‘STRAIGHT WHITE MEN’: Armie Hammer. Photo: Joan Marcus

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STRAIGHT WHITE MEN
Written by Young Jean Lee
Directed by Anna. D. Shapiro
Through September 9, 2018
The Helen Hayes Theater
240 West 44th Street
(212-239-6200), www.2ST.com

 

By David NouNou

Sometimes mediocrity and unambitious invisibility are all someone wants out of life.

First presented at the Public Theatre in November 2014, Young Jean Lee’s dramedy has nothing to do with sexual orientation, but the privilege that comes from being a straight white man. She doesn’t comment on the subject; she just presents it to us and for us to disseminate her presentation. If this sounds a bit ambiguous, it’s because there is no resolution, just presentation.

It is Christmas Eve and Jake (Josh Charles) and Drew (Armie Hammer) have returned to their Midwest home to celebrate the holidays with their widowed father Ed (Stephen Payne) and their older brother, Matt (Paul Schneider). Jake is a divorced banker and Ed is a semi-successful writer. Matt, a Harvard graduate, has moved back to live with his father for no specified reason and Ed is happy to have his son back and being taken care of after his wife’s death.

It’s great to see the family dynamics. especially with Jake and Drew horsing around and reminiscing about their lives and their youth. Also, watching their dad, coming in and making them wear the traditional Christmas pajamas. What family doesn’t have their rituals? There is nothing odd or strange going on until Matt has a breakdown and starts crying for no apparent reason over their Chinese dinner. What family doesn’t encounter drama during the holidays?

It is at this point the play takes a turn when Jake and Drew try to analyze Matt’s breakdown. Jake feels Matt’s is an underachiever because of his guilt of being a white male. Drew wants him to see a psychotherapist because he is depressed and lacks self-respect. What Ms. Lee is doing here is transposing each brother’s shortcomings onto their brother, Matt.

It is entertaining watching Armie Hammer and Josh Charles recreating their childhood shenanigans with deft performances. Mr. Charles is a standout as the alpha brother. Mr. Hammer is sinfully gorgeous and carefully modulates his Broadway debut performance. Paul Schneider gives the right pathos as the depressed brother who is okay with his mediocrity. Stephen Payne is robust as the loving father.

Anna D. Shapiro, the director, doesn’t do much to clarify the proceedings or bring any lucidity to an otherwise simple tale of a loving family brought together for the holidays and the usual drama that gets created by dissenting members of the family with their differences. Even the most loving of families have their breakdowns. What we are left here with not so much as a rewarding play but an unfulfilling setup of a premise.

 

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 26, 2018
Reviewed at July 25, 2018 press performance.

 

‘STRAIGHT WHITE MEN’: Kate Bornstein, Armie Hammer & Ty Defoe. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘STRAIGHT WHITE MEN’: Armie Hammer, Stephen Payne & Paul Schneider. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘STRAIGHT WHITE MEN’: Kate Bornstein & Ty Defoe. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘STRAIGHT WHITE MEN’: Stephen Payne. Photo: Joan Marcus