The Grand Manner

A gentle, poignant dose of nostalgia is in store for audiences of The Grand Manner, A. R. Gurney’s latest play, currently in performances at Lincoln Center.An examination of life in the theater and the legends made by it, The Grand Manner was inspired by Gurney’s encounter with theater star Katharine Cornell in 1948, after a performance of Antony and Cleopatra on Broadway. The first few moments of the show depict the encounter as it actually happened, and the rest of the play presents a fantasy of what might have happened if Gurney had remained backstage for just a little longer.A student an all-boy’s school, Pete (an excellent Bobby Steggert) arrives at the green room of the theater, having been introduced by a letter from his grandmother. He hopes the great Cornell will meet with him because he is from Buffalo, her hometown, which she is famously nostalgic about. After meeting Cornell’s assistant (and, later to be revealed, lover), Gertrude (Brenda Whele, brisk and dry), Pete encounters Cornell herself. Spiraling through a cycle of self-doubt and insecurity, she is anxious to discuss Buffalo with a fellow resident and experience a taste of home. As the evening progresses and bottles of Coca-Cola are replaced with glasses of whiskey, confessions are made, seductions are attempted and Pete leaves the room with a new career goal in mind: he is going to be a playwright.The actual events are somewhat difficult to believe, especially that Cornell would out herself and her husband as homosexuals to a young fan, but the combination of authentic performances and the fantasy-like aesthetics produce a believable, enjoyable, and thoroughly entertaining show.As Cornell, Burton is nothing short of brilliant, presenting the First Lady of Theater’s grace and beauty as well as insecurities. Her conflict about whether to continue her career believable, with Burton providing authenticity to a slightly over-dramatic inner dialogue.Cornell is on the break of making a change in her career: she believes she is no longer a daring actress and instead performs in the titular “grand manner” to audiences of wealthy grandparents. Her husband is urging her to work in television, but she thinks she may be done with acting altogether. As she discusses her career with Bobby, names such as Brando, Kazan, Miller and Williams are dropped casually, eliciting laughter from the audience (especially when she remarks that Charlton Heston has a promising career ahead of him). Burton’s graceful way of speaking, her naturally theatrical gestures and her sweeping gowns as she drapes herself on various pieces of furniture are all natural, humorous and endearing.Boyd Gaines gives a humorous performance as Cornell’s husband, Guthrie McClintic. Foul-tempered and impatient, Gains is a bit over-the-top at first, but he quickly mellows into an authentic character. Suave and smooth, his attempted seduction of Pete is a highlight of the evening.Whele is excellent as Cornell’s assistant and lover, amply providing sarcasm and dry wit to Pete while simultaneously coddling Cornell and hiding the truth from her. And as Pete, Steggert is incredibly likable, giving the most developed performance onstage. Cocky and arrogant, as well as insecure and naieve, Steggert continues to establish himself as one of the most promising actors on Broadway.The lush, velvety set is beautiful, further enhancing the idea of the entire evening as a fantasy. And while the last twenty minutes of the play drag slightly, and Cornell’s indecisiveness and, yes, grand manner, grow a bit tiresome, the lasting impression of the show is that of a truly lovely evening at the theater. One would hope Cornell would approve.