Public Obscenities written and directed by Shayok Misha Chowdhury Soho Reperatory at Polonsky Shakespeare Center February 6, 2024 Production website 💉💉 out of 5.
Public Obscenities
Public Obscenities is one very big play coming in at over three hours. Our playwright involves as many themes, histories and possibilities as he can possibly put into the space given. Truthfully, this play would be best done as a mini series where all of the pieces could fit together and find their proper resolution. The play is at once to long for the audience and two short to wrap up all that it opens up. The play centers around a Bangla, American student, who has returned to his native India, for a oddly defined academic project at the PhD level in which he claims to want to study English, anthropology, performance, gender and cinema – – although how that all comes together for one PhD package is a bit hard to figure out.
Job The Play by Max Wolf Friedlich Starring Peter Friedman & Sydney Lemmon Directed by Michael Herwitz Connelly Theater February 5, 2024 Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Have you ever seen a play and then wanted to tell a friend about it – – – but you just had to bite your tongue to prevent talking about the totally unexpected, yet perfectly prepared for ending. This play was so damn good but the end was the very best part. BUT you knew that if you told them the end, then the whole thing was ruined. That’s the way I feel about seeing Job. The play was terrific, but damn, if I am not tempted to tell you how the whole thing ended . . .
Jonah written by Rachel Bonds Directed by Danya Taymor Roundabout Theatre Company/Laura Pels Theatre February 2, 2024 Production website 💉💉💉 out of 5.
Jonah is a quiet, frightening play that covers familiar territory for contemporary theatre with a new and rather fresh approach. Jonah tells the story of Ana who is leading multiple story lines on stage. In one story line, she is a college student that is striking up a beautifully innocent and simple relationship with Jonah – a relationship almost too simple and beautiful to believe that it is actually true. Then 30 minutes into the play we are introduced into another world for Ana in which she is the stepchild of a highly abusive stepdad that regularly and increasingly terrorizes her step- brother. These scenes get more and more brutal until incest and suicide raise their ugly heads.
Russian Troll Farm by Sarah Gancher Directed by Darko Tresnjak Vineyard Theatre February 1, 2024 Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Russian Troll Farm was an amazing night in the theatre. It far exceeded any expectations I had as I took my seat. Based on an actual Internet Research Agency in Russia – – we follow professional internet trolls working for days at a time to influence American popular opinion, creating the illusion of consensus—or conflict. There are floors for Twitter, for Facebook, memes, fake news, and comments sections. Mis-information is big business indeed! The play focuses specifically on months leading up to the election of Donald Trump and the defeat of Hilary Clinton. Russian Troll Farm imagines the daily lives of these trolls/workers as they invent characters, stage conflicts, and create conspiracies. What happens to your grasp on the truth when your whole job is lying? How does your identity shift when you impersonate Americans for a living?
Sabbath’s Theater adapted from the novel by Philip Roth by Ariel Levy and John Turturro Directed by Jo Bonney The New Group December 9, 2023 Production website 💉💉 out of 5.
I was told that I was going to be offended by the content of Sabbath’s Theatre. The press said this – even signs outside the theatre said this – so I was ready- – and I have been offended many a time in the theatre. And most of the time, I was perfectly fine with it. But this was just too much even for me! It was a super uncomfortable afternoon in the theatre.
