At its best, my column is an implement of torture.
But every now and then, I cross the line. Inadvertently, be sure, but it’s been known to happen.
Lately, I’ve been having far too much fun attacking “Relatively Speaking,” a collection of one acts by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen that opened last night at the Brooks Atkinson.
I heard it was so bad I dubbed it “Relatively Unspeakable.”
But after talking with an emissary from the show, I recognize that I may have — inadvertently, of course — crossed that line once again.
As it turns out, I may also have been listening to the wrong people.
No less a distinguished theater writer than David Richardson of WOR radio has come out strongly in favor of “Relatively Speaking.”
There are a handful of critics who can be called great — Kenneth Tynan, Walter Kerr, Clive Barnes, Frank Rich and John Simon.
Richardson may not be in their company just yet, but he gets closer with every review.
He was the only critic to recognize the brilliance of the late Joe Brooks’ musical “In My Life,” which was about a struggling musician with Tourette’s syndrome and his guardian angel, a transvestite. The coup de theatre was a giant lemon.
Lesser critics saw that lemon as a metaphor for the musical itself, which lasted just 61 performances.
But not Richardson.
With the kind of penetrating clarity that usually comes after a third martini, Richardson wrote:
“Well, quite frankly we were all blown away by everything and everyone. We loved the music, the staging and most of all the talent in this crazy production which involves the lives of this couple who experience such things as the boy going through an out-of-body experience when he almost dies from a bout with a tumor and their involvement with heaven, God and a fellow who wants to make their life story into an opera.
“Wow! In my mind this is the surprise hit of the Broadway season or any other season for that matter. In my life I have rarely seen anything better!”
I’m still amazed that Richardson didn’t win the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism that year.
But he’s a shoo-in for the prize this year with his review for “Relatively Speaking.”
Allow me to quote from his review, which he e-mails to his fans.
“Despite a great deal of criticism on the part of some so-called pundits [I think he means me], its [sic] not all bad. In fact, except for the opening piece by Mr. Coen which made no sense, the evening gets better as it rolls along especially when we get to Mr. Allen’s one liners … Its [sic] called ‘Honeymoon Motel’ and features every wonderful Broadway character actor you ever wanted to see again [no examples given].
“Te [sic] second play by Ms May stars Lisa Emery and Marlo Thomas as an upper crust and selfish East Hampton wife [apparently the role is being played by both actresses] whose husband has just died in an Aspen skiing accident and who just can’t handle the real world. Ms. Marlo, who you will have a hard time recognizing [facelift] is amazing as the widow who comes for a visit and she’s a far cry from That Girl we all remember [several facelifts].”
Mr. Dave concludes with one of those kickers that makes his writing so stylish: “Phooey on that dead beat who’s trying to shot [sic] this play down. ‘Relatively Speaking’ is way more than a relatively good evening in the theater!”
Clearly, this play is destined for a long and successful run.
Chastised, I stand.