Review-The Coast of Utopia-Shipwreck (1.7.07)

The Coast of Utopia-Shipwreck (Sunday, 1.7.07, 3 p.m.)
Vivian Beaumont Theatre (Lincoln Center)

Starring: Brian F. O’Byrne (Alexander Herzen), Jennifer Ehle (Natalie Herzen), Josh Hamilton (Nicholas Ogarev), Jason Butler Harner (Ivan Turgenev), Billy Crudup (Vissarion Belinsky), Patricia Conolly (Mme. Haag), David Harbour (George Herwegh), Bianca Amato (Emma Herwegh), Ethan Hawke (Michael Bakunin), Adam Dannheisser (Karl Marx), Martha Plimpton (Natasha Tuchkov), Amy Irving (Maria Ogarev), Richard Easton (Leonty Ibayev)

In the opening moments of Shipwreck, the second part of Tom Stoppard’s Russian trilogy, Alexander Herzen appears, seated, suspended in the air as the sea, while wind-whipped sheets flutter below and around him. It is as if Herzen is out at sea, a single man amidst an ocean. But Herzen is not drowning, he does not seem lost and solitary, rather, he is floating in the heavens, treading treacherously above the raging sea beneath. It is a powerful image that makes the heart race, but more importantly, it is a powerful image that portends what will come in the next three hours.

During the miraculous proceedings that follow, the character of Herzen does struggle -- he struggles with his ideas, with his life, with his love, with his priorities. But Herzen is never swallowed up by it; rather, he remains the rapt focus of our attentions. Played brilliantly by Brian F. O’Byrne, Herzen captivates, with humor, with passion, with emotion -- we remain spellbound, waiting for each subsequent word to be formed by his lips. So captivating is O’Byrne that, were this part not so focused on Herzen, he would threaten to throw the entire proceedings out of balance.

If fact, though, O’Byrne is just one brilliant part of this magnificent second part of the trilogy. Here Stoppard is at his absolute best -- writing witty exchanges of ideas that would seem to be the kind of exchanges that these so-called intellectuals would have uttered. Whereas Part I seemed almost muted in these exchanges (and part of the reason for this, in retrospect, is the fact that Michael Bakunin, who was all about action and no substance, was the center of that part), here they shimmer and crackle.

The production also benefits by getting away from the Bakunin household to tell the much more poignant story of Herzen, Herzen's wife Natalie (a luminous Jennifer Ehle), and his deaf son. For while there is a good deal to admire and enjoy in Stoppard’s witty exchanges, the piece finds its emotional depth in what happens to the individual characters. It is in part two that we not only learn of the tragedies that befall Herzin, but also of the imprisonment of Bakunin, and the death of Billy Crudup’s compelling Belinsky, who figured so centrally in the latter half of The Voyage.

Shipwreck also benefits from historical events, which help to whip forward the action and propel the piece forward by giving more context. In this case, it is the second Paris revolution of 1848 which, while a big flop in the revolutionary sense, figured prominently into the thoughts of these Russian thinkers. The revolution also provides one of the more dramatic and captivating displays and innovative use of set pieces.

There are other excellent supporting performances here, particularly Jason Butler Harner, who is exudes warmth and thoughtfulness as the writer Turgenev. There is also David Harbour’s half-German George Herwegh, who is humorous as the overgrown child who is also Herzen’s wife’s lover. And Amy Irving delivers a delicious cameo appearance as Nicholas Ogarev’s wife, Maria, who refuses to give him a divorce and has some wonderfully lusty exchanges with Natalie.

Jack O’Brien’s seamless direction takes full advantage not only of his terrific central cast, but also of the large “chorus” which simulates the Russian peasantry. His use of simple elements -- such as tree branches -- to ground the piece to mother Russia is exemplary. O’Brien's efforts are well complemented by Bob Crowley’s sumptuous set and Kenneth Posner’s excellent lighting design. While The Voyage was an adequate prelude and introduction to Stoppard’s world of early 19th century Russia, nothing quite prepares you for the breathtaking pace and passion of part two. If in crafting Part III the creators can capture a fraction of the magic on display in Shipwreck, then they will have on their hands an enormous success.