Sarah Bernhardt turned the theater world on its head when she dared to play Hamlet in 1897. A woman playing a man? Unthinkable. Theresa Rebeck took the idea and ran with it, and it is my great pleasure to announce “Bernhardt/Hamlet” would be something the Divine Sarah would kill to see and act in till the end of time.
Particularly when TDS is played by the indomitable Janet McAteer who has the stage presence of a Category 1 Hurricane, and the watchability and wit of the young Katharine Hepburn in a Philip Barry play. Jason Butler Harner (“Coast of Utopia”) is nearly her match as the playwright Edward Rostand, who is so besotted with her that he goes on to write “Cyrano de Bergerac.” Rhebeck whom we’ve adored for decades has written her greatest play yet—in some far off universe, George S. Kaufmann is listening every night, downing shots of vodka in sheer envy. Directed to perfection by Moritz von Stuelpnagel and if you can say that five times, you’re a better man than I. At Roundabout. (Thursday)
As always, an entertaining and witty review!