Barrymore staggers across CCT stage Reviewed by Joe Blenkle/Sacramento Stage & Theatre
Christopher Plummer stars as John Barrymore in the Broadway Series production of Livent, Inc.'s BARRYMORE, playing at the Sacramento Community Center Theater through Oct. 4, 1998.
John Barrymore lived out his life before my time, but for those of us who are non-contemporaries of the man, Christopher Plummer does an apt job of bringing this star of stage and screen back to life.
BARRYMORE, playing at the Sacramento Community Center Theater through Oct. 4, is a one-man production - well, two-man, if you count John Plumpis, the off-stage voice of "Frank."
The play takes a look at the aging Barrymore's attempt at a comeback. He rents a run down theater for a night and with the help of Frank, who feeds him lines from offstage, tries to orchestrate his rise back to being a star.
"Do you think my fans will remember me when I'm a has-been?" he asks Frank. "Of course they do," responds Frank. The production is filled with such defeatist remarks. Barrymore, for the most part, knows he is washed up, but still wants to go through the motions of recapturing the fame he once had.
Plummer does a splendid job portraying the alcoholic John Barrymore. He staggers across the stage and fixes himself a drink and pleads for another bottle from Frank when his existing one finally runs dry.
Barrymore is a pathetic figure - but likable. His alcoholism has all but destroyed his talent as a performer, but there are still flashes of the "old" Barrymore, a dynamic talent - suddenly regressing back to the staggering drunk he has become.
CAST:
John Barrymore - Christopher Plummer
Frank - John Plumpis
Plummer does such an extraordinary job in this role, the audience totally forgets he is on stage. Instead, it's John Barrymore reciting the lines and making the jokes. Speaking of one of his former wives, he said, "We were very happy for 20 years...until we met." In another story he related how he taught a technicolor chicken (parrot) who spoke only French some colorful english words. And, "whoever said the size of your nose is related to the size of your ...."
BARRYMORE is a terrifically funny and sometimes touching portrait of one of the greatest performers in theatre and film. Plummer won a 1997 Tony Award for his role as John Barrymore - obviously, the honor was well deserved. BARRYMORE is an experience you won't soon forget.
BARRYMORE plays at the Community Center Theater through October 4, 1998. Shows are at 8 p.m., through Saturday, with 2 p.m. matinees on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are priced at $10-$55 and are
available by calling (916) 557-1999, (916) 264-5181, or (916) 923-BASS.
Next up for the Broadway Series is Gilbert and Sullivan's HOT MIKADO, playing Nov. 10-15, at the Community Center Theater.
