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Frank Langella stars as an unscrupulous financier in Roundabout’s expert revival

BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

BROADWAY REVIEW

A ripe hunk of Camembert, “Man and Boy” is a deliciously old-school drama by Terence Rattigan ably served by an excellent production that stars the great Frank Langella being delectably wicked.

Sure, Roundabout Theatre Company’s “Man and Boy” revival may be dismissed as merely so much cheese and ham by some viewers, but I find it yummy. Anyone with a taste for old-fashioned Broadway theatrics richly furnished will enjoy the production that opened Sunday at American Airlines Theatre.

This 1963 play even turns out to be timely, since Rattigan’s story centers on an international financier threatened to be exposed as a swindler whose crash will rock the world’s markets.

Set in 1934, the play neatly unfolds in a basement apartment in Greenwich Village where the celebrated capitalist Gregor Antonescu (Langella) seeks refuge with his estranged son Basil (Adam Driver). Hounded by the press and rumors of his possible ruin, Antonescu needs a secret place to negotiate a last-ditch merger of companies with Mark Herries (Zach Grenier), a corporate chief with a hidden yen for men.

For all of his dark genius, Antonescu is slowly revealed as an amoral soul who will do virtually anything to succeed, including pimping out his son to Herries to sweeten his projected deal. For all of his socialist-leaning repudiation of his dad, Basil (who is established by the playwright as straight from the get-go) turns out to be hopelessly devoted, which the unscrupulous Antonescu understands all too well.

As Antonescu’s empire totters, his trophy wife (Francesca Faridany) and closest advisor (Michael Siberry) show their mettle, too.

Perhaps best known for “The Winslow Boy” and “Separate Tables” among his many hits, Rattigan was celebrated for crafting very well-made plays. “Man and Boy” is a prime example and director Maria Aitken, who staged that stylish “The 39 Steps” a few seasons ago, expertly fleshes out its mechanics.

Aitken and her designers scrupulously render the visual details; namely an atmospheric setting by Derek McLane, perceptive lighting by Kevin Adams and perfect-o 1930s clothes by Martin Pakledinaz. Sound designer John Gromada provides the intermittent rumble of a nearby subway, which suggests how the ground is crumbling beneath Antonescu’s feet. Nuances such as that greatly enhance the drama.

The first-class supporting players mentioned above portray their characters very ably, as does Virginia Kull in the fairly thankless role of Basil’s forthright girlfriend and Brian Hutchison as an increasingly flustered accountant frustrated by the tycoon’s guileful style. Further, the actors hold their own nicely with Langella, whose scene-stealing capabilities are given ample reign by his director.