Bella Bella
Manhattan Theatre Club
NY City Center Stage I
November 30, 2019
 |
| Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club |
Harvey
Fierstein is magnificent in Bella Bella.
He portrays Bella Abzug with heart, guts, and verve. She was a powerhouse, and Mr. Fierstein has
written a striking tribute to her life’s work.
It
is 2:00 AM. Bella Abzug (played by
Harvey Fierstein) is waiting for the results of the 1976 NY Senate election. She has escaped from her friends and supporters
into the bathroom of her hotel room to catch her breath. She reminisces about her early years as a
lawyer and when she ran and won her seat in the House of Representatives. She passionately speaks about the “boys club”
and the need for a shift in the power structure to include women in
government. She has confidence in her
ability to win her bid as the first female Senator from the State of New York,
until she remembers a comment she made in a recent interview. She realizes the 1% she is waiting for to
swing the vote in her favor will not be coming.
 |
| Harvey Fiersteing as Bella Abzug Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theate Club |
Harvey
Fierstein represents Bella Abzug’s strong, committed voice with honor and
respect. It is interesting to see how
much has changed since 1976 in the political landscape and power structure of
our country, and how much still needs to be to accomplish. This piece gives the audience a chance to
look back, laugh, and shift perspectives on the present day political challenges.
Bella
Bella
is a heart-felt and timely tribute, expertly written and performed. The Manhattan Theatre Club production closes
on December 1. Hopefully it will be
produced again in the near future.
Domenick Danza
No comments:
Post a Comment