Luca the movie8/19/2023 It’s a universal story, and the play’s ending brings things together brilliantly, combining every disparate element together to a smart, effective degree. In the face of deeply concerning legislation coming from every corner of the world and extreme rises in hate online, a play like Brokeback Mountain couldn’t have come at a better time, highlighting the gorgeous humanity of queer lives. The story of forbidden gay love feels as timely as ever, and when Jack and Ennis talk about how impossible it would be to actually live together in society feels tragically relevant today. Thankfully, brilliant performances shine through the rushed pacing, but more time to really let Hedges and Faist explore these wonderful characters wouldn’t go amiss. It would have been particularly compelling to see how they act in public with one another. With music filling nearly every void, it’s challenging to engage as much as you’d like. There are a few moments like this, and they’re powerful, but there aren’t nearly enough. One of the things that make Ang Lee’s film work so brilliantly is the stretches of silence that let us really live in what these characters were feeling. ![]() It’s the kind of performance you show up for.Īt just 90 minutes, Brokeback Mountain feels rushed, with every song propelling things faster ahead than they need to be. ![]() He handles some (deliberately) corny dialogue with aplomb and delivers the all-powerful “I wish I knew how to quit you” masterfully. The play feels designed to put the weight on Faist, who’s more than up for the challenge. But this show belongs to Mike Faist, whose Jack is ebullient and thrilling. He’s a man who prefers silence over speech, and the actor plays the role admirably, only getting more exciting to watch as the play unfolds. Emily Fairn is particularly touching as Ennis’ wife Alma, but the play doesn’t afford us much of a glance into Alma’s life.Īs Ennis, Hedges is quiet and contemplative. The supporting cast does fantastic work elevating paper-thin characters. That’s a big problem in 1960s Wyoming, and you can feel the anguish of consigning themselves to a life in secrecy radiating off their bodies. When they finally get their hands on each other, it’s difficult for them to keep their hands off each other. They capture that boyish first love with ease, channeling an adolescent yearning into their characters. There’s excitement in the air when the pair are together, and their chemistry is scintillating. For the first third, their desire is communicated through longing glances and languid pauses. ![]() The power of Brokeback Mountain lies within the performances of Hedges and Faist. Therefore, the frequent musical interjections feel superfluous. It’s refreshingly matter-of-fact, and there’s never any doubt as to what Jack and Ennis are thinking. The script, written by Ashley Robinson, is emotionally potent yet the dialogue is sparse. The songs aren’t particularly memorable either, and they too often veer into telling us what we already know, attempting to explore the interiority of Jack and Ennis. But the music, like Older Ennis’ lingering presence, never adds anything to the emotional turmoil felt by our beloved cowboys. The show is billed as “a play with music,” and it’s performed admirably by a band, with vocals sung with a soulful country twist by Eddi Reader. It’s an ideal setting for a quiet, understated show like this one, though there’s not a lot of negative space here-the set is cleverly constructed, and any extra bodies stick out awkwardly.Īnother element that Brokeback Mountain struggles to make sense of is the inclusion of music. ![]() The decision is especially beguiling as the stage is minimal, and the in-the-round style of Soho Place only seeks to amplify the distraction. The trouble is that it distracts far too often from the beating pulse of the show: Ennis and Jack. Framing things entirely through the Old Ennis’ perspective also means we never get to see Jack’s life outside of Ennis-a shame, since it would have been fascinating to see how Jack got on in life without his love. At times, it’s emotionally resonant, but at others, it feels almost as if an audience member got stranded on stage. It all feels out of place: opening the play with Older Ennis is an effective framing device, and we don’t learn anything else from him sticking around.
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