NEW YORK—Revolution is a young man's game, and most such men are often swept aside by history to be all but forgotten by succeeding generations. These are some of the themes present in The Coast Of Utopia: Salvage, the final part of Tom Stoppard's trilogy about a group of literary activists seeking to bring change to Czarist Russia in the early-mid 19th century.
Salvage centers around writer Alexander Herzen (Brian F. O'Byrne), currently living in exile in England and entering middle age. While he still believes in intellectual freedom for Russia, the emancipation of the serfs, and an enlightened society, he's now admired more for his deep pockets than his ideals.
Having suffered through great personal loss (including that of his wife, children, and country), Herzen experiences vindication when he finally sees all he has fought for come to pass. However he quickly learns society is ill-equipped for such events and the ramifications that follow.
If Stoppard had focused on these issues, the work, with its ultimate lesson of how unimportant the individuals are in relationship to the cause, would have been fascinating indeed. Unfortunately the script introduces numerous soap opera elements, such as Herzen's relationship with his children, friends, and the women in his life. (And his friends' relationship with some of the same women.)
Too many plot points and characters are shoehorned into the story, and one is left with a rather jumbled feeling instead of a strong understanding of what is being presented.
O'Byrne is quite good as Herzen, as is Ethan Hawke as Michael Bakunin—the latter an eternal sponger and rabble-rouser always looking for a cause and making one up when there is no genuine struggle to be found. Richard Eastman and Jennifer Ehle, both of whom played other roles in the earlier episodes of the trilogy, are also enjoyable here. Direction by Jack O'Brien is okay.
However, just like the two earlier installments, The Coast Of Utopia: Salvage would have worked much better as a novel or mini-series.
Technical credits are excellent, especially Bob Crowley's and Scott Pask's set, Natasha Katz's lighting, and Mark Bennett's original musical and sound.
Also in the cast are Matt Dickson, Evan Daves, Annie Purcell, Kat Peters, Amanda Leigh Cobb, Vivien Kells, Felicity LaFortune, Patricia Conolly, Mia Barron, Tolan Aman, Brian Sgambati, David Cromwell, David Manis, Bianca Amato, Adam Dannheisser, Robert Stanton, Jennifer Lyon, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Larry Bull, Baylen Thomas, Anthony Cochrane, Erika Rolfsrud, Denis Butkus, Michael Carlsen, Aaron Krohn, John Hamilton, Martha Plimpton, Jason Butler Harner, Kellie Overbey, Andrew McGinn, David Harbour, David Christopher Wells, Scott Parkinson, Mia Barron, William Connell, Beckett Melville, Sophie Rudin, and Anabel Sosa.
The Coast Of Utopia: Salvage
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Vivian Beaumont Theater
150 West 65th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Closes: May 13th
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication THE STAGE.
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