Stepping away from screens big and small, I plan on focusing on the stage this week as I had the pleasure of seeing “Hillary and Clinton” on Broadway (currently in its preview performances), last week.
Tony award nominated writer Lucas Hnath brings a timely new production about the marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton taking place during the 2008 United States Presidential Election.
The production stars two-time Tony award and three-time Emmy award winning actress Laurie Metcalf as Hillary, who shares the stage with two-time Tony award and six-time Emmy award winning actor John Lithgow portraying Bill.
We are taken into a white box – the set – which comes from the background of the stage. In the box sits a lone desk chair and a tray of half eaten food which lay on the floor. Metcalf walks onto the stage and stands with a microphone narrating the scene. She hops into the blank white box, dropping the microphone, and we are taken into a New Hampshire hotel room.
On the night before the New Hampshire primary of 2008, Hillary is told by her campaign manager that her run for president is ultimately coming to a close when the numbers don’t seem to be in her favor.
He informs her he has received a call from opposing nominee Barack Obama, who has offered her the position of his running mate if she agrees to fold her campaign.
Not willing to accept defeat, Hillary decides to call her husband who she sent home months prior when the two had clashing ideas on how her campaign should be run.
Enter Lithgow, who brought nothing but humor and relief to the production. For his entire performance Lithgow was met with laughs from a sold-out theater and deserved nothing less.
Hillary, who needs money to continue to fund her campaign, calls on her husband who has been sitting at home with their dog for several months.
Bill, who feels that he deserves an apology from his wife, is more than happy to give her the money as long as she lets him back in on the campaign.
Hillary feels that it is her campaign and though she appreciates Bill wanting to help, she would like to do it herself. This is where tensions flare as we watch the 90-minute production really begin to tackle gender roles, marriage, divorce, adultery and anything that you can think of when it comes to a marriage of these two political powerhouses.
The chemistry between Metcalf and Lithgow was astounding. Seeing the two on stage together and go back and forth in a playful, but sometimes harsh, banter was such a treat. The two, whom I love, made the night for me and I plan on going back again.
The play, which was funny and thought-provoking, was not perfect. Metcalf, who did an excellent job in her role, did ultimately reach when it came to portraying such an iconic figure of our country’s history. It’s not that Metcalf was bad, it was just as if I were watching Aunt Jackie run for president of the United States.
And don’t get me wrong, I love Aunt Jackie with all my heart. I grew up watching reruns of “Roseanne,” and I’m not ashamed to say that I own the box set of the original series. It’s just that there’s Aunt Jackie, and then there’s Hillary Clinton … the two are far from the same.
“Hillary and Clinton” is currently in previews at the Golden Theatre on Broadway. The production will open officially on April 18.
Ken Downey Jr. is the Features Editor for Time OFF and Packet Publications. This is a part of his series of weekly columns focusing on arts and entertainment. He can be contacted at kdowney@newspapermediagroup.com.
