New York New York: Day 5

This was the sunniest day so far so we took the '1' down to Battery Park so we could get the ferry to Liberty and Ellis islands. I had never felt the urge to go visit them before. I always enjoy visiting Battery Park however for one big obvious reason, it's a central location for DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN! Luckily I didn't get mugged by a murderer and bang my head, waking up to think I was a light-fingered free spirit instead of a quietly desperate New Jersey housewife... so we went to Liberty Island instead!

I'm so glad we did.. it was actually quite an awesome experience, watching the skyline of downtown New York recede and the Statue of Liberty loom closer and closer. What a strange feeling to finally see this iconic statue close up, very much like seeing the pyramids last year. I've seen it so many times in so many different circumstances that it is difficult to come to terms with it being in front of you, quite an experience.


After a while we went across Ellis Island which again conjures up strange feelings. The main entrance into America for mainly European immigrants over the period of 1892 - 1924, more than 12 million people streamed through it's doors to start a new life in America. Although only 2% were refused entry - usually on the grounds of having a contagious illness, because they were found to be a contract worker or having a criminal past - the whole building seems unutterably sad. It's almost like the hopes and fears of those millions of people have soaked into the walls. I bet it's a mighty scary place at night.
 
In the evening we went to see DOUBT at the Walter Kerr Theatre with Dezur as her birthday treat. DOUBT has been this year's must-see play of the season winning 7 Best Play awards including the Tony and Pulitzer, I must admit I had.. er.. doubts about it as I have seen previous plays of the season which weren't all that. But it was an excellent play, 90 minutes no interval. 

Cherry Jones plays Sister Aloysius a stern nun running a Bronx school in the early 1960s who, despite having no evidence, accuses a priest (Brian F. O'Byrne) of abusing a boy pupil.  Jones - who won the Tony award for Best Actress - plays this difficult part with a ramrod back and caustic wit, making no play for audience sympathy which pays off about half way through in an extraordinary scene with the suspected boy's mother. The actress who plays this - and won a Tony award for Best Supporting Actress - was absent but the understudy Caroline Stephanie Clay was fine.
 
Irish actor O'Bryne matched Jones stride for stride, his three speeches to the audience immediatly connecting and making you want to side with him when the nun accuses him. The other role is the seemingly slow Sister James (Heather Goldenhersh) who is torn between the two protagonists. 

A richly rewarding night in the theatre with a killer curtain-line which had us debating the play over dinner afterwards. Oh and Brian O'Byrne's BROADWAY CARES curtain speech was very engaging!