Previews are awesome! It’s nice to see a mature Broadway show, but there is something to be said about the rawness of a preview. I recently saw “Blood from a Stone” in previews at the Acorn Theatre and it was just that …. raw, but in a good way. The play, written by Tommy Nohilly and directed by Scott Elliott, is a darkly comic portrayal of a working-class family in New Britain, CT.
Here are my Top 5 reasons to see “Blood from a Stone” at the Acorn Theater:
1) Ethan Hawke
2) Gordon Clapp
3) Broken Windows and leaking ceilings
4) Blood and fighting
5) Dysfunctional family issues
Gordon Clapp, Thomas Guiry, and Ethan Hawke in “Blood From a Stone,” at the Acorn Theater.
Gordon Clapp and Ethan Hawke are exceptional as father and son respectively in “Blood From a Stone.” You probably know Clapp from his days as Detective Greg Medavoy on NYPD Blue. He raises the stakes to a new level in this play. Clapp’s interaction with his family (wife, two sons, and a daughter) is the most engaging part of the play. Natasha Lyonne, who plays Hawke’s sister, also is outstanding in her one scene with Hawke. Gemma Wilson from the Broadway Buzz recently interviewed her about the role. Read about it here.
At one point during the play, when everyone was laughing hysterically, my buddy Jesse turned to me and said “I don’t think this is very funny.” He was right. It was depressing, but it was also funny and you didn’t know whether to laugh at the family or feel sorry for them.
My critique would be that the ending didn’t seem to work. There is so much character development throughout the play that I was hoping for some sort of resolution or answers to my questions. An audience member said that they recently cut the length of the play so I am sure they are adjusting a few things to bring a little more color to the ending.
I also saw it and thought Ethan was great….has gordon clapp done any other stuff off broadway?