Shining City

Once again this season MTC has put on a solid drama production.   Simply put, good theater. 

Shining City written by Conor McPherson has been nominated for a Tony for best play.  The play is about a man overcoming the recent loss of his wife and the guilt he feels surrounding her death.  He comes to talk with a therapist, a recent Priest who has left the parish, who is dealing with his own demons. 

The play runs a little over an hour and a half with no intermission.  The performances are all good but Oliver Platt is stupendous.  There is one scene when Oliver Platt, who is the husband burdened with grief over his wife, tells his therapist, played by Brian O'Byrne ( who was awesome in the original production of Doubt), the story of the past year and a half with his wife before her death.  It is a soliloquy from a therapist's couch.  It was one of the finest performances I have seen in years.  Even if you don't enjoy the entire play, watching Oliver Platt for that scene is worth it.  What is more incredible is that this is Oliver Platt's stage debut. 

That says something about Oliver Platt.  We are seeing more movie stars hit the stage in small short run plays that create tremendous amount of hype and early sell-outs.  Then to find the productions well done but the acting just okay.  Live performances are a whole different ballgame from movies and TV.  Yet, Oliver Platt has shown through his brilliant first time performance on stage that he can do film, theater and TV top notch.  He has has been nominated for a Tony as best actor.  My vote is certainly in. 

Shining City is well done but the standing ovation goes to Oliver Platt.