From the moment Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’neal stepped on to the stage at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale there was a warmth exchanged between the actors and audience that lasted until the actors took their bows and walked offstage.It was if all were old friends seeing each other after a long time.

In the play “Love Letters” Ali MacGraw is Melissa Gardner and Ryan O’Neal is Andrew Makepeace Ladd lll who we first meet at the age of seven when Andrew meets and falls in love with Melissa, thinking of her as a lost princess. Both are from well to do families, Melissa reminding Andrew at one point that she is much richer than he is, and spend most of their childhood going to separate private schools.

For the next ninety minutes we listen to Andrew and Melissa read letters they exchanged.from 1937 to 1987 and though she preferred the phone he insisted and continued their communications through writing. We see her become a failed artist, a divorced woman who loses custody of her children because of alcoholism, promiscuous, a woman who can be quite sarcastic and always at sea but clinging to her friendship with Andrew. He follows the path set out for him from a very young age, becoming a married man with three children who goes to Yale, serves in the Navy, becomes a lawyer and eventually a U. S. Senator.

They are completely opposite in temperament and how they deal with life and yet they hold on to each other though apart more than they see each other. When they finally do connect it is too late. Andrew’s last letter, written to Melissa’s mother, spells out how much they gave to each, how much they shared and how much they loved each other over the fifty years.

“Love Letters” is presented in a very simple manner with Miss MacGraw and Mister O’Neal sitting at a table, wearing glasses, a glass of water and the letters in front of them. As they read the letters the audience laughs, are emotionally touched and become very involved with the lives of Melissa and Andrew.

After taking their bows, and walk offstage, O’Neal seems to be completely drained and appears to lean on MacGraw for support, in a way a touching end to another magical evening in the theatre.

Interview with Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal as they talk about “Love Story” to “Love Letters”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz-XA3M5YgE