Last night, Kate and I went with our friend and colleague Elizabeth to see Glengarry Glen Ross.
There was a time in my life when I liked Mamet plays — it overlapped sharply with the time in my life that I liked Quentin Tarantino films. And while Reservoir Dogs will always have a place in my heart, that place has changed. I now think of it as one of many average “double-cross” movies, rather than a pressure-cooker of male aggression. But when I was a kid, oh man, it was all about the tough guys.
If you want something like the experience of seeing Glengarry Glenn Ross as performed at the Duluth Playhouse last night, but are not versed in the styles and tricks of Mamet, you might imagine the cast of Steel Magnolias playing all of the roles in Reservoir Dogs.
But maybe that hackneyed chick flick is the wrong point of reference. The ladies last night were tough, they were funny, they were subtle when they needed to be and coarse when the play demanded it.
Dude, if you missed this play, you missed out.
