Review: Uptown Players’ ‘Fire and Air’ is a bumpy but sumptuous drama
The cast of Uptown Players’ ‘Fire and Air.’ (Courtesy photos) Uptown Players opted for a different venue to present the Terrence McNally regional premiere of Fire and Air.
The play probably would have fared just as well at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, but the Sixth Floor Studio at the Wyly Theatre was adding an intimate touch to the show along with its simple but effective set.
Directed by Cheryl Denson, the space let Fire and Air bloom even when McNally’s story seemed bumpy at times. The show centered on Sergei played to astonishing effect by Patrick Bynane.
Rarely offstage, Bynane’s performance was colossal and filled with dramatic depth and humor. As the leader of the Ballet Russes, Bynane portrayed a man impressed by his own gravity and bluster but also beguiled and weakened by beautiful men.
