Great quote from this Thornton Wilder play that keeps it timeless, whether from the original Broadway production or the only theatrical film version of it (1940), and at least three TV versions. Not to mention umpteen Broadway and Off-Broadway revivals, and a musical version that was written ("Grovers Corners") but not as yet performed in New York City. This all-star version is brilliantly staged, filmed in what appears to be an empty warehouse, with minimal sets, and lots of action going on in spots where characters were not involved in the action at that particular moment.
At the center of any production is the character of the narrator, and there have been many discussions as to who he actually is. Is he a current resident of Grover's Corners, or is he a ghost of someone from the past? The play itself is a combination of joy and sadness, with the first act giving the young characters played by Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor lots of promise, and shattering all of that as the play continues. The first act ends with a wedding, and the second begins with the funeral, and narrator Hal Holbrook lets the viewer know of certain future events during the first act to give an indication of the gloom of what will come.
Top notch performances by Ned Beatty, Sadie Thompson and Barbara Bel Geddes, as well as Charlotte Rae in a smaller part, and a large ensemble of characters of all ages, makes the generic title so much more. I usually hate generic titles, but in this case it works because "Our Town" is a very strong metaphor that will mean different things to different people. This is a reminder for some that when life is over, it is done, and the curtain has gone down, just as it is a reminder that when you leave one place in your life, that curtain is down as well, and if you try to re-raise it, you'll be very disappointed by the second act. Probably one of the most revived plays in theater history outside of Shakespeare, and up there with "It's a Wonderful Life" as one of the most haunting ghost stories ever written.
At the center of any production is the character of the narrator, and there have been many discussions as to who he actually is. Is he a current resident of Grover's Corners, or is he a ghost of someone from the past? The play itself is a combination of joy and sadness, with the first act giving the young characters played by Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor lots of promise, and shattering all of that as the play continues. The first act ends with a wedding, and the second begins with the funeral, and narrator Hal Holbrook lets the viewer know of certain future events during the first act to give an indication of the gloom of what will come.
Top notch performances by Ned Beatty, Sadie Thompson and Barbara Bel Geddes, as well as Charlotte Rae in a smaller part, and a large ensemble of characters of all ages, makes the generic title so much more. I usually hate generic titles, but in this case it works because "Our Town" is a very strong metaphor that will mean different things to different people. This is a reminder for some that when life is over, it is done, and the curtain has gone down, just as it is a reminder that when you leave one place in your life, that curtain is down as well, and if you try to re-raise it, you'll be very disappointed by the second act. Probably one of the most revived plays in theater history outside of Shakespeare, and up there with "It's a Wonderful Life" as one of the most haunting ghost stories ever written.