LAST CHANCE: Nathan Lane enters the burlesque world in ‘The Nance’

NEW YORK — Nathan Lane, one of Broadway’s best actors, is offering a powerhouse performance in Douglas Carter Beane’s new play, The Nance, playing at the Lyceum Theatre through the weekend. Taking place in the 1930s world of New York burlesque, the play features a storyline where the personal and professional collide on the stage.

Lane plays Chauncey Miles, a burlesque performer who portrays “the nance,” a gay character who often speaks in double entendres to get the audience laughing. The performance on the burlesque stage is exaggerated and filled with physical humor, but not everyone appreciates the jokes. This is a time period when the administration of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia cracks down on the gay community and any stage productions it deems too controversial and subversive. It’s a time period when reputed Communists and Republicans clash heads, and Chauncey, a gay man portraying a gay character on stage, finds himself right in the crosshairs of the political/social action.

By watching Chauncey perform his routines, we come to know his fellow company members. Jenni Barber, Cady Huffman (Lane’s co-star in The Producers) and Andréa Burns play a trio of strippers who can never quite sing in tune. Lewis J. Stadlen plays Efram, the comedian in the act who often performs scenes with Chauncey.

In Chauncey’s personal life is Ned (Jonny Orsini), a young man who recently broke off his marriage, moved to New York City and has now become Chauncey’s lover. The stable relationship has meant a lot to Chauncey, who was used to one-night stands and discreetness.

Beane’s words are clever, and the play’s storyline is quite original for Broadway. Kudos to Lincoln Center Theater for bringing the production to the Rialto. This is a serious drama with serious comedy, and at a recent performance, the crowd seemed to hang on every laugh and tear coming from Chauncey.

Lane is hysterical in the role, playing to the audience like no other actor probably can. But in the softer scenes when Chauncey takes a stand against his political party (he’s a Republican) and the changing trends in New York City, there’s a hurt on his face that seems to register far greater than the laughs.

The Nance is not perfect. It overstays its welcome by about 15 minutes, plagued by redundancies in the second act. Although many of the burlesque scenes are entertaining, they grow somewhat tiresome after hearing so many double entendres. Having a character represent the LaGuardia administration, someone who could provide more historical footnotes, would have been appreciated. The show is so personal to Chauncey that sometimes it’s tough to connect his story with the greater historical era. Also, it’s not entirely clear how the actor came to his political views. His Republicanism seems a convenient device for the story’s arc.

Director Jack O’Brien stages the entire production with a lot of whimsy and quick movement. Scene changes, thanks to a rotating set by John Lee Beatty, offer audience members a chance to see in front of the curtain, behind the curtain and Chauncey’s art-deco apartment.

The real selling point of the production is Lane’s performance. He’s one of the best actors in musical theater (and he gets to sing a lot in The Nance), but this play also shows his  dramatic side. The man is a well-rounded actor, offering an intimate performance of a near-broken character.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• The Nance

• By Douglas Carter Beane

• Directed by Jack O’Brien

• Starring Nathan Lane, Cady Huffman, Jenni Barber, Andréa Burns, Jonny Orsini and Lewis J. Stadlen

• Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

• Currently playing at the Lyceum Theatre at 149 W. 45th St. in Manhattan. Click here for more information.

• Rating: