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When Harry Met Sally

RainbowNetwork.com review

The 1989 film, When Harry Met Sally is famously remembered for one unforgettable scene. In a crowded New York diner, Meg Ryan’s Sally loudly proves to her male best friend that women can fake orgasm. It’s a rousing, virtuoso performance and climaxes with one of her fellow dinners longingly asking the waitress: “I’ll have what she’s having.”

Now I don’t mind screen to stage adaptations (in fact I think they are a viable way of dragging new, young audiences into the theatre), but if you’re going to do it, then at least have the decency to embrace the live, dramatic genre and make it theatrical. Ultz’s framed, letterbox white set cuts the stage in half so that for all intents and purposes you are looking at a screen. Pretending that you’re in the cinema, watching a film is definitely not the way to go. What’s more it is a dangerous game to play. Why would people spend £40 on a theatre ticket when they could rent the video for a fraction of the cost?

The answer is to hire in a couple of Hollywood stars that are comfortable, familiar and offer an ounce of sex appeal. So into the roles occupied by Ryan and Billy Crystal come Alyson Hannigan, best remembered as the lesbian witch in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Luke Perry, one of the nubile hunks from Beverly Hills 90210.

They’re both likeable enough, but there’s no chemistry conjured up between them and Hannigan in particular is far too young for the role. During the course of the play she’s meant to age thirteen years, but remains fresh faced and radiant from start to finish. But, when the majority of the young audience both male and female are here to ogle Hannigan and whoop with apprehension at a brief glimpse of Perry’s buttocks, who cares about their workmanlike acting.

At its heart, When Harry Met Sally is a lightweight drama that takes a Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus concept and turns it into a gentle battle of wits and gender differences.

Sally is disgusted at Harry’s Neanderthal ways, while Harry hates the commitment and ‘snuggle time’ that women require after a climatic conquest. Can men and women be friends, or does sex get in the way? Obviously, they’ve never met a gay person, but that’s a quibble.

Ultimately, while the pair of them can endlessly talk the talk about relationships, neither can admit their own feelings or deal with the emotional truth of a brief, shared moment of weakness. Sally withdraws into an uncommunicative shell and Harry is forced to revaluate his feelings, some would argue actually develop some, and practically grovel for attention with a speech that celebrates inner beauty. The staunch bachelor has been tamed and the chain is now well and truly secured around his neck. Sexual equality? I don’t think so.

So what about that orgasm? Being a gay man I couldn’t possibly rate it on authenticity, but I’m sorry to say girls that I don’t think a frenzied night of passion is on the cards. Besides, the whole scene gets terribly upstaged by the gay diners sitting beside her whose campy request now ends the scene.

When Harry Met Sally is undoubtedly a minimalist, superficially hip affair – even the music has been supplied by the man of the moment, Jamie Cullum. But, like the blank celluloid canvas it is so desperately tying to evoke, it is devoid of colour, sharpness and tone. It’s easy listening theatre for a cinema weaned audience but they deserve better. When the highlights of a stage performance are the filmed fillers, or `How We Met` couples, you know the balance of screen to stage adaptation has gone awry.

When Harry Met Sally, written by Nora Ephron and adapted by Marcy Kahan
Theatre Royal
Haymarket
London SW1Y 4HT
0870 301 3356
20 February-29 May 2004

At all performances between 17 March-3 April inclusive, the role of Sally will be played by Elizabeth Jasicki. Alyson Hannigan appears at all other performances.

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