➤ SEA WALL/ A LIFE, from p.24
story of his daughter’s joyous yet
diffi cult birth with that of the sharp
decline of his beloved father due to
cardiac failure. Many scenarios
occur in hospital rooms, with unnerving
talks about sonographs
and defi brillators.
Abe is fl ummoxed by the intensive
planning required for the birth,
and he is scared when his wife inexplicably
starts bleeding 10 weeks
into the pregnancy. “On the screen,
there’s what looks like an X-Ray of a
pile of tiny kitten bones,” he says of
the image of his unborn daughter.
Both narratives are intertwined,
and transitions are abrupt by design.
Yet in the confi dent hands of
Gyllenhaal, not only are we able
to follow the threads, but he’s also
able to mine the text for comic moments
that add welcome levity to
the profound subject matter.
Cracknell’s careful direction
aims to magnify the intimacy – and
immediacy – of “Sea Wall/ A Life,”
erasing the fourth wall. Each actor
addresses the audience directly,
and Gyllenhaal, in slapstick mode,
even jumps off the stage and clumsily
climbs over audience members,
offering up the standard “Excuse
me…pardon me” niceties.
Laura Jellinek’s bi-level set,
RICHARD HUBERT SMITH
In “Sea Wall,” British actor Tom Sturridge stars as
Alex, who navigates relationships with himself,
his wife, his daughter, and his father-in-law.
which serves both pieces, is vast
and spare, featuring a red brick
wall, a steep set of stairs, and a
piano that Gyllenhaal puts to good
use at the climax of the drama (remember,
he wowed audiences playing
the lead in “Sunday in the Park
With George” not long ago). Each
character is intentionally dwarfed,
underscoring his insignifi cance in
a vast, unruly universe. By extension,
we feel our own meagerness.
SEA WALL/ A LIFE | Hudson Theatre,
141 W. 44th St. | Through Sep.
29: Tue. & Thu. at 7 p.m.; Wed.,
Fri.-Sat. at 8 p.m.; Wed. & Sat. at 2
p.m.; Sun. at 3 p.m. | $59-$315 at
seawallalife.com | One hr., 45 mins.,
with intermission
➤ LITTLE GEM, from p.24
the characters to reveal themselves
slowly, as we learn the depth
of familial connection among the
women. The joy they fi nd in one
another underscores the warmth,
hope, and love they share, even as
life has its way with them.
The cast is excellent. Lauren
O’Leary conveys Amber’s restlessness,
anger, and grit as she comes
to terms with becoming a mother.
Brenda Meaney as Lorraine beautifully
conveys the confl icts and
confusions of midlife, fi nding her
way as an older woman, but not
one willing yet to give up on passion
and love. Marsha Mason is in
top form as Kay, conveying an appealing
balance of loyalty and love
but yearning for something of her
own. It’s heartbreaking to see her
try to adjust without her husband
of many decades, but she is hilarious
in negotiating (in story only)
the use of a vibrator and whether
that constitutes infi delity.
It’s especially fascinating to see
this new piece as a follow-up to the
Seán O’Casey trilogy presented by
the Irish Rep earlier this year. In
that, as in this, strong women are
trying to negotiate a world populated
by sometimes venal, sometimes
selfi sh men while keeping
life on an even keel. What makes
“Little Gem” distinctly contemporary
is that at the center of each
character’s story is the question:
“Who am I now?” O’Casey’s characters
didn’t have that luxury.
What this production shares with
the trilogy, though, is beautiful
characters, wonderful storytelling,
and a special talent for creating
simple, human, theatrical
magic.
LITTLE GEM | Irish Repertory
Theatre, 132 W. 22nd St. | Through
Sep. 8: Wed., Fri.-Sat. at 8 p.m.;
Thu. at 7 p.m.; Wed., Sat.-Sun. at 3
p.m. | $50-$70 at ovationtix.com or
212-727-2737 | One hr., 40 mins.,
with no intermission
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