Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania
Ava: The Secret Conversations, written by and starring Elizabeth McGovern, looks at the life of golden-age movie star Ava Gardner. But oddly, it focuses more on a periphery character, a sycophantic hack writer. This might come as a disappointment to those who want to spend time with Gardner rather than this plot-stifling character. Sadly, as it stands, McGovern’s play offers an awkward and unsatisfying evening of theater. Read more…
Tracey Paleo – BroadwayWorld
Entrancing and hypnotic in the title role of, AVA: THE SECRET CONVERSATIONS at The Geffen Playhouse, McGovern gets downright gritty in a gutsy, full-blown exploration of one of Hollywood’s most meta-femmes fatales of her time. And she does so with fire. Read more…
Terry Morgan – Stage Raw
McGovern’s performance feels surprisingly genuine, considering that she doesn’t look much like Gardner. It feels deeply inhabited, and she brings great detail and an unexpectedly profane humor to the role. She seems to have an understanding of the part that only another actress with a long experience of Hollywood could have. Ganis is very good, although the role of Peter as written isn’t especially compelling or convincing. However, his scenes in which he portrays Sinatra, Mickey Rooney and Artie Shaw demonstrate his obvious talent and range. Read more…
Rob Stevens – Haines His Way
McGovern vibrantly brings to life this legendary woman, who loved to drink, to smoke, to fornicate, to swear and to laugh. She lived her life to the fullest, even a stroke didn’t slow her down much. McGovern artfully plays the role of a lifetime through a wide range of emotions, from the stroke and memory addled present to the glory days of yesteryear. Aaron Costa Ganis lends strong support as writer Evans, gently coaxing the star to impart her deepest and most personal secrets. In flashback scenes to her marriages, he also gives us a taste of Rooney, Shaw and Sinatra in their interactions with Ava.
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Katie Buenneke – Theater Digest
I recently read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, a hit novel that, I learned while watching this show, borrows plenty of premise from the actual secret conversations Ava Gardner had with a journalist, Peter Evans, near the end of her life. Elizabeth McGovern, who also stars, adapted Evans’ book into a 90-minute play, which premiered in London last year. Unfortunately, in this case, fiction is better than fact…
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