"Look Back in Anger" as Angry as Ever

I just saw Roundabout Theatre Company's production of the (in its time) groundbreaking play, Look Back in Anger, by John Osborne. It’s a play that sizzles with rage and resentment, and it’s the play that gave rise to the term, “angry young men.” This production is slightly trimmed from the 1956 original; a scene and character were deleted (presumably with the permission of the copyright owner), but even so the play is as brilliant and disturbing and heartbreaking as ever, excellently well-played by the cast. It’s unrelenting fury and tragic sadness over a generation’s sense of alienation and powerlessness make you squirm in your seat. Though there is humor – and some surprises – it’s like a bloody traffic accident you can’t take your eyes off of. The staging is minimal, stark, and dreary – just right for the mood needed. Matthew Rhys’s playing of the inconsolably angry Jimmy Porter eerily evokes a young Richard Burton. It's a piece of theatre history you probably don't want to miss – particularly if you write plays. This production clearly demonstrates the power of theatre to provoke and evoke. But fasten your seatbelt; it’s a turbulent ride. (Go to http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/Look-Back-in-Anger.aspx.)