A Long Day's
Journey into Night
Starring
Gerald Schoenfeld as James Tyrone
with
Christine Quinn as Mary
Thom Duane as Edmund
and Special Guest Star
Richard Gottfried as Jamie

Eugene O'Neill's classic American play was restaged last night at the Hudson Guild's downtown space. Interestingly, the evening had been billed as The Lynching of Dan Doctoroff and Vishan Chakraban as Staged by Thom Duane, but Mr. Schoenfeld, who gave Tallulah Bankhead her start, changed productions in mid-scene. "I am James Tyrone," he declaimed. The audience leaned forward to hear the Great Man speak. Word after well-crafted word came from his mouth, each like a perfect pearl. Soon, the audience, so mesmerized by Mr. Schoenfeld's skillful oratory, was fast asleep. It was at this point that Mr. Doctoroff and Mr. Chakraban loosened their bonds and slipped out into the night.

Actually, I assume Doctoroff and Chakraban made it out alive. Not being shackled, I walked out after twenty minutes of Schoenfeld's five minute speech. State Senator Thom Duane had given all speakers a five minute time limit, but such limits do not apply to Mr. Schoenfeld. Watching politicians grovel before the head of the Shubert organization is one of contemporary New York's true delights.

The evening was, as I mentioned, staged by Thom Duane. It was supposed to be a forum on development of the west side. It was a setup, pure and simple. He had a panel of six, four of whom are strong opponents of the stadium. Duane began the evening by saying "This is not a rally," then had Congressman Nadler and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried speak. They might as well have been waving pom-poms. (Gottfried, invisible six months ago, is now everywhere and anywhere.) Then Duane would pose each panelist a question before they started to speak, asking them to incorporate his question into their statement. He gave Doctoroff a complex lead-in question, as I recall, then asked Christine Quinn a question more along the lines of "What's your favorite color?"

Fair and Balanced.