Baseball as a metaphor of Life?
Richard Greenberg’s play chronicles the following ups and downs of Darren and his team mates after his coming out as well as the reaction of the press, the fan, the Nation (and the public facing some scene of full frontal male nudity).
The play is not about sex, not about being Gay but deals with the major issues of race, sexual awareness and politics using Baseball as a metaphor for life. Some would certainly find it ridiculous but if considered as a metaphor of American Life, it could work.
Baseball, as explained by Darren’s closeted business manager, is the epitome of Democracy. Baseball is even better than democracy because Baseball is “more mature”.
I know nothing about Baseball but I understand that it is an important part of the American way of life and that it unites American people from different background and origin. This is reflected in the play by the multicultural and ethnic composition of the team. Darren is Afro American and his team mates are Whites, Hispanics and Japanese.
After Darren’s coming out, the unity of the team and by extension the unity and image of the American Nation will start to crumble. What was kept “closeted” will comes out and we are not only talking about sexuality here.
Greenberg exposes the real America hidden behind the veal of a united melting pot, a land of free speech and freedom and of all opportunities. It’s clever, well written, very funny and not as pessimistic that it looks like. It is not a critic of America, rather an exposition of America’s legend, and a parable the parable of the Land of Freedom.
Through Baseball America built a day-to-day modern history, with time markers, era, epochs and finds unity and somehow a meaning for life.
I don’t know how it will be received when played in New York, but I greatly enjoyed it and one thing it did for me is that it started of an interest in Baseball. I want now to know more. A must see.
Roger JG London N5 - USER: Whatsonstage.com
29 Jul 02
How wrong you are, WOS. This is a very good play, extremely well staged, with fine performances all round. In comparison with the current English and Irish penchant for dull monologues, this is drama and as such is very welcome in a very dull west end. - USER: Whatsonstage.com
22 Jul 02
My wife couldn't relate to all the baseball stuff but loved the second and third acts all the same . This play confronts many of the prejudices , silent and spoken , that all men encounter at some time --- particularly those that play or have played sport !! The WOS review is harsh but not fair . - USER: Whatsonstage.com
16 Jul 02
A good blend of humour and drama packed with outstanding performances. The show may have been a little overlong but it always maintained the audiences interest. This play works extremely well in the intimacy of the Donmar. - USER: Whatsonstage.com
14 Jul 02
This is a triumph of acting and direction over material. Neal Huff, Daniel Sunjaya, Frederick Weller and Dennis O'Hare are all excellent. Greenberg's intentions cannot be faulted as he wants to show how much racism and homophobia there is in society and how, when material gain gets in the way, people may be prepared to put their "liberal" values to one side. But good intentions are not enough. The play is laborious, repetitive and sentimental. - USER: Whatsonstage.com
13 Jul 02
An enjoyable evening at the theatre. Witty play, great performances, likeable characters. I felt the 3rd act was slightly drawn out, but my other half disagreed and loved every moment. This is a very different piece of writing, and I recommended it to some workmates who loved it too. The WOS rating seems rather skewed - remember the kindness shown to drivel like Mother Molly's Clap House? This is an infinitely more intelligent and enjoyable evening. - USER: Whatsonstage.com
08 Jul 02
I think the WOS review is spot on, although 2 stars (the same rating as "Up for Grabs")seems unfair-it is not a bad play. It is however too long and most UK audience members will be baffled by the dreary "Baseball as a metaphor for life" theme that runs through the play. The quality of the performances was excellent though and the final part of the play is quite hard hitting. The shower scenes are certainly eye opening-can I just say that some of those guys seem never to have possesed a pair of hair clippers though-eeeuuuggh! - USER: Whatsonstage.com
01 Jul 02
The best thing about the play is the humour - some of the dialogue is extremely funny. But the hackneyed old "baseball as metaphor for life" stuff really doesn't play - not in this country anyway. Baseball is a sport so unremittingly tedious that Americans have to make up an excuse for watching it - and every baseball film comes out with the same "it's part of our past" "wow, it's so symmetrical" hokum. What seems like hours of nonsensical monologuing on this subject seriously detracts from the action, the credibility of the play, and the likeability of the characters, and turns what could have been a funny and enjoyable play into something faintly irritating. The melodramatic element seems quite formulaic, too. - USER: Whatsonstage.com
29 Jun 02
Yes, the show does have balls, so to speak, but it's a bit long (so are some of the balls!) - USER: Whatsonstage.com
28 Jun 02
Great shower scenes - forget the Full Monty, these boys let it all hang out! - but the play's a bit wet in other respects. - USER: Whatsonstage.com
28 Jun 02
I loved this play. It is very long but tells a great story and the performances are brilliant. I think Whatsonstage.com's reviewer has been very unfair. - USER: Whatsonstage.com
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