Stockard Channing Re-Awakens Odets' Classic

The awakening of members of a Jewish family in 1930s New York serves to represent the awakening of the American nation to a world of social change in Clifford Odets' ground breaking drama Awake and Sing!. Michael Attenborough's revival at the Almeida Theatre recreates the atmosphere of this classic American drama with a vivid sense of panache and punch.

Attenborough is served well by his cast. Ben Turner gives a powerful yet also delicately sympathetic performance as Ralph, the son who dreams of breaking free from the bonds of  family and the restraints imposed by the shackles of poverty. Josie Whittaker gives great support as his sister, Henny, seemingly trapped by an unwanted pregnancy into a marriage of convenience contrived by her mother, Bessie. Paul Jesson provides a perfectly poised performance as the father,  Myron, extracting all the humor underlying Odets' ascerbic script - humor which is even more deftly drawn by a wonderful performance by John Rogan as grandfather Jake, a left wing survivor of Cossack ravages in Russia who divides his time between ranting about the social deprivation of the times and listening to his revered collection of the recordings of Caruso.

But is it Stockard Channing who stands supreme even amongst this excellent cast. As the matriarch, Bessie, she moves effortlessly between moments of supreme comic timing and explosive dramatic energy. This is a tour de force performance that reinforces Channing's standing as a major actress (if it ever needed reinforcing after an illustrious career that has included Emmy Award status for another tour de force performance as First Lady Abby Bartlett in Aaron Sorkin's prestigious political small screen drama "The West Wing").

In the 1930s Clifford Odets was a pioneering dramatic writer who made a major contribution to the evolution of the dramatic art and it is perfect testimony to his genius that his writing still has the same impact today - and anyone who ventures to the Almeida to witness this quite stunning production will be privileged to experience a funny yet also highly moving portrayal of one of the major works of a major American playwright.