The revival of Jason Miller's That Championship Season, nicely directed by
Gregory Mosher, is an interesting flashback to another time, 1972, with its priorities, prejudices, politics and views of society by a group of 38-year-old who won a basketball tournament twenty years earlier. That was the high point of their lives. The play does engage us from start to finish as these losers try to recapture lost glory.
For me, one of the most interesting aspects of this well-written, well-designed (by Michael Yeargan) production is that it gives us a fascinating example of one of the major unexplainable foibles of the acting profession: some actors have stage presence, some have film presence, some TV presence, some have it in life but not in any of the media, some have it anywhere, anyplace. The following is not a criticism, just a personal observation: Jason Patric and Chris Noth have stage charisma, Kiefer Sutherland, who shines on TV, doesn't; he's present, acts well but is basically invisible. Jim Gaffigan holds his own, and Brian Cox, as the coach. is a bit "over the top" as he pushes for attention but, for me, isolates himself - especially near the final climax. But you know what we say: "Give 'em a strong finish; they think they saw a good show." This is a good show, and we do empathize with these ol' boys as they slide into the less-than-vivid life of middle age.
