The Oleanna Play Dazzles Broadway

Oleanna is a literary and theatrical production of its own kind, showcasing a rather unusual battle of the sexes against the background of academic absolutism. The show is based on David Mamet's play by the same name which attempts to narrate the story of a troubled female student taking up her stand against a professor she has accused of sexual harassment. The two-character drama redefines Broadway in a number of ways and introduces a novel element of excessive political correctness and its manifestations in the postmodern academic world.

Oleanna Comes To Broadway

After being previewed at Broadway's John Golden Theater on September 29, Oleanna had its official Broadway opening on October 11, 2009. Starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles in the roles of an overly verbose professor and the timid female student respectively, this critically acclaimed production leaves the audience wondering about the multilayered character portrayals and the complexity of purely ethical, personal and political themes developing in the background. Some suggest it could be the best play as yet written by David Mamet which brings together some of the most sensitive academic-cultural and feminist issues with some deeply ingrained elements of teacher-student relationship in a postmodern world.

The Storyline Of Oleanna

Oleanna opens with Pullman and Stiles playing understandably complex yet conventional roles of a subtly self-eloquent teacher and a seemingly oppressed female student respectively. In the first act, the female student is unable to keep up with the professor's lectures due to the verbosity which makes her feel incompetent and she performs poorly. She approaches the professor to address the issues which give rise to new ones, as the professor communicates and acts in a way which puts a question mark on his motives. However, any aggression or attempts at intellectual or sexual exploitation do not manifest in a direct manner.

In the second and third acts of Oleanna, there is a complete reversal of roles. The student dons an exploitative persona and the professor comes across as the oppressed to an extent. However, it is that very controversial aspect of its concept, peculiar setting and performance which characterizes the play as an exposition of complex ideological questions. They manifest through a web of deep personal and political implications through some subtle and not so subtle situations which provide enough food for thought. The show aims to expose the hollowness of contemporary ideological assertions, beliefs and practices including the liberating ideas of feminism and postmodernism amongst others.

To interpret the open-ended implications in your own way, you must be a part of the exclusive audience. You can make the bookings for Oleanna on any weekday, including both Saturdays and Sundays. Those who prefer to go for more convenient options, online bookings offer just the right option. If you want to make good use of the online discounts that are available against tickets, some authorized online ticket brokers can be of great help. The ticket prices range from $40 to $125 for standard to premium tickets.
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