A Debate between Two Unlikely Companions

Theater Review

Not much is left unsaid when two men with several generations between them meet for a job interview, and their opposing intellectual viewpoints clash. One is a classicist, whose strict Eurocentrism offends and challenges the young modernist’s perspectives on life and literature. Both characters have something to teach and learn from the other in the world premiere of Canadian playwright Oren Safdie’s “The Last Word…,” which runs through July 31 at the Malibu Stage. Safdie’s previous play, “Private Jokes, Public Places,” was first developed at the Malibu Stage Company in 2001 and ran off Broadway last year. In “The Last Word…,” Henry Grunwald (Daniel J. Travanti) is a retired advertising executive who has decided to finally pursue his dream of being a playwright. His ad for an assistant is answered by Len Artz (Peter Smith), a New York University student and aspiring writer with a drastically different taste in drama. Where Henry prefers fantasy, Len desires reality, though the confident youth has a thing or two to learn about writing a realistic play. Len calls Shakespeare “simplistic…a glorified ‘Three’s Company’,” adding that at least the characters in the Greek tragedies actually have to live with their pain and grief. The interview quickly becomes an emotionally charged and comedic debate between two unlikely companions, which successfully pulls at the heartstrings while keeping the audience entertained. In many respects, Henry and Len are alike: intellectually stimulated, opinionated and temperamental. Both are Jewish, a bond that carries considerable weight for Henry, a Viennese Jew who escaped the Nazis. As the nearly blind Henry, Travanti (of “Hill Street Blues”) crafts a sympathetic character whose cynicism is balanced by his persistent hope for artistic success. In a relatively flawless Viennese accent, he expresses his disappointment in the modern world, with its crudity, unsophisticated fast pace and subsequent carelessness. Meanwhile, Len struggles with Henry’s outdated understanding of relationships between men and women. Smith delicately portrays Len, who is at first more of a passive character, and then reveals a more aggressive and sensitive side as he defends his own ideology and shares something about his life. Safdie’s clever dialogue steers the play, which moves quickly, with neither actor missing a beat. “What is play writing but music put to words?” Henry says. And in a climactic scene, he dramatically dictates his latest play, “Escape from Germany,” to Len, who types furiously while Henry, eyes closed and arms crossed, moves slowly across the room to the rhythm of his own, melodic punctuation (he indicates an ellipsis as a breathless “three dots”). Some of the most powerful scenes, however, are the moments of awkward silence during which Henry and Len impatiently wait for the laptop computer to reboot and accidentally slip into more meaningful conversation. The symbolic set design’two staggered desks, one large (center stage) and one small (stage right)’reflects the gap between two generations. Each with something to say, these two are brought together in an intimate setting where they confront their insecurities and connect over their drive for artistic expression. Safdie directs the talented duo, who previously appeared together in “Old Wicked Songs” at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre. Produced by Jackie Bridgeman, the show runs just under one hour and 30 minutes. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. at the Malibu Stage, 29243 PCH, just north of Heathercliff Road. Tickets are $25; $20 on Thursdays. Contact: 589-1998 or visit www.malibustagecompany.org.