SITE GUIDE
SEARCH
REVIEWS
REVIEW ARCHIVES
ADVERTISING AT CURTAINUP
FEATURES
NEWS
Etcetera and
Short Term Listings
LISTINGS
Broadway
Off-Broadway
NYC Restaurants
BOOKS and CDs
OTHER PLACES
Berkshires
London
California
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Elsewhere
QUOTES
TKTS
PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS
LETTERS TO EDITOR
FILM
LINKS
MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
A CurtainUp Review
Freudian Slips
|
Obsession is what my repetition compulsion theory is all about.— Sigmund Freud
|
Joel Leffert, Margi Sharp and Jason Marr
(photo by Kim T. Sharp)
|
Freudian Slips presents Freud (Joel Leffert) in 1921, at the height of his career, delivering a lecture in London. For some reason, Freud is overcome by a seizure and falls on the floor in the middle of his presentation. He is taken to the office of a younger psychoanalyst, Thomas Buxton (Warren Kelley), who convinces the master that he himself is in need of psychoanalysis to get at the root of his problem.
The story now goes back to Vienna, 1912, where Freud first met the alluring Madeline Shumsky (Margi Sharp), the source of his nervous affliction. Madeline orignially came to Freud because she was having problems with her domineering and abusive husband, Rabbi Hyman Shumsky (David Smilow). But the coy wench soon captures Freud's heart and imagination. And he realizes he can no longer live without her. However, has competition. Sidney Layman (Jason Marr), the son of a sexy nightclub singer (Sue Brady), a man obviously suffering from an Oedipal complex, meets Madeline before one of his sessions. And it looks for a while as if the younger, more attractive man will win take Madeline away from Freud.
When Freud confronts Layman with his dastardly intentions, Layman decides to take his complex to Freud's chief rival, the unscrupulous Dr. Otto Brotto (played by Allen Lewis Rickman who, along with Brady, provides the few bright spots in the play) whose motto is "Brevity." In the meantime Freud concocts a plan to find out exactly where Madeline's inclinations lie. He dons a wig, follows Layman and Madeline, and hides in various places around Vienna, including a park and Otto Brotto's office.
High jinx prevail until its unlikely (but by this time who cares?) conclusion. Unfortunately the set never changes, except for a lot turning of the psychiatrist's couch. This, plus the tiny dimensions of the stage, gives the play a static, claustrophobic feel.
Freudian Slips is filled with psychoanalytic jargon and lots of Yiddish (lest anyone forget that Freud was Jewish). This works fine for quick laughs but also sends a show filled with camp and kitsch over the top.
Given the constraints of script and stage, it's hard to judge the competency of director Tom Bloom. Let it be said, however, that he seems to have done little to contain the outlandishness of Lifschitz's fantasy.
The acting ranges from quite good to quite awful. Brady was fine playing all the female roles save Madeline. Rickman was a lot of fun. Smilow didn't seem to know why he was in the play.
Lifschitz's biography states that as a boy in New Jersey he "created dynamic and comedic stories for friends and relatives." Paying audiences, however, have a right to ask for something more professional than Freudian Slips.
|
Freudian Slips By Marvin Lifschitz Directed by Tom Bloom Cast: Thomas Buxton (Warren Kelley), Sigmund Freud (Joel Leffert), Otto Brotto (Allen Lewis Rickman, Madeline Shumsky (Margi Sharp), Sidney Layman (Jason Marr), Ensemble (Sue Brady), Hyman Shumsky (David Smilow) Set Design: Lara Fabian Lighting Design: Travis McHale Costume Design: Neville Bean, Nancy Nichols Composer/Sound Design: Margaret Pine Running Time: 2 hours, with one intermission Dorothy Strelsin Theatre at Abingdon Theatre Company 312 West 36th Street (212) 868-4444 From 1/24/09; opening 2/01/09; closing 2/15/09 Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday at 7pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2pm Tickets, $20 Reviewed by Paulanne Simmons Feb. 5, 2009 |
|
REVIEW FEEDBACK Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V): Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email. . .also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review. You can also contact us at Curtainup at Facebook or Curtainup at Twitter |
Try onlineseats.com for great seats to
Wicked
Jersey Boys
The Little Mermaid
Lion King
Shrek The Musical
South Pacific
In the Heights
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide
Wicked
Jersey Boys
The Little Mermaid
Lion King
Shrek The Musical
South Pacific
In the Heights
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide