Birmingham Area Theatre Alliance

Working together to promote theatre in the Magic City

Reviews:

Broken Glass

Directed by David Garrett

August 20-30, 2009 Theatre LJCC at the LJCC

Reviewed by Lee J. Green

Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass, which premiered in Birmingham at the LJCC this past Thursday, certainly is sharp and edgy (one would expect that out of glass that’s broken). What is a surprise, though, is how effectively the actors breathe life and inject such modern pertinence into a show that takes place in 1938 New York City.

Broken Glass tells the story of Sylvia and Phillip Gellburg, who after years of marriage come to realize they hardly know each other at all.

Phillip, the only Jew working at a very traditional Wall Street bank, is obsessed with work and his own desire to assimilate. He has little time for his wife until she suddenly falls prey to a mysterious paralysis after seeing the events of Kristallnacht in the newspaper.

The title of the play is synonymous with the broken glass of Jewish- owned storefronts in Germany during Kristallnacht, which represent the first overt terrorist act of the Nazi forces.

But this show is so much more than a play about events leading up to the Holocaust tragedy and how Jews migrating to the US during that time faced prejudice as well as difficulties with assimilation.

One of the reasons the play feels like it could have been about today is that Miller wrote it in 1993 (at 78-years-old, it was the last play he wrote).

But the main reason is that the talented cast of six convey their characters and emotions so well that we are drawn to their story – which is really more about relationships, careers and communication breakdowns as well as how we all can be emotionally as well as physically effected/connected by the tragedies we hear/read about in the media (even if we aren’t personally affected and the tragedies are many miles away).

Annalisa Crews plays Sylvia Gellburg and effectively conveys the character’s real as well as emotional pains. Even when she is not speaking, you can see it in her eyes and her movements – Crews’ Sylvia remains distant, worn as well as without the hope and power to change her condition.

Russell Jones plays her husband, Phillip, who regrets not being a better, more understanding and more communicative partner. Jones plays the character with appropriate strength, but not too much to where he doesn’t come across as sincere or believable when he breaks down (as he comes to realize that he may lose his wife and perhaps he is the cause of her paralysis as much as Kristallnacht is).

The only person Sylvia can talk to, and can be helped by, is Dr. Harry Hyman, brilliantly played by Bates Redwine. This is Redwine’s first show in 20 years, but he seems incredibly comfortable on stage.

His Dr. Hymen adds depth unexpected of the role. Redwine is at times clinical and at times emotionally, but always delivers that of being caring as well as always in control of his own emotions. He makes the doctor the play’s most intriguing character and the cohesiveness that is needed.

Gabrielle Metz does a very fine job as Dr. Hymen’s wife Margaret. She comes across as very caring and passionate (sometimes where appropriate even infusing come levity), but also seamlessly transitions into believably combative when confronted with her assertion that her husband’s doctor-patient relationship with Sylvia may have overstepped some bounds.

Yes, Broken Glass is full of pleasant surprises and more layers than most would think.