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It is always exciting when you go to a play and a famous actor is part of the cast; you get to say that you saw this actor in person rather than on a film screen. For the new Broadway play "Impressionism," director Jack O'Brien gives the audience a double dose of that excitement by casting two immensely talented stars of both stage and screen: the beautiful Joan Allen and the enigmatic Jeremy Irons, who explore art, life and the gray area between both mediums in a production that recreates the old world sense of romance found in Thackeray's "Vanity Fair." Opening night at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre was abuzz with excitement as photographers took West 45th Street by storm to capture snapshots of the celebrities that would appear for the premiere.

Ms. Joan Allen, who won a Tony Award for her performance in "Burn This" and is more popularly known for her recent roles in "The Upside of Anger," "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum," takes on the role of Katherine Keenan, an art dealer who is especially attached to the pieces in her gallery and does what she can to make sure the artworks stay with her. Mr. Jeremy Irons, who won an Oscar for his role as the title character in the film "Kafka" and whose film repertoire includes "The Man In The Iron Mask," "Eragon," "The Lion King," and "Kingdom of Heaven," portrays Thomas Buckle, a disenchanted photographer who finds a job at Katherine's gallery after returning from a trip from Tanzania.

The play is divided into eight acts and structured where a scene set during the present is coupled with a memory of either Katherine's or Thomas' past; the memories provide a small window into how the characters end up with the mentality the audience encounters in the scenes set during the present day. The play's entire cast is a crew of eight and almost all the cast members, including Ms. Allen and Mr. Irons, play multiple roles; it is a smart means of downsizing by director O'Brien. The set design is also kept at a minimum, making the entire performance a tight and well formed package that enhances the subtle humor of the play, yet does not put off the audience.

An interesting characteristic of the play is how the audience is given a unique education in art, not just in Impressionism but also in Realism and Photography. During scene changes, the audience is shown a screen of either paintings or photographs, along with a message about what the setting of the next act will be. Though popular Impressionist painters like Cezanne are mentioned, those without an intense education in Impressionism and art will find the function of the paintings a bit confusing.

Ms. Allen does a wonderful job of displaying Katherine's neurotic tendencies, using energy and intensity in her voice and helplessly forceful gestures to reveal how exasperated she is by the knowledge she holds, rather than relying on Kramer-like spastic movements and hair-brained schemes to show her eccentricities. Mr. Irons' portrayal of Thomas is brought to life by his spot on delivery of sharp one-liners; it is with no small amount of skill that Irons takes Thomas' stories and removes any sense of long-windedness, contrary to Katherine's belief. Ms. Allen and Mr. Irons play off each other well both directly and indirectly, not just in the Katherine and Thomas relationship; their Katherine/Thomas dynamic will appeal mostly to mature audiences, as it is very similar to the Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer relationship on the BBC sitcom "As Time Goes By": they know each other's quirks yet manage to surprise each other and sometimes themselves.

One of the most touching performances in the play comes from Mr. Andre De Shields, who plays Thomas' Tanzanian friend Chiambuane, and Mr. Linder, the owner of bakery that Katherine visits every Tuesday. Mr. Linder comes to the gallery to drop off Katherine and Thomas' Tuesday usual when Katherine forgets to go to the bakery; he then offers an interpretation on a painting that varies drastically in comparison to Katherine's academic education in art. His interpretation has all the humor, irony and honesty one could hope to find in a philosophy of life that comes from a man of many years. Mr. De Shields gives an undeniable performance that is one of the highlights of the entire play.

Mr. O'Brien has given Broadway a gem with "Impressionism"; the minimalism of the play allows the actors to enliven the theatre with their presence. The entire performance is a living testament to the principle that much can be created from little, and the romance presented is something everyone hopes to experience. "Impressionism" will be running its limited engagement at the Schoenfeld Theatre until mid-June. For fans of the theatre, it is a must see, and for others, the chance to view these great stars in a performance like this is something that cannot be missed.

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