Catching Up - The Assembled Parties

Broadway in Spring is much like Film in December, or the East LA Interchange Thanksgiving Wednesday, or Santa's Workshop the week before Christmas.  That is, there are so many shiny wonders struggling for attention, that some get lost in the shuffle.
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And so it is, with the Tony nominations out I hanker to see one or two things I have missed to date.  Not Lucky Guy, watching Tom Hanks say damn and over-emote for 2 1/2 hours isn't my cup of burbon, but there are other things.  And I start a new job on Monday (BofA / Merrill), so yesterday was my last day to see a matinee for just me.
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I went to see The Assembled Parties.  It is nominated for Best Play, but I doubt it will win, and I doubt most people have heard of it.  Which is a giant shame.  It is a sparkling, witty two act show that is funny, sweet and does not suffer from forced drama - even when the situations would allow for it.  The Assembled Parties is what I expected Broadway to be from the olden days.  You know how in TV Shows or Movies about New York in the 1950s and 1960s people dressed up, and the snippets were always wildly entertaining with quips flowing and beautiful sets.  This was that show!
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The sets - the sets were stunning.  It was a Upper West Side apartments - massive on a turntable in the first act, where 7 different rooms were shown (in 4 spaces so set changes happened when the room was not facing the audience, and action happen simultaneously.  Beautifully done.  So well i had to check.  It was by Santo Loquasto, Woody Allen's scenic designer - and his love for New York, which shows in Woody Allen movies, was obvious in this piece.  In the second act, this set was replaced by a full stage entry, living room, dinging room, office motif that didn't move.  Amazing.
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Jessica Hecht and Judith Light in 1980

It is set over Christmas Day in 1980 (Act 1) and Christmas Day in 2000 (Act 2) and stars Jessica Hecht, Jeremy Shamos, Judith Light and Jake Silbermann along with 5 others that play only in Act 1.  Jessica Hecht (from Friends - Ross' ex-wife's new girlfriend) was a delight.  There is no other way to put it.  She shines, she glides, she lifts. She is the wife, partner, friend that you want to spend time with.  Sportive, sweet, engaging and not annoying (maybe a little dim).  Judith Light is the annoying Aunt that is funny as hell - once a year!
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Jake Silbermann, Judith Light and Jessica Hecht in 2000.