REVIEW: ‘Sea Wall / A Life’ on Broadway
Photo: Jake Gyllenhaal stars in A Life on Broadway; the play is paired with another piece, Sea Wall. Photo courtesy of Richard Hubert Smith / Provided by DKC O&M with permission.
NEW YORK — The double bill of Sea Wall / A Life, playing through the end of the month on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre, proves to be an emotional wallop that leaves a stinging, gnawing memory for quite some time. Expertly acted by Tom Sturridge (Alex in Sea Wall) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Abe in A Life), the evening of theater was a deserved hit at the Public Theater earlier this year and seems quite at home in Midtown Manhattan.
The piece begins with the actors individually spending time on stage while the audience finds their seats. There are deep stares into the distance, some drinking, a lot of pondering. There’s an immediate realization that the content of both monologues will be serious and perhaps tragic because of the lonesome nature of these two beings in the spotlight.
Sea Wall, written by Simon Stephens, follows the stories of a young father and how he fell in love with the idea of having a child. Sturridge offers a touching and powerful performance, one that deserves recognition for its nuances and subtleties. He has a way of delivering his lines with a realism that can be oft-putting and scarily spot-on. There was a scene during a recent performance when he scaled a ladder on stage and tipped over a prop. He looked down at the object with fearful eyes, and for a split second, the audience seemed unsure whether it was part of the play or not. Had he just made a mistake? Or, was this how the character operated, afraid of loud noises, sudden falls and unexpected developments?
A Life, written by Nick Payne, finds Gyllenhaal also facing the prospects of fatherhood and how to say goodbye to an ailing parent. The piece is a bit more light-hearted, confirmed by the actor’s crazed running through the orchestra section of the Hudson Theatre, but it’s still a thoughtful, often emotionally stirring one-act. The somberness of this piece comes when the character of Abe talks about his father and how he sees unique and interesting connections to his prospective baby.
Sometimes the play relies too much on the comedy of preparing for a childbirth, and the recitations, which come speedily and without a gasp, can prove a tad cliche. But Gyllenhaal sells the text well, and he achieves a definite and palpable emotionality, carving out Abe as a full-fledged person with fragility and unknowing strength.
Carrie Cracknell directs the two-play evening and finds moving connections between Sea Wall and A Life, and her choice to bookend the piece with shared time on stage between the actors is a marvel.
Certainly the subject matter is heavy, but that’s what adult theater should be. Perhaps it feels so different on Broadway because right down the block are the razzle-dazzle of the musical lights. On the Hudson’s stage is something Midtown Manhattan needed: honest to goodness drama, perfectly acted.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Sea Wall / A Life. Written by Simon Stephens (Sea Wall) and Nick Payne (A Life). Directed by Carrie Cracknell. Starring Tom Sturridge and Jake Gyllenhaal. Running time: 100 minutes with intermission. Plays through Sept. 29 at the Hudson Theatre on Broadway. Click here for more information and tickets.
