INTERVIEW: Rare Terrence McNally play returns to NYC

Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?, the 1970s Terrence McNally play, is a rare treat when it’s revived in New York City. Thanks to Starting 5 Productions, audience members can take in the play and its deep themes at off-off-Broadway’s Workshop Theater on West 36th Street.

The play tells the story of Tommy Flowers (David Gow), a rebel against society who has a series of conversations and interactions with a variety of characters, including an old actor, a music student, his mother, a former girlfriend and his brother. As he discusses life and love with each of these individuals, the audience is able to peel away the layers of the title character. It all catapults to a shocking ending that often leaves people talking.

Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?, directed by Laura Braza, is told in vignette form, essentially a series of connected scenes and conversations. This unique style has created an interesting platform for the acting skills of Gow, who plays the title character.

“I found the play sort of on an accident about seven years ago, and, at first, what intrigued me was that it seemed a little bit like an untapped McNally gem,” Gow said in a recent phone interview. “Obviously everyone recognizes him as a brilliant playwright but don’t seem to know this play as much. He wrote it in 1971, I guess, maybe before the world sort of caught on to him.”

While reading the play, Gow found the vignettes fascinating and unpredictable. Each one pulls the audience further into the narrative, never letting them go until the final blackout.

“It sort of sat in the back of my mind for a few years, and then seeing the political, social unrest that we have in our country right now sort of re-triggered this play in my mind,” he said. “It’s amazing that the climate in ‘71, the big counterculture movement and Vietnam and the government and the movement of the hippies, it really looks a lot like unrest and movement that is happening in America right now.”

Gow, who has performed in Chokehold, The Beast’s Beauty and Burning Leaves, is impressed by McNally’s ability to write an effective monologue. The playwright is able to capture the unique thought processes of the character, helping the actor identify with the role.

“While the story is very all over the place in terms of the plot, getting out of time zones and different characters coming in, the dialogue just flows so easily,” he said. ” He’s terrific.”

The assembled cast has also impressed Gow. He’s working on stage with a talented group of performers, most of whom have to portray multiple characters.

“I feel like we won the lottery with this cast,” he said. “The cast is wonderful. Almost everyone in the cast plays a number of characters, and what’s been fun is pairing side characters with Tommy. … So when Tommy’s mother comes out and she gives a speech, we get a little clue from her what their relationship might be like, and then Tommy’s speech gives little clues of what his relationship with his old girlfriend might be like or his nephew or his brother. And that’s been really fun, and especially seeing one actor play multiple family members of Tommy.”

McNally is clever. In the text, he never provides easy answers. Instead, he offers limited flashbacks, or “little windows” as Gow put it, in order to help the audience better understand the motivations of the characters.

“I’ve never had so many quick changes collectively in a show in my entire life,” he said. “People in one scene might play four different characters, but they’re killing it.”

No doubt a performance of Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone? will spark a conversation after the production. Gow loves overhearing what the chatter is around the water cooler.

He loves “after the show when people go get a drink, they’re talking about the show, [and] it sparks some type of dialogue. I think no question this show will do that. I think it will spark in people different interpretations. … I’m very excited to spend time with people after, and hopefully I’ll have 20 different responses of people’s opinions.”

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone? is currently playing the Workshop Theater in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.