The Broadway revival of David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” is a disappointment, with Kieran Culkin’s Richard Roma failing to make an impact as the manipulative salesman. The production, which stars Bill Burr and Bob Odenkirk alongside Culkin, lacks energy and intimacy, despite its oversized setting.
The play follows Roma’s ruthless tactics as he preys on his colleagues’ vulnerabilities to close deals in a cutthroat real estate agency. However, Culkin’s portrayal falls flat, conveying more awkward charm than the necessary steel to dominate his characters. The staging by Patrick Marber is equally uninspired, with the Palace Theater’s vast setting and scenic design overwhelming the delicate dynamics between the leads.
The supporting cast fares better, particularly Odenkirk and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as the agency’s manager, but even their performances are marred by the overall lack of momentum. The minimalist ethos that Mamet champions often works wonders in his writing, but here it results in clunky blackouts and flat transitions that drain the energy from each scene.
The real strength of “Glengarry Glen Ross” lies in its dialogue, which remains as piquant and polyphonic as ever. However, this alone cannot compensate for the production’s failure to capture the nuance and tension that make the play so compelling. As we navigate a world increasingly dominated by thugocracies, it’s more crucial than ever to revisit Mamet’s classic, but this revival fails to deliver.
Through June 28 at the Palace Theater, Manhattan; glengarryonbroadway.com. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/theater/glengarry-glen-ross-review-culkin-odenkirk-burr.html