Rick Simone-Friedland (Photo by Steven Simone-Friedland)
Reviewed by G. Bruce Smith
Zephyr Theatre
Through Feb. 7
RECOMMENDED
The life of Tennessee Williams, one of the greatest American playwrights, is a rich treasure trove of tragedy, love, fame, loneliness, alcoholism and other aspects of the human condition.
Kind Stranger. . . a memory play, currently at the Zephyr Theatre, is a one-person show that takes a gentle — dare one say genteel, even? — approach to the highs and lows and to the turmoil of Williams’ life story. Conceived and performed by Rick Simone-Friedland, the play is based on Williams’ memoirs and adapted for the stage by Steven Simone-Friedland, who also directs.
Those who are familiar with Williams’ biography might not learn much new in this show, but Kind Stranger is nevertheless absorbing because of the compelling nature of the writer’s life. The play hits the highlights, including his first major Broadway hit, The Glass Menagerie; his 14-year relationship with the love of his life, Frankie Merlo; his alcoholism and time spent in asylums; a succession of theater flops in his later years; and more.
But Kind Stranger also includes some interesting — and sometimes amusing — anecdotes. For example, when Marlon Brando, who was being considered for the role of Stanley in the Broadway production of Streetcar Named Desire, showed up at Williams’ Provincetown residence, he volunteered to fix electrical and plumbing problems in the house. Or that the character’s famous line, “Stella!,” was actually shouted outside a window by Pancho Rodríguez y González, nicknamed Santo, one of Williams’ lovers.
The play also reveals some surprises: Williams was awkward with actors; Menagerie was not artistically satisfying to him; and he disliked doing talks about his works because “plays speak for themselves.”
And some of the lines in Kind Stranger — presumably lifted from his memoirs — shed light on his insecurities: “To know me is not to love me,” he says at one point.
While it could be reasonably expected that Rick Simone-Friedland would embody the highs and lows of the playwright’s life, instead his performance is even-keeled. He speaks to the audience throughout the play with a slight smile, as if he is somewhat bemused by his own travails as he looks back on them. That approach is successful because it feels authentic.
Steven Simone-Friedland’s guidance of the performance works well, but the blocking is sometimes awkward as the actor moves slowly between a few set pieces and center stage. His movement often feels unmotivated, and the spacious stage is not completely utilized.
At one point in the show, Williams says his play The Rose Tattoo “is a work of art, and a work of prayer.” While Kind Stranger is neither of those, it pays homage to an extraordinary artist who did create such works. What more can we ask?
Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. 8 pm Friday 5 pm and 8 pm and Saturday. https://www.kindstrangerplay.com. Running time: One hour and 20 minutes with no intermission.
