Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. has waded onto Broadway with ‘McNeal,’ marking his first stage appearance since the 1983 off-Broadway production of ‘American Passion.’ This collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar examines the intersections of art, technology, and existential dread. The play opened to much anticipation at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater. Critics and audience members alike buzzed with excitement the night of its debut, which featured A-listers like Matt Damon, Steven Spielberg, and Paul Rudd among the VIP guests.
At the heart of ‘McNeal’ is Jacob McNeal, portrayed by Downey, who is grappling with end-stage liver failure and the unexpected celebration of winning the Nobel Prize for literature. The grant of such a prestigious accolade coincides with the impending release of his next book, ‘Evie.’ Yet instead of basking in glory, Jacob finds himself entangled in accusations of plagiarism and public outbursts of bad behavior, which threaten both his legacy and his sanity.
Under the capable direction of Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, the play serves as both entertainment and critique. It dives deep, probing how artificial intelligence impacts storytelling and creativity. Interestingly, Downey's character is not simply at odds with technology but is actually enveloped by it. He verbally lambasts the digital age, often reminiscing about the past, all thewhile embodying the contemporary angst swirling around AI.
At one point, Jacob denounces chatbots as hollow tools, claiming they only echo wishful thoughts, effectively dulling humanity's encounters with reality – including illness and death. Challenging the audience’s perception of AI, he eventually conducts an experiment wherein he decides to ‘write’ using ChatGPT, eliciting questions about authorship and the very essence of creativity.
Despite the ambitious themes and the star power attached to it, some reviews have described ‘McNeal’ as overly heavy-handed. Critics have remarked on the character being more of a vehicle for Akhtar’s diatribes rather than developing as a nuanced person with inner struggles. Jacob displays rants reminiscent of late-night talk shows, directing his frustrations at modern life, children, and the incessant influence of social media. The result straddles the line between comedic and tragic, yet it sometimes lands awkwardly.
"The only thing you can take away from him as heart is the tragedy of lost possibilities – it’s not sufficient,” one reviewer noted, highlighting the sometimes exasperation of watching McNeal’s endless meandering remarks without glimpsing his emotional depths.
Meanwhile, the interplay between Downey’s charisma and Akhtar's incisive writing sometimes manages to paint moments of brilliance. For these flashes of authenticity, audiences responded enthusiastically, cheering for poignant cries of isolation and artistic struggle.
Akhtar himself spoke about the genesis of ‘McNeal,’ admitting to having faced intense struggles writing the final scene. He experimented with AI—using ChatGPT to imitate the speech typical of Shakespearean literature. The move, though unconventional, produced astonishing results at rehearsal, surprising the cast with the sophisticated language produced by the software. Yet, Akhtar cleverly refrained from over-relying on this AI-generated content, believing it wasn't needed to make the larger thematic points of the play resonate.
Despite mixed reviews, ‘McNeal’ aims to navigate complex themes around technology's encroachment on creativity. It asks whether AI should be thought of as an ally or foe. The question remains whether the audience finds some sort of comfort or disquiet from the struggles of Jacob McNeal, or if they find the experience more digressive and less human than expected.
This production runs from September 30 through November 24, and you can either cheer for Downey's bold attempts on stage or sigh at the intricacies of modern storytelling. Tickets are available now.
‘McNeal’ holds ambitious aspirations, delving deep not only within the psyche of its titular character but also the very fabric of modern society and its tumultuous relationship with technology. Whether it hits the mark for audiences remains actively debated among theatergoers.
