CurtainUp
CurtainUp
The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings
HOME PAGE

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
DC
Connecticut
Philadelphia
Elsewhere

QUOTES

TKTS

PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS

LETTERS TO EDITOR

FILM

LINKS

MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
A CurtainUp Review

The Lady With All The Answers


Well, my job takes off like an Apollo rocket. Papers all over the country pick it up. And the letters just pour in. — Eppie Lederer a.k.a. Ann Landers.
Judith Ivey
Judith Ivey as Ann Landers
(Photo: Carol Rosegg)
Get your brain out of mothballs and catch up with Eppie Lederer, better known as Ann Landers, the trailblazing advice columnist who guided millions of Americans for the latter half of the 20th century. In David Rambo's new play, The Lady With All The Answers this no-nonsense woman comes back to life with her piercing wit intact. Her heyday in newspaper print was from 1945 to 2002, but her advice can still hit the mark today.

This solo play premiered in 2008 at the Pasadena Playhouse (with Mimi Kennedy) and is now at the Cherry Lane Theater with two-time Tony award-winning actor Judith Ivey as Landers. Ivey channels the legendary journalist with chutzpah and razor-sharp intelligence. Not only does the Texan-born actor affect a convincing Midwestern accent but with her bouffant hair style (courtesy of Paul Huntley and comfortably chic outfits (by Martin Pakledinaz). she looks something like the actual Ann Landers Above all Ivey captures Landers' sharp wit and eagle-eye for seeing life from a broader perspective. But she is also endearingly "one of us" and just a bit vulnerable.

When we first meet Eppie she's in her elegant Chicago study at a time of personal heartbreak: Her husband Jules is divorcing her . More on this later — but for the most of the play she'll share her experiences as a lovelorn columnist whose devoted readers were forever turning to her with their heartaches and problems. Much of what she tells us is hilariously funny, but there's plenty that's profoundly serious.

Ivey's Eppie continually pulls the audience in by breaking through the fourth wall and asking all sorts of personal questions. Some of theseare downright silly; for instance, "what is the proper way to hang a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom? But there are also more controversial ones dealing with sexuality, depression, suicide, and death.
Many of the juicier material is gleaned from the readers' letters that describe in detail their idiosyncratic and sometimes kinky behaviors (don't ask!). As Eppie reads aloud from and comments we get a portrait of the compassionate woman and understand why she influenced so many. No Pollyanna, she could sharply scold readers for feeling too sorry for themselves ("Kwithcherbellyachin', Buttercup. Take a bath."). But she also penned plenty of heartfelt responses to light a candle for a person going through a dark night of the soul.

Although the focus is on the arc of Eppie's amazingly prolific career, there are a few homespun scenes that index her childhood and outline the famously prickly relationship with her identical twin sister "Popo" who, just six month's after Eppie broke into print, published her own "Dear Abby" column which also became a hit. Eppie aptly sums up the ensuing love-hate relationship with "But I do love her. The little porcupine."

Probably the emotional section of this staged memoir revolves about the circumstances of Eppie's divorce from Jules Lederer, a successful rent-a-car entrepreneur who left her after 30-years for a younger woman. Ivey nails this painful event when she takes a pair of scissors from her desk, snips the sentimental label, "Jules' Wife" out of her fur coat's lining and tosses the label into a wastebasket. I can't recall a divorce ever re-enacted with such symbolic economy.

Neil Patel has provided a set replete with elegant mahogany furniture and a writing desk with an old-fashioned typewriter. Add to this refined decor mounds of readers' letters, stuffed into U.S. postal bags and the odd shopping bag under the coffee table. Nicole Pearce's lighting bathes everything with a soft glow. Under BJ Jones direction, this story of "The Lady Who Had All the Answers" proceeds with a minimum of fuss.

Ann Landers was the Oprah of her day and Ivey reincarnates her with snap, crackle and charm. Though younger theatergoers may not know who Ann Landers is her story is anything but dated in its gutsy attitude toward life.

Subscribe to our FREE email updates with a note from editor Elyse Sommer about additions to the website -- with main page hot links to the latest features posted at our numerous locations. To subscribe, E-mail: esommer@curtainup.comesommer@curtainup.com
put SUBSCRIBE CURTAINUP EMAIL UPDATE in the subject line and your full name and email address in the body of the message -- if you can spare a minute, tell us how you came to CurtainUp and from what part of the country.
The Lady With All The Answers
Written by David Rambo
Directed by BJ Jones
Cast: Judith Ivey as Eppie Lederer/Ann Landers
Sets: Neil Patel
Costumes: Martin Pakledinaz
Sound: Kevin O'Donnell
Lighting: Nicole Pearce
wig design by Paul Huntley. Stage Manager: Paige Van Den Burg
Cherry Lane Theatre at 38 Commerce Street (212)-239-6200
Tickets: $41-$51
From 10/06/09; opening 10/14/09/closing 12/06/09.
Wednesday through Saturday @ 8pm, Wednesday and Saturday matinees @ 2pm, Sunday matinee @ 3pm.
Running Time: 1 hour; 40 minutes including a 15 minute intermission.
Reviewed by Deirdre Donovan based on October 10th press performance.
REVIEW FEEDBACK
Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
  • I agree with the review of The Lady With All The Answers
  • I disagree with the review of The Lady With All The Answers
  • The review made me eager to see The Lady With All The Answers
Click on the address link E-mail: esommer@curtainup.com
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.

South Pacific  Revival
South Pacific


In the Heights
In the Heights


Playbillyearbook
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook


Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide


broadwaynewyork.com


amazon




©Copyright 2009,

GUCCI

|

Aluminium Chronograph

|

PEAK new fashion ladies venting air spring heighten casual sport shoes P8004E

|

Tiffany & Co Hook and Eye Ring

|

mbt shoes

|

MBT Shoes

|

Tiffany&Co Daisy 925 sterling silver rings

|

Rolex

|

Louis Vuitton

|

Affliction Boots

|

Nike Shoes

|

Nike Dunk

|

MP5 Wholesale

|

Atlanta Falcons

|

Abercrombie Pants Wholesale 002

|

Louis Vuitton

|

UGG Boots Mulberry Genuine Australia classic Tall Ugg Boots

|

GUCCI Handbags

|

UGG Boots Classic Argyle Knit Chocolate 5879

|

Louis Vuitton Business Card Holder Ebony

|

MBT Men's Kisumu Tan Sandals

|

MBT Chapa

|

ugg boots

|

MBT Kisumu 2 White Men's Sandals

|

Nike Shoes

|

Louis Vuitton Monogram Denim Messenger Bag PM m95865

|

Bailey Button Uggs

|

Sexy Costume QS0169

|

Phone Wholesale

|

Bikinis Sets

|

Wholesale

|

Car DVD Player

|

LV

|

Tourbillon

|

Tiffany tiffany replica ring

|

Superleggera J12 White

|

Tiffany

|

rolex

|

Mouse Wholesale

|

Nike Air Max 2003

|

Monogram Groom

|

GUCCI

|

Wholesale

|

Nike Air Max LTD (dark blue/white) No.372340

Elyse Sommer.
Information from this site may not be reproduced in print or online without specific permission from esommer@curtainup.com