‘Waiting for Lefty’ Review: Protest Songs in the Key of Life

Key Points:

• The Classic Stage Company's revival of Clifford Odets’s 1935 play "Waiting for Lefty" captures the atmosphere of a Depression-era union cabdrivers' hiring hall, with audiences seated on three sides to immerse them in the action.
• The play interweaves a union meeting debating a strike over wages and conditions with vignettes depicting personal struggles and exploitation, featuring characters such as cabdriver Joe and a lab scientist pressured to make poison gas.
• Directed by Steven Pasquale, the production addresses challenges like dated language and static scenes, incorporating actors interacting with the audience and a unique portrayal of the absent strike leader Lefty through expressive movement.
• A standout element is the original and traditional folk music performed by Yeller Tooth, enhancing the play’s themes with protest songs from various eras, including "Which Side Are You On?" and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"
• Odets’s work is experiencing renewed attention this fall, with "Waiting for Lefty" followed by a Broadway revival of "Awake and Sing!" and a recent London run of "Golden Boy."