David Rabe's Play GOOD for OTTO has a Lot ah Going On for too Long-Stars Ed Harris, F. Murray Abraham

 The world premier of GOOD for OTTO at The New Group is by playwright/screenwriter author David Rabe.  Rabe (b Amer 1940) is a Tony winning playwright ("Sticks and Bones").  He's received  numerous Tony nominations and is a recipient of the Nat'l Instit American Academy Award in Literature.  The play features an ensemble case of talented stars including F. Murray Abraham, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan and Rhea Perlman.  The premise seemed promising especially from such a gifted and perceptive playwright.  Two psychiatrists, Dr. Ryder (Amy Madigan) and Dr. Michaels (Ed Harris) provide unwavering support for a motley cross section of people who are mentally unstable, suicidal or desperately lonely.  I laud Rabe for addressing the mental health crisis in the US and for the  denouncing the fallible social services more concerned with saving finances than lives.  But, this is an arduous play to endure at 3 hours + running time.  The savior mindsets of the Drs. while admirable becomes draining and the plethora of pain insurmountable.  Dr Michaels wishes to help Frannie (Rileigh McDonald) overcome her trauma from an abusive parent and become her guardian.  Nora (a wrenching performance by Rhea Pearlman) is Frannie's tender foster parent. Frannie's mania & self-destruction render Nora feeling utterly helpless figuring out what's best for the child.  The scenarios between Dr. Michaels, Nora and Frannie are achingly painful.  Dr. Michaels direct confrontation with Marcy from Social Services (Nancy Giles) is a perceptive & paradoxical double-talk.  This is masterful dialogue but the truth in our failing mental health care system renders it doubly disturbing.  There are multiple characters who spin in & out of the Drs' offices making for a fractious, frenzied & convoluted study of therapy session.  Barnard (a captivating F. Murray Abraham) gives his baffling patient role gusto even if you can't follow.  Timothy, a desperately lonely autistic adult (played with conviction) is the most sympathetic character.  He's not in any danger of hurting himself, he's his own worst enemy trying & wanting desperately to broaden his social circles.  His attempts parallel his pet hamster, Otto, who keeps running around in circles going nowhere.  Ah, all the lonely people, where do they all come from?  Dr. Michaels' mother who comes in & out of the play through his psyche at the age in which she committed suicide torments & taunts him to join her.  This underlying storyline is oppressive and off-putting in a play that is overly despondent.  The cast spontaneously breaks out in old kitschy songs which serves to scramble a serious drama into sheer madness.  Timothy's love for his pet Otto was the only solace to be found amongst the maudlin maladies in this chaotic & sorrowful mess.   Good for Otto!