Good Night, and Good Luck - Broadway

George Clooney’s return to live theater is a triumph.  In Good Night, and Good Luck, the Hollywood star proves his mettle on the Broadway stage where he portrays the legendary newscaster Edward R. Murrow.  The show, based on the movie of the same name, centers on his reportage, and ultimate take-down, of the junior Senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, whose anti-Communist crusade brought a dark period to the country.  Clooney and Grant Heslov wrote the screenplay for the film and have adapted it for the stage.  It is a no-nonsense, fast-moving production that is enlivened by Scott Pask’s highly detailed, large-scale Scenic Design of the CBS television studios.  Daniel Kluger’s well-calibrated, ambient Lighting Design and David Bengali’s superb projections contribute to the realism of the show.

 

With Clooney in the lead, the producers have been able to surround him with seasoned actors and a cast size that accurately depicts how the news is debated, gathered, and finally presented to the American people.  Clooney, who has the look, cadence, and mannerisms of Murrow (including his constant smoking), brings a deliberate and intense focus to the role.  It’s not flashy, but his passion and forcefulness shine bright.  While his name is above the title, he unselfishly subsumes himself within the dynamics of the show.

 

Director David Cromer assuredly helms the production, weaving in all the characters, with their hurriedness and assorted assignments.  The Winter Garden stage is a large space, but by compartmentalizing, the director makes the events flow effortlessly and keeps the focus on the weightiness of the story.  He deftly incorporates the video projections where they become a central, but not overpowering feature, of the show.  Cromer also utilizes a unique device for scene changes - a jazz combo with the sounds of the day, led by the smooth-sounding Georgia Herrs, in a recording studio, above the stage.

 

In addition to George Clooney, other notable actors among the cast are Glenn Fleshler as the affable, principled Fred Friendly, Murrow’s producer (the role Clooney played in the film); Clark Gregg as Murrow’s friend and fellow broadcaster, the troubled Don Hollenbeck; and Paul Gross as the questioning, but steadfast supporter, CBS President William F. Paley.

 

From the very first moments of the show, when Edward R. Murrow is at a podium in front of the curtain, delivering a low-key, yet passionate speech, the similarities to today’s political world are, sadly, striking.  Everything the newsman fought against – the untruths, unjust persecutions, contempt for the law of the land – are repeating themselves over 70 years later.  The show, which uses McCarthy’s own words to indict himself, demonstrates what a free, unencumbered press can accomplish. 

 

Good Night, and Good Luck, playing at the Winter Garden Theater through June 8, 2025.