Theatre in Review: Hold on to Me Darling (Lucille Lortel Theatre)

	Adam Driver. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

Kenneth Lonergan has long proved his mastery of contemporary tragicomedy, but he has never given us anything as purely hilarious as the unraveling of Strings McCrane. A massive country star and an action film draw -- think Morgan Wallen crossed with Glen Powell -- he is mourning the death of his mother -- a sad event, to be sure, but one which triggers the aggravations known only to world-class celebrities. Even as funeral preparations are being made, his career keeps intruding: A major concert tour looms imminently, a fact he'd rather not think about. His current film, an outer space epic, is weeks behind schedule, largely because of his "process." And his engagement to an "essentially psychotic" movie star is falling apart in full public view, thanks to the tabloids and her scandalous "peace mission" to Iran, appearing in a see-through burka.

Overwhelmed by unwanted responsibilities, Strings announces his intention to jump off the hamster wheel of fame -- throwing over the film and tour -- and return to his Tennessee hometown where he will work in the local feed store. This proposition is met with universal skepticism; Duke, his half-brother, notes, "You wanna get up at four in the mornin' and drag your world-famous ass over to Ernie's feed store, and set behind the counter, and pretend you're not the third biggest crossover star in the history of country music?"

As if things weren't complicated enough, Strings has a habit of falling for any good-looking woman offering a sympathetic ear. In rapid succession, he gets entangled with Nancy, a masseuse who plans to hop the Strings gravy train (never mind her husband and two little girls), and Essie, his distant cousin, a widowed kindergarten teacher who fell for him once and isn't about to make that mistake again. As she notes, "I guess gettin' other people to think for him and make up excuses for him and invent a whole lot of reasons why the ordinary rules of human decency don't apply to him is all a part of who he is -- and what we've made him into. With his enthusiastic participation, I might add."

The astonishing thing about Hold on to Me Darling -- a title that alludes to one of Strings' biggest hits -- is how its pitch-perfect show-business satire exists side by side with an appreciation for its protagonist's broken heart. Strings is authentically devastated at the loss of his mother (who, not incidentally, withheld her approval despite his wealth and fame) and he craves a stable life anchored in a mature relationship. In occasional moments of honesty, he admits to being the author of his problems. But he is hopelessly entangled in a lucrative net of obligations, has terrible impulse control, and is a reed in the wind whenever an attractive, strong-minded woman speaks her mind. The role is a fabulous opportunity for Adam Driver -- an actor not known for his comic chops -- who finds Strings' deeply wounded core while mining hilarity from the hundred-and-one affronts to his dignity. (Among other things, the mourners at the funeral want their programs autographed.) It's a nimble balancing act, allowing the actor to land big laughs while never forgetting that Strings is profoundly lost.

Strings is surrounded by a gallery of characters eminently equipped to cut him down to size. Keith Nobbs is slyly amusing as Jimmy, the singer's alarmingly devoted personal assistant ("You need anything, you know where to find me. Right on the corner of Beck and Call"), who has even learned German to field calls from Vermer, the impatient film director. Heather Burns is a formidable Nancy, who, seizing control of the situation, argues powerfully (if slightly incoherently) that Strings must be faithful to her for the good of the nation's morals. ("I didn't entirely follow it myself, darlin'," says Strings, equally impressed and baffled by her logic. "I'm willin' to try. I swear to God I am. Only I got to tell you I'm a bit confused.") As Duke, CJ Wilson is especially adept at throwing cold water on Strings' nuttier plans. ("I got two pit bulls buried in my backyard know more about retail than you do," he says, dispensing with that feed store idea.) Adelaide Clemens is a winsome voice of reason as Essie, who, listening to one of String's tirades, observes, "I think you better write that down. It sounds like another title to a song." Frank Wood makes a show-stopping eleventh-hour appearance as Strings' long-estranged father, who may hold the key to his son's healing, if not his common sense.

Hold on to Me Darling is an unusual sort of semi-revival, having been staged in 2016 by Neil Pepe at Atlantic Theater Company, where he is the artistic director. Starring Timothy Olyphant as Strings, it had many things going for it but also felt aimless at times and overlong. The current revival, again directed by Pepe and retaining some cast members and designers, has acquired a snap and sweep that was missing before. The difference, I think, is Driver, who, turning his outsized presence and capacity for unchecked rage to comic purposes, brings a new sense of volatility to the action. He also appreciates Strings' agonizing dilemma, being both heading for a breakdown and a ripe subject for ridicule.

It's an enormously rangy play for a smallish Off-Broadway theatre but Walt Spangler's turntable efficiently delivers no fewer than seven sets, including hotel rooms, bars, a funeral home, and a feed store that Norman Rockwell might admire, all given distinctive looks by Tyler Micoleau's lighting. The costumes, by Suttirat Larlarb and Lizzie Donelan, would fit right into any Nashville honky-tonk. David Van Tieghem provides original music and country music selections during the scenic transitions.

The difference between Hold on to Me Darling and many other satiric comedies involves Lonergan's empathy for his characters, even Nancy at her most grasping, Jimmy at his most sycophantic, and Strings in the grip of his latest foolishness. Whether Strings will grow up and solve his problems for himself remains an open question, however: As Essie tells him, "There are more important things in this world than your happiness. Maybe if you realized that you'd be a little happier." Turning the comment over in his head, he finally says, "Now, I know you just said something, but I'm goddamned if I understood what it was." --David Barbour