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Mrs. Klein

 ((Lucille Lortel Theater, New York; 299 seats; $ 40 top))

By GREG EVANS

Hagen is rarely off that stage during the course of the two-hour-plus psychodrama, and she demands attention throughout. Credit is more than due her co-stars Amy Wright and Laila Robins for holding their own both in and out of Hagen's presence.
 

A David Richenthal, Lucille Lortel, Anita Howe-Waxman and Jeffrey Ash presentation of a play in two acts by Nicholas Wright. Directed by William Carden. Set, Ray Recht; costumes, David C. Woolard; lights, Chris Dallos; sound, Robert Auld; production stage manager, Lloyd Davis Jr.; casting consultant, Pat McCorkle; associate producers, Margo Korda, Hawley Abelow. Opened Oct. 24, 1995; reviewed Oct. 23. Running Time: 2 hours, 10 min. Cast: Uta Hagen (Mrs. Klein), Amy Wright (Paula), Laila Robins (Melitta). Uta Hagen gives the theater one of its most compelling sacred monsters since Mama Rose took her turn. "Mrs. Klein," the often riveting, often talkystory of groundbreaking psychoanalyst (and bad, bad mother) Melanie Klein, gives this wonderful actress an appropriate vehicle for her return to the New York stage. TX:Although some might lose interest in Nicholas Wright's play itself -- a rather lengthy psychological examination of the title character and her toxic effect on her two adult children -- those staying tuned will be rewarded by more than just the top-notch acting. The play is insightful regarding its subject matter, and springs

a nifty surprise twist toward the end.

In a sense, "Mrs. Klein" is a drawing room mystery, not so much a whodunit but a howdunit. Vienna-born Melanie Klein was the real-life disciple of Freud who built her reputation in the London of the 1930s on her innovative work as a psychoanalyst of children. A towering, controversial figure in her field, Klein's professional success was not mirrored at home: The play begins as Klein is headed to Budapest for the funeral of her son Hans, a young man whose mysterious death sets off the long-simmering conflict between Klein and her daughter Melitta (Robins).

Melitta, a prominent analyst in her own right whose reputation was based largely on her professional opposition to her mother, believes that her brother's death was not an accident but a suicide -- and she blames mother. "There are mothers who are totally bad," she accuses, "and youare one." It seems Mrs. Klein used her own children as guinea pigs, analyzing them with a cruel detachment that turned them into emotional cripples as adults.

Observing this mother-daughter verbal slugfest is Paula (Wright), a young student and devotee of Klein who, during the two-day span of the play, has been hired to type Klein's latest manuscript. It is Paula who, after quietly observing the arguments between Mrs. Klein and Melitta -- arguments that include a painful step-by-step analysis of the events leading to Hans' death -- solves the mystery of how and why the death occurred.

"Mrs. Klein" contains no real action to speak of -- a drink gets thrown in someone's face at one point. Mostly there are regrets, recriminations, accusations and much, much analysis. Wright's dialogue is full of witty banter suggestive of the intellectual and professional acumen of his characters: These women end a throwaway line like "No hard feelings" with "on a conscious level." Every action and statement is dissected for its subconscious meaning.

William Carden's efficient direction -- as tasteful as Ray Recht's elegant living room set and David C. Woolard's period costumes -- gives the actresses just enough business to keep the play in motion. There's no needless clutter here, and the focus falls squarely on the characters' verbal interaction. Tedious? Occasionally. Enthralling? More so. Hagen? Always.