The Echo of Times Past: Babbitt Breathes New Life into Old Satire
Every now and then, the curtains rise on a show that captures the attention of the theatre world, setting tongues wagging about potential award nominations. With the recent unveiling of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Babbitt, the Tony awards season may just have found its dark horse.
Adapted from Sinclair Lewis’s classic satirical novel by Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro, and under the direction of celebrated Tony Award-winner Christopher Ashley, the show stands on solid creative ground. Ashley and DiPietro previously collaborated on the show’s world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse, which also starred Matthew Broderick. It seems a safe bet that Babbitt—scheduled to run at STC’s Harman Hall from October 1 to November 3—will carry forward this high-caliber tradition.
The choice to adapt Lewis’s Babbitt is apt, serving up a refreshing addition to the current theatre landscape heavily laden with innovative re-imaginings and flashy musicals. While these trends have their merits, there’s something undeniably compelling about a classic satire being revisited in this politically-conscious climate. Babbitt, with its ironic commentary on conformity and the mediocrity of middle-class American life, might be just the palette cleanser needed this awards season.
From an awards perspective, Babbitt brings fresh potential to the table. The established talents of Ashley and DiPietro, combined with the star power of Matthew Broderick and the play’s quintessential American themes, could make it a compelling contender for Best Revival of a Play. Given DiPietro’s devastatingly clever adaptation that breathes new life into Lewis’s words, it’s not out of the bounds of imagination to see him shortlisted for Best Play Adaptation, either.
On a broader scale, the success of Babbitt could introduce a wave of classic novel adaptations, triggering a shift in the theatrical landscape. It’s a trend that could provide emerging playwrights with fresh source material and challenge them to revisit the socio-political themes of older works through the lens of contemporary society, potentially altering the future pathway for theatrical innovations.
Babbitt’s success may also inspire theatre companies to take more risks, stepping away from the allure of adapting new-age literature and returning to the classics. In doing so, they may find that, in addition to garnering potential awards consideration, they are also making a resounding societal impact—the ultimate proof of an artwork’s enduring relevance.
To paraphrase a quote from Sinclair Lewis, while newness may give freshness, it’s the use of the old that gives the sure touch. By staying true to the spirit of the classic novel, Babbitt may just set a new precedent for the theatre world, demonstrating that while trends come and go, the classics—and the questions they pose about society—remain irreplaceable in their scope and insight.
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