Straight Line Crazy

Straight Line Crazy
Straight Line Crazy
Written by	David Hare
Directed by	Nicholas Hytner
Date premiered	16 March 2022
Place premiered	Bridge Theatre; London
Original language	English
Subject	History, architecture, new york city
Genre	Drama
Setting	1920s-1960s New York City

Straight Line Crazy is a play written by David Hare, directed by Nicholas Hytner which opened in previews at the Bridge Theatre in London on March 16, 2022 before officially premiering on March 23, 2022.[1] The play is set in the 1926s through the 1960s in New York City and centers around the life of Robert Moses portrayed by Ralph Fiennes.[2] Fiennes stars as Moses, once a powerful men in New York and the "master builder" of infrastructure from new parks and bridges to over 600 miles of expressways. During his working life, he served on the New York State Council of Parks and was the New York Secretary of State. Though never elected to office, he used a mix of charm and intimidation to manipulate the people and events in his favor.

Motivated at first by a determination to improve the lives of New York City’s workers, he created new parks, new bridges and 627 miles of expressway to connect the people to the great outdoors. But in the 1950s, groups of citizens at grass roots began to organize against his schemes and against the motor car, campaigning for a very different idea of what a city was and for what it should be.

The play will be shown in theatres in association with National Theatre Live in the fall of 2022.[3]

Background

The play was written by British playwright David Hare and directed by Nicholas Hytner.

Plot Summary

The show revolved around Robert Moses who at the start of his career, helped create dozens of bridges and miles of road to better serve the community. His charm helped him. His intimidating presence ensured that everyone listened to him. This change was met by public outcry though, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography by Robert Caro took Robert Moses down. Regardless of his actions, Moses changed the New York City skyline.[4]

Cast

Role	Bridge Theatre March 2022
Robert Moses	Ralph Fiennes
Mariah Heller	Alisha Bailey
Finnuala Connell	Siobhán Cullen
Carol Amis	Dani Moseley
Ariel Porter	Samuel Barnett
Henry Vanderbilt	Guy Paul
Stamford Fergus	David Bromley
Lewis Mason	Ian Kirkby
Jane Jacobs	Helen Schlesinger
Sandy McQuad	Al Coppola
Shirley Hayes	Alana Maria
Nicole Savage	Mary Stillwaggon Stewart
Governor Al Smith	Danny Webb

NT Live Screenings

A performance of the play was recorded and will be screened in UK cinemas on May 8 2022 and in international locations on September 8, 2022 through NTLive.[5]

Critical reception

Critical reception for the play has been near universal in particular for the leading performance of Robert Moses by Ralph Fiennes. Variety declared, "Fiennes is all boldly convincing, controlled threat, his monomania teetering on the edge of malevolence".[6] In The Guardian's five star rave review, critic Mark Lawson described Fiennes' performance as "enthralling" adding, "This is Hare’s most dramatically gripping and politically thoughtful play since The Absence of War three decades ago and provides another acting triumph for Fiennes".[7]

References

"Straight Line Crazy". Bridge Theatre. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
"Ralph Fiennes Leads World Premiere of Straight Line Crazy, Opening March 23 at London's The Bridge". Playbill. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
"Straight Line Crazy". NTLive. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
"Straight Line Crazy". Farber. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
"Broadway World UK". Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
"'Straight Line Crazy' Review: Ralph Fiennes Plays Robert Moses in David Hare's Talky New Play". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
"Straight Line Crazy review – Ralph Fiennes enthrals as the man who shaped New York". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

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[1] "Straight Line Crazy". Bridge Theatre. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.

[2] "Ralph Fiennes Leads World Premiere of Straight Line Crazy, Opening March 23 at London's The Bridge". Playbill. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.

[3] "Straight Line Crazy". NTLive. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.

[4] "Straight Line Crazy". Farber. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.

[5] "Broadway World UK". Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.

[6] "'Straight Line Crazy' Review: Ralph Fiennes Plays Robert Moses in David Hare's Talky New Play". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[7] "Straight Line Crazy review – Ralph Fiennes enthrals as the man who shaped New York". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.