A tale about priorities and the dangers of not appreciating what one has until it's gone, Patrick Marber's drama "Howard Katz" is a fascinating look at a man in emotional free-fall.
Set in present day London, Katz (Alfred Molina) is a hard-driving, foul-mouthed talent agent who has an almost obsessive need to be in control, one which constantly carries over to his personal life.
He's even put his faith on hold (he was raised Jewish) in order to concentrate on his work. But when a series of client defections knock Katz off his game, his increasingly erratic behavior causes both his professional and personal life to unravel.
What follows is a portrait of a man on an emotional downward spiral. Needing to have power over something, Katz drifts through one situation to another; from encounters with prostitutes, street hustlers, and gun dealers to betting heavily in a gambling casino.
Yet, all the while he's falling further away from those who once loved him. (All too often his repentances and attempts to understand his actions come way too late.) In a nice touch, the play begins when Katz is quite literally at the end of his rope, then flashes back to see what brought him to this point
A tale like this (which can be rather pedestrian) only works if you can identify with the lead character, and Molina (who's on stage for most of the play) is perfect as Katz. He imbues the character with enough caring, intelligence, and capacity for love to make him seem fully real as he changes from a huge egomaniac to a tiny man with no pride or self-respect. (The scenes where Katz begs for a job from people he once told off are excruciating to watch; yet his performance is such, one can't look away.)
Molina also has a strong script from which to work, as well as excellent direction from Doug Hughes. Scott Pask's sets and Christopher Akerlind's lighting are also quite good. Euan Morton, as a hustler Katz meets when at the depths of despair, is the standout among the very strong supporting cast, which also includes Max Baker, Charlotte Parry, Edward Hajj, Alvin Epstein, Patrick Henney, Elizabeth Franz, and Jessica Hecht.
Howard Katz
Presented by the Roundabout Theatre Company
Laura Pels Theatre
111 West 46th Street
Tickets: 212-719-1300 or www.roundabouttheatre.org
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
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