Lunar Eclipse
By Joseph Cervelli
Whenever I read that Reed Birney is going to be appearing in a play, I will be there. There are few actors who are as believable in their portrayals of characters as this immensely talented man. He and his son were outstanding in the last outing I saw him in "Chester Bailey." He and his co-star Lisa Emery are incredibly moving in Donald Margulies latest poignant play presented by 2ndStage at The Pershing Square Signature Center's "Lunar Eclipse" gorgeously directed by the always exceptional Kate Whoriskey.
At first glance not a lot goes on and most of the play is a reflection on aging. The play takes place on the farm that George and his wife own. He comes from a lineage of farmers. Birney is the curmudgeon George married to the more uplifting and grateful Em (an endearing Emery.) Reflecting is not uncommon with older people and in most instances they look for the wonderful times they had though here there are differing attitudes. Despite the death of an overdose of drugs that their adopted son succumbed to they seem to have a good long distance relationship with their daughter. Yet, even then George seems to be tied up in a coil of sadness about not seeing her often saying that he was more distraught by the death of his dogs than his son. And what is surprising is that George was more upset that his son stole his beloved telescope to pay for drugs. George has always been fascinated with astronomy and the title of the play which deals with the Earth's shadow falling on the moon covering it completely is a metaphor for his falling into a blackening period in his life. Not helpful is the fact he may be developing dementia.
Em tries to comfort him every way she is able to. She is uplifting and hoping to convince him that they still have many years ahead of them. According to the predictions George has decided up there are about 22 years. They bicker (well George bickers and Em tries to calm things down) about whether he should be wearing a sweater since it has gotten colder as the evening goes on. There is a lot of humor throughout and yet there is an aura of sadness.
As the play goes on you begin to wonder if George was ever happy. He has the cloud of senility overhanging but was he always like this. But then Margulies does something wonderful near the conclusion, and you see both characters as teenagers. Having adults playing younger people is always a slippery slope. It rarely works, but when you have two exceptionally fine actors as these two, it works beautifully. They have found each other and there is definitely a love connection here. The growling George is smiling and tender while Em is exactly the same lovable person. It is a beautiful scene played to the hilt by both.
Walt Spangler's set design is bucolic and peaceful and the lighting design byAmith Chandrashaker along with the gorgeous video design by S. Kathy Tucker make the sky look amazingly realistic.
There is not one false moment in this shining show. Looking at it you think about your own personal life and wonder if you could have done anything to have improved up it or are you just happy with the way things turned out. Hopefully, the latter is the way you wish you have gone. And if you are a young person it would be wonderful to see the joys that lie ahead with someone you love and do everything to make it work.
PHOTOS: JOAN MARCUS
Tickets are available at The Pershing Square Signature Center 480 West 42nd Street. As of this date the show ends its run June 22.
