Days of Wine and Roses

Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’Arcy James

(Posted July 13, 2023) By Fern Siegel

Alcoholism was considered a provocative topic when it was introduced in JP Miller’s 1958 teleplay Days of Wine and Roses. By 1962, when his story hit the big screen, it was acclaimed for its searing portrayal of addiction and obsession by two brilliant actors: Lee Remick and Jack Lemmon.

Both renditions are the basis for the new musical off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theater. This Days of Wine and Roses, with a book by Craig Lucas and lyrics by Adam Guettel, stars Brian d’Arcy James and Kelli O’Hara. That lineup carries a pedigree, but it’s not enough to make it a wholly satisfying production.

Set in the 1950s in the world of public relations, O’Hara plays Kirsten, the blonde secretary who never drinks — until she meets Joe (d’Arcy James), who can’t stop. He’s the guy who attends the clients, pimps for the boss and recreates the voracious drinking of Mad Men. He’s charming and upbeat; she is tightly wound. And a teetotaler.

 “I never have,” she says. “I don’t like the taste.” But she likes chocolate, so he orders a Brandy Alexander, which makes her feel good about herself — and even better about the world. Alcohol releases something inside her; she has to chase the high to sustain it. Soon, she’s downing Johnny Walker, champagne and margaritas with ease. The couple’s spiral into full-blown alcoholism doesn’t take long — Joe is half-way there.

Or as they sing: “Two dolphins breakin’ a wave, two dolphins right to the grave are we.”

They lose their apartment and his job and are forced to rely on the goodwill of her disapproving father (Byron Jennings). Shame and remorse don’t enter into the equation. Yet.

The assumption is that alcoholics consider quitting when they hit bottom — but these two are a bottomless pit. There is nothing more important than their next drink — even at the cost of their daughter’s (Ella Dane Morgan) happiness. When one stops drinking, the other is pulled back in. Quitting together is illusory.

Sobriety, relapse, familial heartache, the promise of AA, a co-dependent love story gone awry — all these subjects are addressed. But such is the visceral, as well as physical nature of the disease — the music seems secondary at best. Guettel’s score is never melodic. No big number, no memorable ballads. Frankly, it’s hard to distinguish one song from the next. It’s the performances of the two leads and Jennings that stand out, not their vocal dexterity.

The Atlantic Theater is an ideal venue for such an intimate story. The scenic design by Lizzie Clachan, costumes by Dede Ayite and lighting by Ben Stanton hit the right notes.

The show is emotional and filled with pathos, which the actors exude sans music. Director Michael Grief gets excellent performances from O’Hara and d’Arcy James who capture pain, longing, emptiness and obsession with searing poignancy. There is chemistry between these two.

The insidious aspects of addiction are here — and while the 1950s did not have the language and understanding we do today, Days of Wine and Roses still evokes the suffering and guilt. It’s also a doomed romance. There isn’t a lack of love, but the demands of sobriety run deep. The work also underscores the strength it takes to confront oneself — and make a conscious effort to change — one day at a time.

 

 

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