even her lauded performances in HBO's "Oz" and "The Sopranos;" she is simply near perfect as Gene's resentful wife Terry. Among the fine supporting performances the standout is Kevin Geer as the bands drummer Jonesy. Jonesy prides himself on being a heroin addict rather than junkie, a distinction he makes based on the fact that he rarely shot up directly into his eye. Finally, there's "Party of Five" star and teen heartthrob Scott Wolf. Wolf is fine as the straightforward narrator though not as good in his most dramatic scene where his acting resembles a mediocre college production. However, as the 10-year-old Clifford, Wolf is very effective. With his little boy voice and innocent smile, Wolf uses his considerable charm to transform himself into the adorable but troubled little boy.
There's little doubt that "Side Man" will live a long life playing in regional theaters (its already on Philadelphia Theatre Company's schedule for next year) with its simple set and larger than life characters. However, they'll be hard-pressed to match this Broadway production. All the roles could easily be overplayed and a lesser director may find themselves in the role of traffic cop trying to control "Side Man's" many moving parts. Leight certainly has talent; let's hope "Side Man" is a harbinger of things to come for the gifted playwright, and not just a one play wonder.
"SIDE MAN"
Playing at the John Golden Theatre Directed by Michael Mayer, Set Designer Neil Patel, Costume Designer Tom Broecker, Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner, Sound Designer Raymond D. Schilke
CAST: Scott Wolf (Clifford), Edie Falco (Terry), Angelica Torn (Patsy), Frank Wood (Gene), Joseph Lyle Taylor (Al), Michael Mastro (Ziggy), and Kevin Geer (Jonesy).