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Laura Linney: "American Classic"

 Laura Linney's career-defining role--in "You Can Count on Me"--requires her to be tightly wound, teetering, furious. It's like a "Laurie Metcalf" role. In one of my all-time favorite movie scenes, Linney has just one word--and she fits a world of hopefulness and terror into that word. (She has picked up a phone, and after a moment, she says her brother's name. "Terry.")


"American Classic" allows Linney to revisit her famous role. The show is like a variation on a theme--for Linney. Once again, Linney is outwardly poised, impatient, well-meaning, somewhat ridiculous. Her character, Kristen, will not listen to her daughter's wish to say "no" to the University of Pennsylvania. Kristen is eager to sabotage herself; when her critics say she should resign from her office, she quickly decides that they are right. In certain funny, climactic moments, Kristen refuses to participate in the absurd "truth circle" that the local community-theater actors have designed for themselves. Kristen is always arriving late or coughing loudly during the confessions.

At the same time, Kristen is obviously talented and at least semi-aware that her performance of maturity isn't working. She gets two big set-piece numbers--"Big Spender" and the Mrs. Webb monologue from "Our Town." The Mrs. Webb monologue is especially exciting. Among Kristen's many "layers" during this speech, you can detect the sense that she has made a mess of her own life (and the desire to think about possible course-corrections).

Laura Linney should just be featured in everything. It's bizarre to me that--in this cast of Tony winners--Linney is the one who does *not* have a Tony. (She should have won for "Time Stands Still.")
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