You may have seen the film- since this years Oscars held it in high esteem--but it started as a play, written by Peter Morgan. The play had successful runs in NYC and London and now for the first time it is in LA. The LA version stars Stacy Keach as Richard Nixon and Alan Cox as David Frost. While both actors had great performances, I was especially impressed by Stacy Keach's ability to bring such vulnerability and humility to his character. I left the theater feeling confused as to why I felt bad for Nixon. The costumes were fun since it was set in the 70's and the set designs are simple and practical- conveying the space without being overly fussy. They include a monitor at the back of the stage which serves as a TV set for the audience. This was a very effective way to communicate to the audience what the interview looked like on TV. It gives us the sense that we are there in that time period watching it live.
My only gripe is that I think a more intimate theater would have been a better venue for this play. When you are in a theater so large, like the Ahmanson, you can't see facial expressions on the characters faces and you feel this distance between you. It can be harder to relate to the characters. They attempted to solve this through the TV monitor- but a smaller theater would have made the play more enjoyable.
Besides that, Frost/Nixon is a great play. It shows a part of history and makes you feel as if you are there watching it unfold. If you actually did watch it unfold in the late 1970's than this play will fill you with nostalgia, while giving you background information you probably did not know.
Frost/Nixon will be at the Ahmanson Theater from March 11-29th, 2009.
135 N. Grand Ave.
I've definitely been meaning to see this play... Thanks for the review, miss!
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