Life Sucks
Written by Aaron Posner
Directed by Jeff Wise
Theatre Row – Acorn Theatre
June 23, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
Life Sucks – totally sucked in the first 10 minutes but then moment by moment totally become one of my most memorable plays of the summer.Life Sucks is “sort of adapted from ‘Uncle Vanya,’” as playwright, Mr. Posner puts it. (He had already gone to the Chekhov well three years ago with his well-received “Stupid _____ Bird,” based loosely on The Seagull. Here in Uncle Vanya land, the forlorn Vanya still shares a home with the plain Sonia but now we appear to be in the United States since there is talk of student loans and American money.Both Vanya and the brooding Dr. Aster still pine for Sonia’s stepmother, Ella. Continue reading Life Sucks→
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Written by Taylor Mac
Directed by George C. Wolfe
Booth Theatre
June 12, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
I love this short gross, over-the-top mess of a play.The idea of tacking on a coda to Titus Andronicus, one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays is really novel and compelling.When the curtain comes up and you see a pile of life-size puppet bodies piled up to the top of the proscenium arch, you know that you are not going to be in for a subtle evening at the theatre! Continue reading Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus→
The Play That Goes Wrong
Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields
Directed by Matt Dicarlo
New World Stages
June 10, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
I have seen this play now for the third and, hopefully, the very last time.The only fun left for me in this production was the joy of taking 16 young students who had never experienced the story.I almost wished that my seat had faced them and not the stage.I am sure that would been a worthy show.
I have little to say about the play that I haven’t said before:
Once you see a farce this many times it comes down to the mechanics and not to the joy.Please do see it.It is a brilliant play – but I am going to have to say “no” – been there and seen that.
The Ferryman
Written by Jez Butterworth
Directed by Sam Mendes
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
June 9, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
Ferryman
I love Irish theatre.I love the grit and passion they bring to the story.I love good ghost stories and the Irish know some pretty amazing ghost stories.I love how so many of these Irish tales are about trying to make amends for an often unimaginable harm done in the past or an intense interest in passing family history on to the next generation.This is what makes Irish literature such fun in the theatre. Continue reading The Ferryman→
The Secret Life of Bees
Book by Lynn Nottage
Music by Duncan Sheik
Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead
Based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd
Directed by Sam Gold
Atlantic Theater Company
June 9, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
The Secret Life of Bees was another experiment in taking a wildly popular novel and adapting it for the stage – but more than a play, they worked to transform this into a musical!Here in Bees, the music was just breathtaking.You had great music, great lyrics sung by some of the best vocalists theatre has working right now.It was so moving to listen to. Continue reading The Secret Life of Bees→
Life Sucks
