Dear Readers (all less than 10 of you),
I am embarrassed to say that while I have seen plenty of plays since my last post, I have been bested by life and did not actually get around to reviewing any of them. But no longer will my need for 3 hours of sleep a night reign victorious. It has taken the ill-fortune of my favorite performer's latest venture, but I am back to urge you to flock to the Broadhurst Theatre by Sunday, when Enron closes far earlier than planned.
The most important reason to see Enron: Norbert Leo Butz. Anyone who's met me knows the deep deep depths of my love for him ("Moving Too Fast" may or may not be my iPhone ringtone...) Everyone I know who's ever seen him in anything loves him. Because he is so ridiculously talented and versatile and clever and did I mention TALENTED? It is literally impossible for him not to be amazing in a role, and to see him take on a character of such intellectual and moral complexity as Jeffrey Skilling, ex-CEO of Enron, is worth the ticket price alone. He's so utterly watchable as the brilliant and brash, oafish creator of the mark to market strategy, who rises to ultimate power, wealth and acclaim, all the while tortured by the perpetuation of the dark secrets of his company's alleged success.
The show masterfully depicts the rise and fall of the company over a decade, weaving in relevant world events like September 11th. Lucy Prebble, the playwright, does a remarkable job of explaining the Enron schemes and their subsequent unraveling in layman's terms, and in illustrating the political milestones (W's inauguration, the deregulation of electricity) that set the stage. The coherence and completeness of the storytelling is impressive, especially considering that Prebble is a) British and b) 28 years old.
Not ignoring the opportunity to humanize the phenomenon, Prebble includes gems such as a monologue by an analyst, likening the belief in Enron's viability to a belief in air travel -- just because you don't understand how it works or don't think it should work doesn't mean it doesn't work, and if you stand up and question it everyone will think you're crazy. Skilling's monologue at the end of the show, post-sentencing, is also potent, especially coupled with the sobering fact of the trillions of dollars the U.S. Government has pumped into financial institutions all copying Enron's greedy strategies since that company's demise.
Director Rupert Goold does not shy away from eccentric and unconventional instruments in conveying the atmosphere of the empire. Pyrotechnics, musical interludes (note: this is a "play with music," NOT a musical, and no, Norbert does not sing, to everyone's great loss), and light sabers all appear, and justifiably so. No dialogue about soaring stock prices can adequately communicate the feeling of the execs riding inside the bubble, the traders searching for that next great high. Although initially unsure about the concept, I quickly came to appreciate the use of actors in suits and raptor heads depicting the entities created to "consume" Enron's ever-mounting debt. Watching them prowl around the basement with Andy Fastow, Enron's CFO, gave me a sick, on-edge feeling perfectly suiting the nature of the company's misdeeds.
However, the show's risks and accomplishments were part of its undoing. Tourists do not flock to see interesting, innovative theater (all the more reason they should be rounded up and poked with sticks). There are F-bombs aplenty, and Norbert has never been on "Dancing with the $#@%ing Stars". The show, having played less than four dozen previews and performances combined, was nowhere near full houses. And as much as it pains me, I can't blame everything on tourists. While this show was extremely successful in London, in the U.S., still laden with a financial industry creating bubbles then begging for bail-outs, many people undoubtedly feel like it's "too soon." As someone too young to have been aware of Enron's existence in its heyday or to have owned any stocks during its crash, the production appeared like an fascinating history lesson. For older audiences, it must be slightly less entertaining to relive the moment their retirement accounts dried up.
Coupled with a markedly unflattering review by my arch-nemisis, Ben Brantley of the NY Times, and the failure to land a Tony nom for Best Play (or, AHEM, for Norbert, though Stephen Kunken is nominated for his superb turn as Fastow), the producers have decided to take a $4 million loss rather than continue the show's run. Never mind its 5-star rating (out of 5) in Time Out New York, or other glowing reviews (I hear that Broadway Lagniappe chick really liked it). Once again, substantial theater is quickly ushered off stage left, while Jersey Boys rakes in the dough.
Enron never got around to instituting a rush ticket policy, but check out Broadwaybox.com for discounted tickets for this and pretty much every other show. Please tell me you all knew that trick already.
Through Sunday, May 9 (extra performance added 7:30 p.m. Sunday) @ the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W 44th St between Broadway & 8th Ave
