The Babylon Line
About the show
Lincoln Center Theatre presents Richard Greenberg's new drama about a writer and the special student who reawakens his artistic impulses. Starring Josh Radnor ('How I Met Your Mother') and Elizabeth Reaser ('Twilight').
Levittown, 1967. It’s the first night of an adult-ed Creative Writing course in a classroom at the local high school. The teacher, Aaron Port (Radnor), lives in Greenwich Village and reverse commutes once a week on the Long Island Rail Road’s Babylon line to Wantagh. His students are a mixed bag: Frieda Cohen, Anna Cantor, and Midge Braverman, housewives all, embrace each other on arrival. The two men in the class, Jack Hassenpflug and Marc Adams, keep mostly to themselves. One final student, Joan Dellamond, rushes in late. She is a housewife, but not like the others. Maybe this class will bring her, and Aaron, something that neither quite expects. Playwright Richard Greenberg is the author of numerous Broadway plays including 'Eastern Standard' and the Tony-winning 'Take Me Out.'
"'The Babylon Line' has abundant wit; but it’s a melancholy wit that is this playwright’s mid-career trademark…Greenberg has a gift for creating clear, distinct characters with elliptical dialogue...In the current production, expertly directed by Steppenwolf veteran Terry Kinney, the playwright’s efforts are enhanced by balanced, insightful performances from the seven cast members and the evocative scenic design and costumes." Full Review
"Greenberg has a knack for creating characters who consistently surprise us without contradicting what we already know about them, and he can spin a narrative that has the richness of a novel...Under Terry Kinney's direction, a fine cast brings this eccentric menagerie to life...Greenberg builds a marvelously complete universe with his characters...For all his irony and wit, Greenberg captures it in its twilight glory." Full Review
"Richard Greenberg has penned yet another fascinating character study...Mr. Greenberg certainly knows how to tell a story - and what a tangled web he does weave way out on the Babylon Line once a week in Levittown!...Tough, tender, interesting, a bit of Long Island history, and a generally magical evening in the theatre. Could Mr. Greenberg nip and tuck in a few scenes, sure. Did it matter? Not very much." Full Review
"If you love the way Greenberg writes about the extraordinary twists in ordinary lives — which I obviously do — you will be patient with the leisurely setup...Trust that with this prolific Tony-winning playwright, payoffs are eventually coming, lots of them, and they are worth the wait...Director Terry Kinney treats them at first like gossipy, close-minded cliches. We are meant to underestimate them, but Greenberg and Kinney have more in mind for this first-rate cast." Full Review
"What a beguiling and unpredictable play...While Greenberg could be criticized for being too discursive, that ends up being part of the play's charm, as stories and revelations about each character shed a different light on them...Kinney and his superb cast are attuned to the silent undercurrents of Greenberg's writing as much as the sly flourishes of wit and cruelty and the elegant streams of prose-like dialogue, making 'The Babylon Line' an idiosyncratic pleasure." Full Review
"Greenberg is clearly interested in endings, and he gives us a grand one in this thoughtful and sympathetic drama...Director Terry Kinney crafts potentially explosive moments with care and restraint, allowing the tension in the room to build slowly and surely until we are fully invested...Greenberg sacrifices the tragedy of the moment for the comedy of the long perspective — and we are grateful to him for it." Full Review
"Greenberg can’t seem to make up his mind what characters, plot line, or ideas he wants us to follow...Fortunately, his many detours and transgressions work only to keep us riveted...Greenberg and director Terry Kinney know precisely how to deliver and play, respectively, this material...One of the true theatrical pleasures of “The Babylon Line” is its dark playfulness...’The Babylon Line’ has much to say about the nature of creativity and how imagination shapes reality, and vice versa." Full Review
"A funny, smart, gently revelatory play...Terry Kinney’s direction builds mystery and tension...There is real chemistry between Reaser and Radnor. And all the performances are layered and complex...But what shines through most clearly is Greenberg’s witty, carefully structured writing. The character’s stories, while never overcomplicated or confusing, ultimately weave together in ways you don’t see coming...For a play about writing, it’s not so bad to have the script be the star." Full Review
"We're never worried the married teacher might end up with the married student — which stalls the narrative engine of the play. Happily, it doesn't much matter, because Greenberg's eloquence and sly wit translate into scenes of biting beauty when the students start reading their writing." Full Review
"Richard Greenberg's clever, sentimental and occasionally steamy drama...Played with the right touch of aching restraint in director Terry Kinney's faded memory of a production. Greenberg's choice to include a lengthy 'what happened to then next' epilogue is the only misguided move, especially when points concerning Aaron and Joan get rushed into an ending, but 'The Babylon Line' is still a pleasing excursion with good humor and warm pathos." Full Review
"One of those modest little gems that contains sparks of white light if you look hard enough…This is the kind of unpretentious but thought-provoking play that Lincoln Center always does to perfection…Kinney, who has done terrific work on this show, takes care to keep the chemistry between Aaron and Joan on the boil. But for sheer eccentricity and bittersweet feeling, what really resonates are the lives of all of these characters—especially the secret lives that emerge in their writing." Full Review
"The intimate nature of the small amphitheater-style setup lends itself nicely to Greenberg’s storytelling; when Radnor’s character breaks the fourth wall, it feels like a personal appeal...Aaron's infatuation with Joan feels a little forced — their chemistry doesn’t quite support their near-instant attraction. Luckily, that’s not an issue for the rest of the cast...The quiet, funny script resonates with the evergreen themes of community, desire, and self-discovery. It’s a memorable ride." Full Review
"Although 'The Babylon Line' is as funny and literate as his previous works, Greenberg seems to be struggling to unite all the separate threads into a smooth whole, awkwardly depending on the central character's breaking the fourth wall. Certainly, the play is populated by well-drawn personalities, but that isn't enough to make it work." Full Review
"A master wordsmith with a gift for poetic language and a sharp eye for characterization, Greenberg keeps us engrossed during this meandering journey, even if we’re still a bit flummoxed when the proverbial train finally pulls into the station...Greenberg knows the rules so well he feels free to break them, here, eschewing a simple linear plot...It’s amazing the play doesn’t collapse under its own weighty ambitions...Those seeking an easy ride might be better off staying home." Full Review
"It's all overambitious and too diffuse. Yet, Greenberg is still very much at the top of his game as a gifted wordsmith, which means bursts of lyricism as well as characterizing conversations filled with hilarious and stinging comments...The concluding update of how everyone fared over the years feels tacked on...But with Greenberg doing the neatening up, you can't help being glad that you took that train ride to suburbia with him." Full Review
"The mostly entertaining show, which features a number of well-drawn, idiosyncratic characters as well as playwright Greenberg’s signature wit, sympathy, and splendid use of language, is riddled with incongruities...Additionally, the piece seems to end two or three times, making the experience bottom heavy and overlong...Director Terry Kinney keeps the piece moving, creating attractive onstage pictures. There is, however, a missed opportunity for small idiosyncrasies." Full Review
"Greenberg’s look at a creative writing class in the local adult education program initially shows promise…The first act proceeds smoothly, but after intermission things go seriously off the rails. The second act is overlong and overwrought, burdened with lame gimmicks and false endings…Director Terry Kinney gets tripped up in the second act problems." Full Review
"'The Babylon Line' is by Richard Greenberg; barbed repartee, shiny epigrams, and baroque arias of loss and longing all come with the territory...Director Terry Kinney steers a fine cast to a nice balance of whimsy and wistfulness...It’s the plotting and momentum of the second act in which things grow fuzzy and attenuated...The digressive wrapping up of narrative threads in the last 20 minutes unfolds less like compelling drama and more like dutiful housekeeping." Full Review
"Richard Greenberg is a master of word wars. Intelligent, clever word wars!...His arguments are Shakespearean in their verbiage, a heightened emotional state...At the end of the play there were polite applause but we want emotional connections–especially when there is so much promise. Emotionally we were left stranded on the boarding platform, hoping for another train to come our way." Full Review
"How then does a playwright turn such creative torpor into a decent yarn? Greenberg’s answer is to add increasingly large doses of eccentricity as the student authors supposedly lay bare their darkest fantasies...Under Kinney’s brisk direction, these anecdotes become plays that the ensemble perform with impressive dexterity...But, for all its cleverness, 'The Babylon Line' suffers from a basic dramatic flaw: both Aaron and Joan’s characters remain frustratingly static throughout its two hours." Full Review
"Greenberg has a beautiful way with language and a track-record of strong and interesting plays, so it’s disappointing to see him resort to suburban caricatures that have been done and overdone. There should also be a moratorium on all plays and stories set in creative writing classes. It’s a tired device...'The Babylon Line' has lyrical writing and strong performances by Radnor and Reaser. But like the train line it’s named after, the show ultimately needs a more inspiring destination." Full Review
"The more the pieces fall into place in Act II...the more entertaining and rewarding 'The Babylon Line' is. It's in the more intimate scenes that Greenberg stumbles and stands in the way of the play's greatness...Ignoring someone for two hours and then showing us in the last 10 minutes how vital they always were is a tricky prospect, and one that Greenberg has not nimbly navigated...The outcome may be worthwhile, but...sticking with these people until you reach it is not easy." Full Review
"‘The Babylon Line’ is an enjoyable, though flawed, play superbly acted…The classroom scenes are very well written…Yet, as usual with Greenberg's plays, ‘The Babylon Line’ desperately needs editing. Aaron's character is little more than a cipher, yet he narrates the play and functions as its central character…Josh Radnor has to hold his part and the play together by the force of his own personality…‘The Babylon Line’ has some fine moments but doesn't totally cohere." Full Review
"One of Greenberg's less fulfilling, a semi-mishap, the mind-troubling aspects of which give out only faint rewards. Yet as it travels in its odd, meandering, unsatisfactory way, it stirs up some genuinely intriguing ideas. It also gives opportunities for a clutch of fine performances…'The Babylon Line' bulges in odd places, seems to stall in others, and tends to feel alternately as if nothing were happening and too much had been crammed in." Full Review
"Greenberg's expressive characterizations are delivered by a top-notch cast but unfortunately, their stories grow tiresome, leisurely unraveling for almost 2-1/2 hours...Greenberg did an estimable job in finding the depth of these characters with a fast-forward epilogue which makes a fairly satisfying, although tedious, tie-up to the 50-year span framing this play. Unfortunately, while the cast deftly paints portraits of familiarity, the play fails to draw sparks." Full Review
See it if You like ensemble character-driven plays.
Don't see it if You like more quick action in your plays.
See it if you enjoy story-telling theater, and like the process of telling stories more than necessarily being surprised or riveted by the content
Don't see it if you want edgy stories with a profound or lasting impact
See it if you're interested in the ideas of stories and how they're told, and/or if you're from Long Island (there are lots of fun references).
Don't see it if you prefer musicals, or are looking for a more innovative/fringe play.
See it if you: like comedies that poke fun at pretentious academics & suburbanites; like Josh Radnor, enjoy Jewish-themed jokes, like light comedy.
Don't see it if you are offended by caricatures of Jewish Long Island matrons & academics, don't like comedies with a narrator, don't like Josh Radnor.
See it if You don't mind being able to figure the plot points early, want some decent acting, and to laugh- I was pleasantly surprised to laugh often
Don't see it if You want depth, for a story to slowly reveal, or a profound experience
See it if you enjoy thoughtful and amusing discussions of writing, and catty jokes from old ladies.
Don't see it if you'll be bored by extended prose monologues, or if you like things to happen in your plays.
See it if You like Greenberg's work and have the patience for his less than excellent writing. Interesting character development and wonderful cast.
Don't see it if Jewish stereotypes offend you. Poorly resolved story lines frustrate you.
See it if The suburban middle class gathering setup belies the rich character studies created by Greenberg and imaginative staging by Kinney
Don't see it if <spoiler> there is a line that suggests a link to another Greenberg play - the thought of a trilogy took me out for 1 minute
See it if You want to see some great acting.
Don't see it if The play is weak .
See it if you are looking to get exposure to different playwrights.
Don't see it if you are looking for something engaging.
Also This show is slow moving and leaves the audience unfulfilled.
See it if there's a place in your heart for 1960's Long Island. Some fun familiarity (remember Jan's). Graff/Holston and Wood doing good work..
Don't see it if You're easily bored by banal story telling. Not close to Greenberg's better work, Take Me Out or Assembled Parties. But better than his last
See it if You want to se some wonderful theater veterans give spot-on performances. And if you've ever lived in a suburb you'll relate.
Don't see it if You want something short and sweet.
See it if A nostalgic look back at a certain place in time from Long Island. Randy Graffand Frank Wood steal the show. Funny.
Don't see it if If you're not familiar with LI in the '60s, you might not get the references. I found Elizabeth Reaser annoying.
See it if I thought the performances were pretty good but the play seemed a bit lazy. I'm a fan of the author but this is not his best work.
Don't see it if It's a rather boring plot. People taking a creative writing class. Some laughs but not enough to carry you through 2 and a half hours.
See it if You can relate to people who use creative writing as a mirror to their souls, in a well done show about their interactions with each other.
Don't see it if You are looking for a musical and the premise doesn't spark an interest.
See it if You like Richard Greenberg plays and are from Long island
Don't see it if you like things tied up in a bow. It feels like a novel.
See it if A poor play with uninteresting characters not well performed. Goes nowhere!
Don't see it if If you want to be engaged by an interesting problem well done!
See it if A pretty good play from Richard Greenberg being given a good production by LCT & Terry Kinney, but we've been here many times before.
Don't see it if Many of the actors come out of character to play in short scenes as other characters which plays with your idea of their main roles.
See it if you enjoy good writing, interesting situations and characters, and an unpredictable plot line, even if the play is too long.
Don't see it if you are allergic to actresses who substitute mannerisms for truthful human behavior. Just one can undermine everyone else's work!
See it if After a fast-moving, well-written first act, you don't mind being bored and disappointed with a long 2nd act that badly needs editing.
Don't see it if Like plays that are tightly written.
See it if you want to be entranced by a smart, small little show. You love HIMYM and want to see Ted Mosby onstage.
Don't see it if You crave spectacle or you're one of those types averse to stories about writers.
See it if you are patient and happy to see snippets of something good. the core story is compelling, but the rest is lazy story telling
Don't see it if you can't stand plays that meander off their topic. lots could be cut from this, especially when the lead talks to his audience directly
See it if you are willing to wait and see how things develop and how characters interrelate. Not much action but interesting dynamics
Don't see it if you need intense entertainment and are put off but characters rather cliched but still interesting on a deeper level
See it if You want to experience a very original and creative play by the talented Richard Greenberg. Excellent cast and performances,esp.Reaser&Graff
Don't see it if You prefer straight forward,step by step plots.It is a quirky and unusual play and may not be for everyone's tastes
See it if you are a fan of Graff's. There is some mystery and it has some funny vignettes. It's cute.
Don't see it if writing meanders aimlessly in the first act to have some cute ex-machina sense made out of it at the very end. Acting is severely uneven.
Also The chemistry between the main characters is virtually non-existent. T... Read more Read less
Cast & Creatives (16)
Play a fun game
Get alerts about your favorite artists and theater companies
