Let’s not mince words about Noel Coward’s “A Song at Twilight”, directed by James Glossman for the Odyssey Theatre: it’s fantastic, period. And it’s not just because it’s Noel Coward, because it’s the compelling come-to-Jesus story of a not-aging-well literary lion, because the acting is sublime, and the direction and the set are pitch-perfect. It’s because of all of that, polished lapidary-fine.
The production stars Orson Bean and Alley Mills as Hugo and Hilde Latymer, married for twenty years, living in a luxury suite in a Swiss hotel. He’s a knighted literary icon, she’s his former secretary, current wife. He’s surly, verbally abusive, and not a little vulnerable. She takes the abusive in surprisingly good cheer. She’s devoted to him, managing his career and trying, with marginal success, to manage his health as well. He’s agitated at the pending arrival of an old lover, Carlotta Gray, played by Laurie O’Brien. He doesn’t know why she would appear out of the blue after so many years. For money, perhaps? If so he’ll help her out, for old time’s sake. But it’s not for money. She wants his permission to publish love letters he wrote her ages ago. No, he says. So she resorts to what amounts to blackmail, an act that would humiliate Hugo, something that perhaps explains his petulant behavior toward Hilde and others as well. The rest of the production shows another side of Hugo, a side he’d rather keep hidden. It shows how remarkably consistent his churlish behavior has been throughout his life which, as she points out, paints him as a hypocrite. The effect of the revelation, as well as his wife’s prior knowledge of the matter, makes for a powerful, memorable conclusion.
Each character represents a glittering facet of a blood diamond, shiny and precious but produced at great cost. Thanks to Mr. Bean’s ability to convey smug and imperious without being shatterproof, Hugo is despicable and streamrollerish, which sets up the last moment of the play when he recants his wanker ways. Ms. Mills’ portrait of an understanding wife whose unstinting devotion began with and still consists of attending to his personal affairs, despite his unpleasant company, stands stalwart and proud. She’s steadfast-strong, he totters with old age and the baggage he carries. And Ms. O’Brien, as Hugo’s old flame, leavens the production with a wonderful performance that includes (at times simultaneously) stylish, charming, nostalgic, sentimental, snarky, stark, and spiteful concluding with a softly nuanced mensch-like reconciliation at the end.
Glossman clearly loves his characters and his shepherding of the actors here who play them is so deft that it’s almost invisible. “A Song at Twilight” makes you realize that fame masks many fault lines, the most fatal of which is self-delusion.
Performances are 8 pm, Wednesday – Saturday, 2 pm and 7 pm, Sunday. The play runs until March 7. Tickets are $25-30. The Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles. For more info call (310) 477-2055 or visit www.odysseytheatre.com.
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