Friday, March 17, 2006

Bill W. and Dr. Bob

From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com

Subject: Quicktake - "Bill W. and Dr. Bob" by Bergman & Surrey

Date: Thurs, Mar 16, 11:35 PM

Quicktake on BILL W. AND DR. BOB

     Perhaps of most interest to those committed to the 12 step process, "Bill W. and Dr. Bob" is a very American piece of theatre, in the tradition of temperance melodramas. There's even Todd Gordon at the upright providing a musical background to somewhat excessive scene changes. The pace of the show is intentionally deliberate. The cast, led by consumate pros Robert Krakovski and Patrick Husted in the title roles, is solid, humanizing their characters as much as possible. Rachel Harker and Kathleen Doyle play the wives without descending into soap opera, while Marc Carver and Deanna Dunmyer play all the other roles, perhaps too many of them. Carver and Harker have been seen before at the New Rep, any of the others would be welcome again.

     "Bill W. and Dr. Bob" may be seen off-Broadway next year. It will be interesting to see if the piece attracts the same committed audiences that have led the New Rep to add shows to the current run. Fine tuning the script and a slightly less cumbersome scene change approach might help pick up the pace. And some sort of social counterpoint might make things less simplistic.



"Bill W. and Dr. Bob" by Stephen Bergman and Janet Surrey, Mar. 5 - 26

New Repertory Theatre at Arsenal Center for the Arts

Watertown Arsenal, (617) 923 - 8487
New Repertory Theatre

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