Goodnight, Oscar Starring Sean Hayes Written by Doug Wright Directed by Lisa Peterson Belasco Theatre July 12, 2023 Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Goodnight Oscar packed one hell of a punch last night. I knew going in that Sean Hayes would be able to deliver all the comic moments of the show with aplomb. He is so good at those small sarcastic comments and finding a punch line to every single moment. I knew that the comedy would be great, but I was wondering if the night was going to hold any more to it. I am so glad to say it did. The show did start off a little slow and a lot of exposition was needed to take us back in time to the late fifties. It was important to understand the Jack Paar show and its tendency to bring celebrity guests on its show and exploit them for the sake of ratings.
Comeuppance Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Directed by Eric Ting Signature Theatre July 8, 2023 Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Comeuppance really had me worried in the first few moments. Any play that begins with a character speaking directly to the audience and pretending to be “death” seems to be going down the wrong tedious path. I had very low expectations. Once the play moved through this monologue, however, I was very surprised as to how wonderful it was. A group of 30-somethings were gathered on the porch of the central characters house, all doing a bit of a pre-game libations before they go to the 20th high school reunion. The characters were so rich and interesting. They had the most complicated and interesting of relationships. I quickly forgot about the death character! The play then speaks of how they all survived the Columbine shootings, the war in Baghdad, 9/11 and even the January 6 march against the capital. But most importantly, how they all survived the Covid nightmare.
Leopoldstadt Written by Tom Stoppard Directed by Patrick Barber Longacre Theatre January 4, 2023 Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
This was one tough tough chew. This was one play that I wished I could have read or, ideally, seen twice. There were just so many story lines; so many years covered; so many characters, with such rich; so many mathematic illusions, Zionist history, and commentary on modern art , AND poetic language that I was treading water trying to gather as much as I could. Leopoldstadt is a late career masterpiece likely Tom Stoppard’s plays as he is well in his 80’s ,and he spends so much time in making his plays. But this is one great exit play! The play is much like a kaleidoscope – taking us through a boisterous Christmas party in 1899, a Passover in 1990, and a farcical circumcision in 1924.
A Christmas Carol From Charles Dickens Adapted by Jefferson Mays, Susan Lyons, and Michael Arden Directed by Michael Arden Nederlander Theatre December 23, 2022 Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
There is no better prep for the holidays than a good ‘ol go with Christmas Carol – and this is the best you will see in a good long time. Jefferson Mays rules the stage as the only actor for this 90 minute tour de forte. It is no wonder that he can hold the story and all of its moments and all of its characters. He proved that previously in his Tony awarded I Am My Own Wife. What was great here was to see Jefferson’s ability to snap and slide into all of the characters – – often holding conversations with himself – – each with a different vocal and physical choice.
American Buffalo Written by Eugene O’Neill Directed by Ciarán O’Reilly Irish Repertory Theatre April 1, 2022 Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
It is always magical to see a David Mamet play done well. It is great to see the very specific, graphic and course language of David Mamet be delivered as street poetry and not just a string of expletives. The ugliness of the language takes on a certain beauty in gifted hands – and these hands were gifted! Laurence Fishburne as Donny and Sam Rockwell as Teach were perfect in their roles. They played a mad, intense game of tennis batting their lines and intent back and forth in perfect form. I had a little trouble with Darren Criss as Bobby – perhaps because he is so indelibly connected to this role in Glee – or perhaps it was just the character of Bobby. He just looked like he was in another play.
