doing so they tempt fate.  Both are surrounded by characters devoted to them - Beethoven’s faithful servant, Anton Schindler (Erik Steele) and Brandt’s daughter Clara (Samantha Mathis), who despite good intentions, are rebuffed in their attempts to intrude on their behalf.  It is painful for Schindler to see his brilliant master chasing what is seemingly a creative dead end.  At first it is Schindler who apparently convinces Beethoven that he must accept the offer from Anton Diabelli (Don Amendolla) so that he can eat and pay the rent.  Diabelli is an up and coming music publisher who, despite his own lack of talent is also on a mission: to have the world’s most creative composers acknowledge him by writing variations to his very simple tune.  But Beethoven quickly becomes consumed by the project and Schindler desperately tries to rescue him and get him to move on to projects more deserving of his talents.  Clara is appalled that her mom is resolute in her decision to follow through on plans to travel to Bonn after just learning of her terminal illness.  With help from her boyfriend (Colin Hanks) Clara puts plans for her own life on hold however to accompany and assist her mother.  We follow the transition in these supporting characters from naïve determination to eventual acceptance, fueled by their devotion.  Shifting back and forth

in time smoothly, the variations on the theme unfold and additional plot twists emerge…all to the ever present musical variations (lyrically played by pianist and musical director, Diane Walsh) and creative and fluid sets designed by Derek McLane.

Fonda is outstanding and while she’s been away from Broadway for 46 years (and just a little rusty – a couple of lines dropped were quickly recovered), she convincingly depicts both her character’s unwavering determination and pride in pursuit of her life’s work and the rapid deterioration in her health as she struggles against time.  The remainder of the cast provided strong support.   

Just as Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations builds on a simple theme and emerges layer by layer to a more complex and self reflective work, Kaufman’s 33 Variations unfolds provocatively piece by piece to reveal complexities in human nature that arise from simple needs.