Louis-Dreyfus Shines in Other Desert Cities, Critics Split
A star-led Broadway revival of 'Other Desert Cities' opened Sunday at the Hudson Theatre. Two major reviews called it uneven.
- 2011: Baitz's play was a Pulitzer finalist and last ran on Broadway.
- John Benjamin Hickey directs; Louis-Dreyfus makes her Broadway debut as Polly.
- The play follows a writer whose memoir exposes her Republican parents' family tragedy.
- Both critics described the production as off-rhythm and its cast as mismatched.
Why it matters: The revival depends on celebrity casting to draw audiences to a 15-year-old political family drama. Both critics said the stars do not cohere as an ensemble.
- The play is set in 2004, shortly after George W. Bush's reelection.
How 8 sources split on this story
Where they split: The critics differ on whether the problem is mainly the staging or also a script that has aged since 2011.
Left coverage, 4 sources: The left reads the revival as a once-timely political play that now looks naive after events since the Obama years, staged unevenly.
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right treats it mainly as a craft problem: a sharp script with strong laughs, weakened by loose direction and mismatched performances.
What’s next: The production remains at the Hudson Theatre. It runs two and a half hours with one intermission.
- Will the cast's star power sustain ticket sales despite mixed reviews?
- Will audiences read the 2004-set play as a commentary on current politics?
