RedTwist Theater's gender-blind production of David Mamet's ubiquitous "Glengarry Glen Ross" initially had me worried. Intended as a window into the ruthless, decidedly male world of sales, GGR seems an unlikely candidate for gender-bending. While it took a while to acclimate to a scarlet-nailed Richard (the riveting Jacqueline Grandt), and a sniveling George (Debra Rodkin, surprisingly well-cast), by the start of the brisk second act, stark femininity had faded in the face of compelling characters and methamphetamine-fueled dialogue. This is not to say that questions such as "Why is Richard talking about being sucked off by a woman while seducing a male customer who responds by sliding his arm protectively along the back of Richard's chair?" didn't remain niggling distractions. However, given the fact that Mamet approved the production with the caveat that "not a single word of text be altered," such an outcome cannot be helped.
As monologues gave way to epithet-laced shouting matches and the straightforward plot kicked the action up a notch, Adam Webster's confident direction did justice to Mamet's rapid-fire script. While each actor contributed to GGR's testosterone-saturated pace and high-octane energy, standouts included afore mentioned, pitch-perfect Grandt, Eric Hoffman's slimy Dave Moss, and Brian Perry as desperate old-school salesman, Shelly Levene. While the insertion of women into an already compelling play may not have been strictly necessary, in the end it added an interesting dimension to an old favorite, and took nothing important away.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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