Harry Clarke

for a previous production "Take advantage of the opportunity to see Crudup at the top of his game in the new off-Broadway tour de force 'Harry Clarke' at the Vineyard and you’ll be forever glad you did...It’s a wild romp played with gusto, finesse, and awesome authenticity...The program credits the excellent Leigh Silverman as the director, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn Crudup directed himself. Whatever the case, 'Harry Clarke' is one of the oddest and most exhilarating theater triumphs of 2017." Full Review

for a previous production “Usually, Cale writes vehicles for himself; this time he outsourced the job to Crudup. The result is a joyful reinvention for both artists...Crudup delivers a tour de force...Cale establishes Philip's unhappy youth with such force that we find ourselves rooting for him...That we do so is due in no small measure to Crudup's seemingly effortless handling of the script...Watching Philip/Harry's wild ride provides an evening of wickedly enjoyable entertainment.” Full Review

for a previous production "A complex and engaging psychological study...Cale’s script is carefully developed: it has a well-defined dramatic arc and it features interesting and well-developed characters with engaging and believable conflicts...Under Silverman’s astute and unobtrusive direction, Crudup engages in a dramatic battle with the script and comes up the clear victor, unearthing Mr. Cale’s treasures and bringing Harry Clarke to life with inexorable energy and irrepressible wit." Full Review

for a previous production “Crudup can mug with the best of them in the different characters he assumes in this one-man show so cleverly written by Cale. It’s not the distinctive voicing of females or males, but the physical and emotional subtlety he swiftly assumes as he morphs into each...All unfolds through the vivid performance skills of an amazing Crudup relating this outrageous story that is both funny and sexually charged...This is a dazzling piece of writing directed by the exceptional hand of Silverman.” Full Review

for a previous production "A solo show with a compelling story told by a riveting actor in a tour-de-force performance...Crudup’s first-person delivery is mesmerizing. Flawlessly shifting from one to another...The show’s minimalist design allows us to focus on Crudup and his masterful delivery of the charismatic character and captivating narrative...An astutely written and insightfully performed study in character, identity, and persona that will have you laughing and leave you thinking about the nature of who you are." Full Review

for a previous production "Crudup soon has us forgetting this is a one-man play...The tale he tells is full of surprises, details, suspense; and there was total absorption...His is a tour-de-force performance, and it deserved the ovation that greeted him on his bows...This is exactly the sort of work that theaters like the Vineyard are mandated to offer, and they justify their leadership in this small group of explorers who sometimes come up with gold. This is one of those times." Full Review

for a previous production "Tony winner Billy Crudup charms the audience much as the character he plays charms the Schmidt family in David Cale’s riveting one-man show. In his first solo performance, Crudup is captivating as Philip Brugglestein...Silverman knows just when to get Crudup on the move...The writing is so sharp, and the performance so astute, with a cinematic fervor, that you can easily visualize the places Harry goes." Full Review

for a previous production “And with little more than a wooden deck chair, a small table, a wooden slated floor and a sky-blue background (the set is by Alexander Dodge, the lighting by Alan C. Edwards), Crudup's tour-de-force performance is a potent reminder that all you need for good theater is the actor's voice--as well as a good script, of course. It's also testimony to his having been well directed by Leigh Silverman, who seems to have gotten the best out of Crudup with his multiple voices and varied expressions.” Full Review

for a previous production “Crudup is stellar...The actor proves that Hollywood has not done enough to bring his charm and emotional malleability to the forefront. Thus, leave it to the theatre world, to show you the true extent of his talent in a thriller that redefines the genre...‘Harry Clarke’ is thrilling and mysterious...Unlike most thrillers, you cannot really say if Brugglestein/Clarke is a bad or good guy, which shows the intelligence from which Cale wrote the script...A must-see.” Full Review

for a previous production “Amazing, incredible, sexy and haunting—take your pick. But they all seem like puny adjectives in light of Crudup's Herculean achievement...It's an auspicious meeting of talents that finds Cale collaborating with Silverman, who has an unerring eye for small, subtle details...Good old-fashioned storytelling' at its finest...A deft examination of identity, personality and the ability to reinvent oneself at the drop of a hat, 'Harry Clarke' will delight you and terrify you in equal measure.” Full Review

for a previous production “Crudup appears to be having the time of his life in a sly role terrifically suited to his gifts...One of the best things about the play is that for a long time it leaves us bamboozled into believing...Crudup has a natural sense of drama that needs no underlining. His vulpine charm makes it impossible not to like him, even as he grows alarming...The production, directed by Silverman, is just as masterly, playing quietly on the theme of making much out of little.” Full Review

for a previous production “Slyly seductive and quietly creepy...The plot emits the musky scent of Highsmith’s dark and sexy thriller ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’. But Cale’s vivid details and imagery and tightly calibrated narrative gives the play its own distinction...Under the direction of Silverman, Crudup doesn’t make a false move...He glides seamlessly from one character to another — man, woman, gay, straight, drunk, sober. Playing an impostor, Crudup proves, once again, he’s the real deal.” Full Review

for a previous production “Cale has created a full-bodied play with a real plot that just happens to enable one actor to play all the characters...Entertaining as the plot Mr. Cale has concocted is, the real fun is to watch Crudup take on all these characters. Without costume or cosmetic changes, he assumes all these people's quirks, voices and physical stances...’Harry Clarke’ counts on Cale's witty script and Crudup's virtuoso performance to make us buy into some of the factual improbabilities.” Full Review

for a previous production "Crudup switches not only among Philip, Harry, and his sneering father, but also will transform himself with the widening of an eye, a deft riposte, into each member of the all-to-eager family. It’s a dazzler of a performance, choreographed with precision by director Leigh Silverman. It’s also quietly unsettling, I’d say even shocking, as we realize there’s a void where Harry’s soul should be. That’s what gives 'Harry Clarke' its inevitable poignancy." Full Review

for a previous production “Cale’s script is quite good, but the lion’s share of praise here belongs to Tony Award winner Crudup, who delivers -- under Silverman’s simple yet smart direction – the kind of tour-de-force solo performance that deserves to be remembered, even honored...He creates an entire world of believable characters...Still, there’s never one second during the show’s 80 minutes when you don’t know which character is talking and Crudup’s face even seems to change its features at times.” Full Review

for a previous production “Under the vivid and cinematic style direction of Silverman you could swear that there are more people on that stage than just Crudup...As good as the storytelling and as vital the direction, this is Crudup’s show all the way...There is a development near the end which I must say I found a bit impractical. Try to overlook that factor for this is still a very compelling work with a tour de force performance by Crudup.” Full Review

for a previous production "'Harry Clarke' may be a solo show but in the hands of expert director Leigh Silverman all the various characters that Harry or Philip (take your pick) speaks about comes vividly to life...Under the vivid and cinematic style direction of Silverman you could swear that there are more people on that stage than just Crudup...As good as the storytelling and as vital the direction, this is Crudup’s show all the way." Full Review

for a previous production "Billy Crudup is nothing short of ravishing in the titular role, embodying a host of characters as he recounts a tale of seduction and deceit. There’s a fluidity to his acting that is both unsettling and engrossing, as he transforms from an imposing midwesterner to an artsy young woman in the blink of an eye. Director Leigh Silverman moves Crudup around the stage in a dance that becomes remarkable in its specificity." Full Review

for a previous production "You should see 'Harry Clarke.' It’ll make you want to experiment with accents, renew your love for con men, and introduce you to a rather strange side of Billy Crudup...What I’ll say to those on the fence: 'Harry Clarke' is a moody, one man show thriller in the style of French cinema, featuring a 'Talented Mr Ripley' meets Chauncey Gardiner type character, which is packed in laughs and emotional moments that may just make you want to change your life." Full Review

for a previous production “Cale’s exciting ‘Harry Clarke’ is a magnificently fun ride to take with Crudup, who is given numerous great moments and thrilling acting choices...Crudup is magnetic, holding our attention completely...He keeps us leaning in nervously as we try to figure out where this play is heading...Directed by the wonderful Silverman, the piece drives forward with an anxious edge that borders on excitement, tension, and fear of discovery.” Full Review