LAST CHANCE: ‘The Anarchist’ is a battle of wills easily won by Patti LuPone

David Mamet is having a rough time on Broadway this season. The revival of his most famous play, Glengarry Glen Ross, hasn’t been well-received by critics. His latest work, a 70-minute two-hander called The Anarchist, will shutter at the Golden Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 16 after only a few performances. Soon, his quick-paced language will be missing from the Great White Way.

It’s a shame that The Anarchist, a small play with large ambitions, will close so early. There is more than one reason to catch the final performances. The most important (and this should come as no surprise) is the solid acting from Patti LuPone, a Broadway baby most beloved for her musical performances. LuPone, an oft-interpreter of Mamet’s work, has just the right balance of mystery and mastery to pull off Cathy, a former rebel serving a life sentence for the murder of two police officers. She wears the last 35 years in prison on her face, in her posture, in her eloquent pleas to a prison official for her release.

The problem, and it’s an enormous one for a play featuring two actresses, is in Debra Winger’s performance. While LuPone is frantically searching for a battle of words, Winger can’t match her wits or acting ability. Ann, Winger’s character, feels so detached from the plot that the play is unable to reach a much-needed fever pitch. At several times during this 70-minute performance it feels like LuPone’s Cathy is having an argument with herself. Ann’s inability to steal some of the spotlight is thanks to Winger’s weak line delivery and Mamet’s insistence on language that’s too caught up on questions and quick answers. When the banter gets going, the obvious deficits in rhythm between the two actresses is made abundantly clear.

The simple set, designed by Patrizia von Brandenstein, gives the aura of the 1970s or 1980s (I’m a little confused when Cathy actually committed her crimes). File cabinets line the stage and a simple table and desk fill the rest of the space. The actors, who were also directed by Mamet, pace back and forth, with Cathy constantly finding new positions to make her responses to Ann’s questions seem believable, peaceful and positive. Watch LuPone’s posture throughout the night; it teeter-totters between aggressive and passive.

The exact details of why Cathy has served 35 years in prison are unclear. She was involved in a murderous act of rebellion, and her political writing has been examined by scholars. But her life in prison has broken her rebellious spirit, and she’s accepted Jesus Christ as her savior. Ann doesn’t seem to buy into the conversion, questioning whether the whole religious development is a ruse to receive parole.

Their conversation ranges in topic from redemption to power to politics. Sexuality, religion and the personal failings of both women are brought to bear. There are times in this back-and-forth where the actresses (and by extension the playwright) enthrall the audience in the semantics. Their verbal wordplay can be fascinating to listen to, almost like the audio from a good book on tape. But everything leads to a ho-hum ending that robs the characters of proper catharsis and understanding. It’s a play’s obvious weakness when the final blackout occurs and the audience knows more about the actors and their approaches to their roles than the characters themselves.

There will likely be more naysayers than supporters of The Anarchist. It’s a tough play to endure, one that relies on a reasonable sense of disbelief (no one talks like this!), but for those few adventurous theatergoers looking for something different, there is satisfaction to enjoy. And LuPone may be worth the price of admission. Without her, this play would lose its rebellious energy.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• The Anarchist

• Written and directed by David Mamet

• Starring Patti LuPone and Debra Winger

• Running time: 70 minutes with no intermission

• Currently playing the Golden Theatre at 252 W. 45th St. in Manhattan. Click here for more information.

• Rating: