Hunting and Gathering
Brooke Berman’s sharp, satiric voice returns to Primary Stages, where she was a member of the Dorothy Strelsin New American
Writers Group, with Hunting and Gathering. This world premiere play follows four interconnected New Yorkers (Michael
Chernus, Mamie Gumer, Kiera Naughton, Jeremy Shamos) through their thwarted attempts to find a place - without compromise.
Jesse has his first date since his divorce, his ex-lover Ruth is living a fantasy, his brother Astor is the "man with the
van", and Bess has a plan to come out on top. Ms. Berman’s contemporary play begs the question: Do you have to be a
predator to survive?
Cast & Characters: Michael Chernus (Astor), Mamie Gummer (Bess), Kiera Naughton (Ruth), Jeremy Shamos (Jesse)
Related Pictures
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Reviews
The New York Times, February 04, 2008
The no-nonsense, go-getting girl of indomitable literal-mindedness is hardly an
unfamiliar type in American culture these days. (Reese Witherspoon devoted much of her
youth to playing versions of it.) But Ms. Gummer invests Bess, who divides the world into
predators and prey, with an edge of anxiety that makes it clear that her character’s
practicality is hard-won, and her sharpness cuts surprisingly deep. (While I’ve been
consistently impressed by Ms. Gummer on the several occasions I’ve seen her perform,
this was the first time that I forgot while watching her that her mother, whom she
resembles, is the chameleon movie goddess Meryl Streep.)
Variety, February 03, 2008
"You can be a predator - or prey," Bess lectures Ruth, during a jolly barroom game of
Big Buck Hunter that awakens Ruth's dormant killer instincts. As applied to men, in
Gummer's deliciously deadpan perf, Bess' lesson on hunting-and-trapping is heartless,
ruthless, and hilarious.
Theater Mania, February 04, 2008
Bess is the most shallowly written character in the script, and while Gummer isn't able
to bring much depth to the part, she does possess a strong presence and brings out the
humor within the play.
Links & Research
Primary Stages official website
Review by The New York Times (February 04, 2008)
Review by Theater Mania (February 04, 2008)
Review by Variety (February 03, 2008)
Review by Playbill (February 03, 2008)
