New York, New York – The mysterious, elusive “they” always say that the best theatre — the kind of theatre that is doing its job — is that which leaves audiences thinking.  Better than that even is when audiences leave a theatre talking and continue those discussions into the privacy of the rest of their evening.  Such was my experience in seeing David Mamet’s Oleanna, currently making its Broadway debut with Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman.  Oleanna carries some heavy issues concerning power struggles, elitist separation, and the heavy hammer of sexual misconduct…all set in the context of contemporary academia and the sometimes dangerous manipulations that glaze higher education.  It is a tricky play, with Mamet’s stylized and difficult language structure, and often a play that has the potential to leave audiences watching the clock.  This production, directed by Doug Hughes and currently playing at the Golden Theatre on 45th, proved to be an extraordinary exception.  All you need to know concerning the success of this production is that the audience I sat with Saturday night was wildly animated after the curtain went down, and continued their excitable discussions thoughout the talk-back, out the theatre doors, and all the way down the crowded 45^th Street.  From there, I can only imagine the conversations flourished even more.

Julia Stiles, making her personal Broadway debut as Carol, plays an overwhelmed and somewhat angsty college student desperate for aid (and, more importantly, a good grade) from her jittery, pedantic professor, John, played by Bill Pullman.  In the course of 80 minutes of pure dialogue between the two, we see a dangerous relationship set up and then meticulously destroyed due to mutual misunderstandings, with an extra dose of outrageous impropriety on both parts.  John’s condescending attitude toward Carol’s education is thrown in his face, sparking a change of gears in his consideration of the young student — one that will interminably surmount to his demise.  The question of boundaries is huge.  The question of perspective is pivotal.  What Carol perceives John doing to her, and what John perceives Carol receiving from him, creates a messy playground of teacher/student relations with nothing at stake to win and everything to lose.

Stiles is quite fascinating to watch.  Her handling of the language and her pairing with Pullman is spot-on and fast-paced.  Her moments of outrage catch you by surprise but are followed through with great accuracy, and her moments of vulnerability are pure and honest.  Pullman’s vocal address of the text and the moments is varied and interesting, and his physical ticks and quirks add to the overall picture of academic suitability.  The two play off each other beautifully, keeping time with one another and allowing a musical mayhem to emerge from the dialogue.

It should be said that it is a wordy play.  In fact, wordy doesn’t even do the script justice.  It is words.  At times deeply verbose, the play is best followed when the actors can trundle through the letters and phrases and create implications beyond the surface of the text.  This production was clearly interpreted and left the audience gasping for breath over their dismay and intrigue surrounding the arms race that takes place.  Not to mention Hughes wraps the whole thing up with a glorious fight scene — nice and dirty, and dragged out just a little longer than is comfortable, which is exactly the affect that feels right after watching such a verbal spar.

As a part of their opening efforts, each performance is followed by a talk-back lead by industry professionals, lawyers, and psychoanalytical minds all eager to put in their two cents.  But the professionals didn’t stand a chance.  It was the audience that had all the talking to do.  From the moment the curtain went down, I listened to my fellow theatergoers relieve themselves of the thoughts and opinions that had been building as the play went on.  None of the talk concerned the actors or the technical elements of the show…it was all about the characters.  The suspension of disbelief had been successfully achieved.  During the talk-back, hands were constantly shooting up to answer questions and offer opinions (at times steering in the direction of slightly too much personal information, but everyone has a story to tell!).  At one point, a young girl even leaped to her feet to shout back her heated response to the material being discussed.  For lack of a better word, it was awesome.  Having been in the theatre for most of my life, it was exhilarating to be part of an audience who could not say enough concerning the issues presented on the stage.

Walking out of the theatre, the talk continued.  All the way down the street, I listened to people discussing amongst themselves.  Even my post-show dinner was consumed with talk.  People were talking…about theatre!

It is one thing for me to write about how I think a particular actor performed a role…but who am I to say?  I could talk of production value or artistic choices, but where is it my place to judge?  It is concrete, though, for me to say that I witnessed this production succeed because I witnessed a Broadway theater filled with a motley crew of New York natives and tourists alike, all fiercely reactive to the material presented to them.  There was no doubt in my mind, as I walked away, that something great had happened on that stage.  People of all backgrounds were talking about art.  That, to me, is (or should be) the pursuit, always.  To leave an audience thinking and talking…what a wonderful gift to give…and Oleanna gives it.   Visit www.oleannabroadway.com for more information, and join the discussion.