50/100
Photo by Marc Brenner
Written by Eugene O'Neill. Directed by Michael Grandage. At the Golden Theatre through June 12
What's it About?: Summer, 1928. New York City. Beyond the bright lights of the Great White Way, a small-time gambler and big-time drinker returns to the faded hotel he has made his home. He encounters a new night clerk at the front desk and as the early hours of the morning give way to another dawn, he continues to chase the American Dream in order to survive. HUGHIE is a rarely seen one-act theatrical masterpiece that beautifully offers a unique insight into the human condition.
Consensus: The only thing critics can agree on is Frank Wood, who they unanimously praise for his committed non-performance. Clocking in under an hour, many also have agreed that the play is decidedly not O'Neill's best work. Where they differ is on the merits of Forrest Whitaker, making his broadway debut. Some call him brilliantly introspective while others go so far as to call him "catatonic". Nonetheless, almost every critic agrees that a 55 minute monologue is not particularly worth Broadway prices.