SOURCE: Brantley, Ben. “To Stay Alive, Snipe, Snipe.” The New York Times (October 12, 2001): section E, page 1.

Below, Brantley presents a review of the production of The Dance of Death at the Broadhurst Theater, New York, directed by Sean Mathias.

Before the dance, there is the walk.

It is not a graceful walk, at least not by conventional standards, that is being practiced by Ian McKellen in the revival of Strindberg's Dance of Death that opened on Broadway last night. His legs stiffen and stray; his basic navigational instincts betray him. But his posture is as arrogantly erect as pain allows. And when a footstool intrudes itself into his path, as it will keep doing, Mr. McKellen kicks it away as if it were some importunate, helpless little animal. And he keeps walking. That's the important thing: he keeps walking.

Lumbering across the long stage of the Broadhurst Theater...