The Graduate, originally a novel written by Charles Webb in 1963, was made into a film in 1967. Now it’s in Victoria as a play, but it just doesn’t pack the same punch.
The storyline follows the awkward and unsettled tendencies of post-graduate Benjamin Braddock, who finds his idle self lured into the web of Mrs. Robinson—a seductive older woman. If that’s not enough, things get even sloppier when Benjamin starts to fall in love with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine.
The prevalence of grey hair in the audience at this adaptation at Langham Court was a sure sign of nostalgia seekers. As one who had not read the book nor seen the movie, I came into the theatre without any expectations.
From what I heard about the movie, I was convinced it would make for an amusing production. Unfortunately, I found the acting to be a bit frantic, particularly the part of Benjamin Braddock, played by Montgomery Bjornson. And although there were some comedic moments, the plot trudged along without much depth—just one frenzied setting after another as Benjamin stumbled through the consequences of his erratic decisions.
I did enjoy hearing parts of the infamous soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel being played during the scene changes. The crew did a great job in transforming the stage from Braddock’s room to the hotel lobby to the sleazy strip joint that Braddock took Elaine to on their first date.
As the play finished, however, I was left feeling as though something were missing. I decided to watch the movie to see if it would fill this void. Right away, I liked it much better than the play adaptation. There were so many subtleties that the camera and editing were able to capture, and, sadly, these were lost in the loud projections of the actors on stage.
Despite the noble efforts of the production team, some stories are just meant for the cinema; The Graduate is one of them.
The Graduate
Until March 22,
Langham Court Theatre
langhamtheatre.ca/boxoffice/plays/the-graduate/