Katie Holmes made her return to Broadway in the Theresa piece "Dead Accounts," where she plays the sister to a shifty brother named Norbert Leo Butz, who suddenly returns home from the big city.
The play also stars Broadway veterans such as Jayne Houdyshell, Judy Greer and Josh Hamilton. The design team includes Tony nominee David Rockwell scenic designer, five-time Tony winner Catherine Zuber costume designer, David Weiner lighting designer and Mark Bennett sound designer with original music.
"Dead Accounts" is produced by Jeffrey Finn, John N. Hart Jr., David Mirvish, Amy Nauiokas, Ergo Entertainment, Harriet Leve, Double Gemini Productions and The Shubert Organization.
The play starring the former "Dawson Creek" star is getting mixed reviews critics.
Chrales McNulty of the Los Angeles Times wrote:
"The slapdash quality of the writing, the resulting amped-up TV sitcom manner of the production, and the lack of a thematic payoff: Rebeck wants the profundity of mortality and her easy laughs too. She comes up empty-handed. He was OK with Holmes' charming, natural presence, and praised Butz's frenetic gusto but not even he can transcend the contrived nature of a character who is really nothing more than a collection of manic playwriting impulses."
Ben Brantley of the New York Times wrote:
Holmes improved from her a tad unsteady Broadway debut four years ago in Arthur Miller's 'All My Sons,'noting that she appears much more at ease in a role that requires her to be gamely unkempt and lumpen. The best thing he could say for the play was that for at least its first 15 minutes [it] does manage to command your attention. 'Dead Accounts' makes you forget a lot of things, like why you've bothered to come to the show to begin with."
Some were pretty harsh on Holmes but gave praise to other cast members like Butz in the Rebeck play.
Joe Dziemianowicz of the New York Daily wrote:
"Unfortunately Holmes' efforts add up to zilch. The stillborn comedy she's in is so stupefyingly unfocused that it plays like a draft, not a finished work."
Elisabeth Vincentelli of the New York Post wrote:
She's (Holmes) got one note -- shrill, impatient -- and yells it at top volume, making a vein bulge in her slender neck . While the producers were busy signing up Katie Holmes and Norbert Leo Butz, playwright Theresa Rebeck forgot to write a show."
Playbill.com on the plot:
"Jack's unexpected return throws his family into a frenzy, and his sister Lorna needs answers. Is he coming home or running away? Where is his wife everyone hates? And how did he get all that money? Theresa Rebeck's new comedy tackles the timely issues of corporate greed, small town values, and whether or not your family will always welcome you back... with no questions asked."
