Lee Krasner was an American abstract expressionist artist who whilst being famous in her own right, was even more famous for being the wife of Jackson Pollock who’s best known for his drip paintings which now sell for tens of millions of pounds. They had a very tempestuous relationship due to his drinking and womanising and it ended when he was killed in a car crash whilst driving under the influence in 1956.
Lee a new play from Cian Griffin, is set thirteen years later in 1969 in Krasner’s studio in Springs, Long Island. On Ian Nicholas’ fictionalised recreation of the studio with her paintings displayed all around the auditorium and its Pollock drip painted floor, the first character we meet is Pollock himself (played by Tom Andrews) who’s actually in Krasner’s mind although later on the play there are flashbacks where the couple talk – well argue – about each other’s work. Krasner (Helen Goldwyn) is then on stage throughout the piece but most of her dialogue is with Hank (Will Bagnall) a young man whose family runs the local store. He’s delivering groceries and he also runs errands for Krasner too. He wants to be an artist and is desperate to show Krasner his work and have her critique it which she does in her withering, waspish manner – Krasner is no shrinking violet and tells it how she sees it and soon puts the young artist in his place which does nothing for his confidence. Pollock appears occasionally when Hank is off making coffee, to have a cigarette and a fight with Krasner. Hank then produces a painting that he says is by Pollock and was given to his father in lieu of payment for some groceries and alcohol. It’s not signed so he wants Krasner to authenticate it so he can sell it and pay for his college education but there’s a twist which comes as a shock and changes everything – or does it?
Along the way during the eighty or so minutes (straight through – hurrah) there are philosophical discussions about the value of art, how women artists are marginalised, how to be a true artist you have to suffer and how Krasner subsumed her art for Pollocks. There’s not a lot of action although Goldwyn does pretend to paint occasionally and Bagnall does keep going off to fetch those cups of coffee but Jason Moore’s direction is quite static and it could easily be translated into a play for Radio 4. I thought at first Pollock coming on at the start was going to be a framing device (apt for a play about art) but that didn’t happen which was possibly a chance that went begging. The performances from Goldwyn, Bagnall and Andrews are all strong but there’s not a lot for them to get their teeth into as the dialogue only occasionally catches fire and engages.
The big disappointment with Lee is that’s it’s a conventional telling of the story of an unconventional artist who deserves more than this play delivers.
Review by Alan Fitter
A late summer afternoon, 1969. Artist Lee Krasner, widow of Jackson Pollock, is painting in her studio. Local delivery boy and art student Hank interrupts, seeking advice on his portfolio and bringing her a work of art to be authenticated. When Hank produces one final painting in the form of a rolled-up canvas, explaining that Pollock gave the painting to his father many years ago to settle a debt, Lee accuses him of stealing the work from her home.
As the stakes rise and Hank becomes increasingly determined to uncover the truth, Lee is forced to question everything she knew about her late husband’s genius. A gripping reimagined history of two great American painters, this intimate new drama asks, how far will we go to protect the legacy of those we love?
Helen Goldwyn – Lee Krasner
Will Bagnall – Hank
Tom Andrews – Jackson Pollock
Cian Griffin – Writer
Jason Moore – Director
Ian Nicholas – Designer
Elliott Sheppard – Lighting Designer
Susie Parriss – Casting Director
LEE
Park Theatre
24 September to 18 October 2025
