Another David Mamet play. This time my virgin ears were attacked by Mamet at the Seattle Repertory Theater in the production of Glengarry Glen Ross. Seattle Rep is a substantially larger theater than Balagan which is really more of a basement and so the set was very elaborate. As someone who is not experienced in the behind the scenes workings of theater, I am still confused as to how some of the set changeovers were accomplished.
Glengarry Glen Ross is the story of men working in the real estate business who do not allow their moral values to get in the way of making a sale. John Aylward played the part of Shelly Levene, a man desperate to make it to the top of salesmen and in turn win the coveted Cadillac. Aylward looked terribly familiar and upon further investigation I discovered that he has been in several movies and TV shows but I probably recognize him most from his role on ER.
My favorite character was Ricky Roma played by R. Hamilton Wright. Ricky was a snappy quick witted guy who was currently at the top sales position of the company. He was a prideful man who at one point sunk as low as making a sale to a poor man that he met in a bar who could clearly not afford the new home and ran the risk of losing his wife in the deal.
The play won the 1984 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award but other than the elaborate set design I was mostly bored. The acting was wonderful but when comparing it to seeing Edmond at Balagan the story just didn't seem to have as much action. It was the same theme of bad people doing bad things and a lot of cursing but other than a robbery committed by an inside party nothing else too crazy occurs.
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