Theater: Wallace Shawn's dystopian Evening at the Talk House disappoints

Wallace Shawn’s Evening at the Talk House (2015) begins very promisingly, with a lovely sense of anticipation. We enter the small theater walking through and amidst actors already mingling in the living room of the intimate surround-set. Wow, there is Wallace Shawn (My Dinner with Andre) and Matthew Broderick, two feet away from me!  What might come of this glam-casual NYC cocktail party? What follows is a dark, unsatisfying play. It opens with an overly long monologue by Mr. Broderick, playing a laconic playwright-in-decline, who goes on about the decline of theater, his past successes, the decline of culture in the world, etc. Then the cocktail party of over-the-hill theater performers and producers gets going, largely with chit-chat, interrupted by Dick’s (Mr. Shawn) entrance in pajamas, with bandages on his face. As the two hour play unfolds, the casual conversation reveals Mr. Shawn’s view of the dark dystopian side of our society. The old and past-their-prime (like Dick) are beaten or killed. These upper class party goers themselves collaborate in drone-like government assassination of third world “enemies”. Some people just die with seizure-like motions in public places, unassisted by their friends. While all this is a potentially effective commentary on our oblivious acquiescence to government sponsored killing, and societal neglect and intolerance, the juxtaposition of mundane party chat with casually-explicated horror does not quite work, and the message therefore seems either forced or obscure.

The all-star cast varied in success. Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker, of fame from the 1990’s LA Law, were a great choice for past-their-prime performers, and exhibited wit and charm onstage.  But Mr. Broderick was strangely ineffective, perhaps miscast as a cynical declining artist. Mr. Shawn as Dick had difficulty not playing himself in what should have been a dark, sad, and pathetic role as a persecuted has-bin actor. The production had the feel of an all-star get together for Wallace Shawn, but its parts did not add up to a satisfying whole. The competition in dystopian and apocalyptic drama is steep these days. Evening at the Talk House did not make the cut.