Review of The Glass House

The Glass House is a carefully and methodically constructed bit of theater as benefits the subjects, Miles van der Rohe and his Farnsworth House. The precise placement of set pieces, the marched scene changes, the movement of the actors between scenes, all is metaphor for the strictness of architecture. The slow building of art, controlled and planned (as opposed to most creative arts which are free and spontaneous). This is a new play by June Finfer which explores the attraction of Architect and Architecture to patron and collaborator.
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Janet Zarish plays Dr. Farnsworth, a professional woman who has acquired some beautiful land outside of Chicago and wants to build an architectural work of art as a week-end house. Ms. Zarish brings a cool professionalism to the role of Dr. Farnsworth that warms and melts as the Doctor is drawn into the orbit of Architect Miles van der Rohe. As Dr. Farnsworth, Ms. Zarish is attract to the prestige of architecture as compliment, only later to be seduced by the love architecture for art’s sake.
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Harris Yulin does a masterfully understated job with the role of the famous Architect Miles van der Rohe. He is driven by a reserved passion for line and form in Architecture, which he creates, and in women, which he enjoys. The Glass House then, is a love story. It is a love story of Miles van der Rohe and Doctor Farnsworth that yields both an intimate relationship and a collaboration for art’s sake. The physical manifestation of their relationship is the Farnsworth House, a perfectly constructed glass house in Plano Illinois.
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And yet this love story is as sparse and transparent as the Farnsworth House itself, a glass walled work of art that invites the landscape in, while keeping it just out of reach.
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The other woman of the physical relationship is played by Gina Nagy Burns in a lightly sketched role that Ms. Burns fills out. The “other woman” of the artistic collaboration is Philip Johnson, played as jealous villain by David Bishins. Mr. Bishins is appropriately smarmy, but the role as written is a bit jarring for anyone who only knows of Philip Johnson as a very good architect.
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The play not only discusses architecture as art, and collaboration as an intimate relationship, but discusses plagiarism as compliment, as necessary, as organic development. And as self-delusion.
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The transitions between scenes are carried out by 3 men, variously dressed as draftsmen, construction workers or hotel staff. They stiffly move the overly detailed set pieces in a linear chorography that mimic the details of blueprints, layered with more and more detail. These repetitive motions mimic the creation and design of the detailed house.
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The van der Rohe method, detailed, studied and slow in both art and love, is contrasted against the Philip Johnson’s rush towards reward and recognition.
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The payoff of The Glass House is wonderful. Rarely is there a physical manifestation of a great love affair. Mush less one that you can actually visit. The Glass House makes you think there is probably an interesting story buried inside the walls of most famous buildings. The writer, Ms. Finfer, does a great job in bringing it out. And the director, Evan Bergman, gives the piece the light touch to slowly reveal it to the audience.
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The Glass House may not sound like it is for everyone, but it casts a wide net to show the ability for us to architect our own truths.
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The Glass House
Cast: Harris Yulin, David Bishins, Janet Zarish, Gina Nagy Burns
Director: Evan Bergman
United Stages at Theatre Row, May 9 – June 15th in Rep
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Rating: Well Worth the Money
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What works: The slow unfolding of venerability to beauty and love.
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What doesn't work: For many people the unfolding will be too slow and too structured
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What you get to brag about to your friends: A deeper understanding of Miles van der Rohe. He is the father of the German Bauhaus movement, here gloriously fleshed out. AND the problems with the Philip Johnson’s Glass House in Connecticut
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