Frost Nixon, a play by Peter Morgan at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Starring Frank Langella and Michael Sheen. We caught "Frost Nixon" on a Friday night, early in previews. Word hasn't gotten out yet, so we bought excellent tickets at the TKTS half-price booth on 46th St (at the Marriott Marquis Hotel). I'm predicting that when the reviews come in, "Frost Nixon" will be a very hard ticket to get - the "History Boys" -like smash hit of this season.
"Frost Nixon" is the riveting dramatization of the famous David Frost televised interviews with Richard Nixon which stunned the nation in 1977.
The play builds slowly, we see how Frost risked everything to bring the interviews about and we meet Richard Nixon who appears a lovable rascal with a heart of...well if not gold, at least not stone. The interviews were not inevitable and almost didn't take place. We meet behind the scenes players like the young James Reston played well by Stephen Kunken, who also serves as the play's narrator along with Nixon's aide, Jack Brennan who is starchy perfection as portrayed by Corey Johnson. Along the way, we meet such names from the past as Evonne Goolagong (remember her?), and Swifty Lazar. Tension and drama builds and builds.
Ultimately, this is a two hander, and what two hands these great actors are!
Frank Langella's portrayal of Richard Nixon is a crowning triumph in a glorious career that saw him define Dracula for an age (my age). His Nixon is a performance that has stayed with me and continues to haunt me even as I write these lines. Without caricature or mere imitation, Langella has channeled Nixon's familiar but ultimately mystifying character. He makes him a three dimensional utterly fascinating person. We see his clownish side, his manipulative side, and we see a human being who was so flawed, but who also reached heights of greatness. We begin to understand him and, against our will and all our knowledge, we begin to like him. Michael Sheen (known to most people as the cunning Tony Blair in the award winning film "The Queen") is a vivid stage actor. I was fortunate to see his Olivier winning turn as Caligula at the Donmar Warehouse (where "Frost Nixon" originated). Sheen nails the part of David Frost and proves the perfect foil for Nixon/Langella. Only an actor of Sheen's consummate skill and talent could have held the stage against the performance of Langella, a performance that will go down with the ages.
As mentioned, "Frost Nixon" is now in previews. There are all sorts of reduced price offers available now. After it opens, people will be lined up around the block. So liberals and conservatives alike, hasten and buy your tickets! "Frost Nixon" gets our highest grade in the Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test. A+
"Frost Nixon" is the riveting dramatization of the famous David Frost televised interviews with Richard Nixon which stunned the nation in 1977.
The play builds slowly, we see how Frost risked everything to bring the interviews about and we meet Richard Nixon who appears a lovable rascal with a heart of...well if not gold, at least not stone. The interviews were not inevitable and almost didn't take place. We meet behind the scenes players like the young James Reston played well by Stephen Kunken, who also serves as the play's narrator along with Nixon's aide, Jack Brennan who is starchy perfection as portrayed by Corey Johnson. Along the way, we meet such names from the past as Evonne Goolagong (remember her?), and Swifty Lazar. Tension and drama builds and builds.
Ultimately, this is a two hander, and what two hands these great actors are!
Frank Langella's portrayal of Richard Nixon is a crowning triumph in a glorious career that saw him define Dracula for an age (my age). His Nixon is a performance that has stayed with me and continues to haunt me even as I write these lines. Without caricature or mere imitation, Langella has channeled Nixon's familiar but ultimately mystifying character. He makes him a three dimensional utterly fascinating person. We see his clownish side, his manipulative side, and we see a human being who was so flawed, but who also reached heights of greatness. We begin to understand him and, against our will and all our knowledge, we begin to like him. Michael Sheen (known to most people as the cunning Tony Blair in the award winning film "The Queen") is a vivid stage actor. I was fortunate to see his Olivier winning turn as Caligula at the Donmar Warehouse (where "Frost Nixon" originated). Sheen nails the part of David Frost and proves the perfect foil for Nixon/Langella. Only an actor of Sheen's consummate skill and talent could have held the stage against the performance of Langella, a performance that will go down with the ages.
As mentioned, "Frost Nixon" is now in previews. There are all sorts of reduced price offers available now. After it opens, people will be lined up around the block. So liberals and conservatives alike, hasten and buy your tickets! "Frost Nixon" gets our highest grade in the Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test. A+
posted by James Camner | 8:21 AM
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