33 Variations by Moisés Kaufman, is a play that explores why Beethoven, at the height of his musical power, near the end of his life, chose to write this many variations on a simple melody that he didn't like. An intriguing idea, but this play is a conglomerate of inconsistencies: Jane Fonda is terrific as the scholar doing the investigating as she deteriorates from Lou Gehrig's Disease, and her performance has great depth as the character fights to finish her work before she dies.
The center of the play is the music itself, played beautifully by pianist Diane Walsh. Subplots abound: the daughter (Samantha Mathis) is a constant nay-sayer trying to get her mother to give up her final quest before she dies and to take a rest instead. Booooo. The daughter then meets a young man (Colin Hanks, who is good looking, charming, and full of acting mannerisms that undercut his performance. Should she or shouldn't she?, since she wants to take care of her mother. It's a bit awkward and clumsily performed.
Subplot 2: Beethoven appears (Zack Grenier in a performance that is grating, overbearing, overacted and hammy), and he, too, has a nay-sayer: his assistant (Erik Steele) who is concerned with paying the rent. These secondary stories are full of redundancies as simplistic arguments go nowhere but do repeat a lot as we wait for the music to begin again.
Susan Kellermann is excellent as a Beethoven scholar who befriends Fonda.
The actual production is GREAT: vital imaginative set by Derek McLane with corresponding lighting by David Lander and appropriate costumes by Janice Pytel, all directed by the author who stages well but could use help with some of the acting. Near the end, there is a short scene where Beethoven talks us through his process as a variation is played - a big mistake in writing and directing as the contrast between the artistry of the music and the banality of the comments almost destroys the moment.
The play, which does have a good basic idea and dramatic thrust as a fascinating analysis of the variations is expressed, and a few good jokes, is flawed with too much plot, but has a lovely Minuet ending. Plus Fonda is a charming charismatic star, and you'll want to see her.
The initial question of why Beethoven did it is, to me, who has spent his entire life as an artist, quite simple: He knew how good he was; how dare they ask him to write a variation on trivia? "Oh yeah? Bach wrote 32 Goldberg Variations. I'll
do 33, and make the whole thing a masterwork." And he did. You'll hear it as Walsh plays.
