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Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Death, Fear & An Ethical Dilemma..Mamet! - Reviewed by J. K. Cosmos
Mad Men vibe and fast paced talk compels the audience and presents a 'Must See' production at the New Rep. With Mamet, there are expectations and they were met and then some in Watertown.
Robert Pemberton as "Bobby" with his exceptional accent not to be under-estimated when most of Hollywood only pretends to be from a particular venue. Pemberton convinces us and he readily draws us in to his point of view. Pemberton shines in this role.
The play between him and Gabriel Kuttner exceptional. Kuttner is believable as Charlie Fox and as 'everyman' who is loyal and 'true blue' to the powers that run the show and the 'friends' that tantalize and promise a leg up.
Kuttner reflects that man and humanity's attempts to move ahead at any cost in his role as Fox. He understands the game plan and reminds the audience and more crucially his pal, Bobby Gould.
To take the top off, the play has a fight scene. The sudden burst of violence and blood presents another level of Mamet at his best. Director Robert Walsh deserves kudos for the entire production. Walsh transitions the scenes and directs the actors to lead us through the phases of it all; no small feat with this play.
The pivotal conflict is dramatized effectively; both sweetly and purposefully by Aimee Doherty. Her role as Karen is the rub and she moves as an ingenue and a femme fatale. Who knew Karen (Doherty) would have this effect? Doherty plays her hand close and the audience appreciates how she develops this part.
Mamet addresses art and the concepts of being worthy, much like Oscar Wilde did in his essays on art and the value of art, artists and critics.
The Actors, the action, the play - exceptional! Speed-The-Plow
Reviewed - J.K. Cosmos - New Rep Reviewer
Robert Pemberton as "Bobby" with his exceptional accent not to be under-estimated when most of Hollywood only pretends to be from a particular venue. Pemberton convinces us and he readily draws us in to his point of view. Pemberton shines in this role.
The play between him and Gabriel Kuttner exceptional. Kuttner is believable as Charlie Fox and as 'everyman' who is loyal and 'true blue' to the powers that run the show and the 'friends' that tantalize and promise a leg up.
Kuttner reflects that man and humanity's attempts to move ahead at any cost in his role as Fox. He understands the game plan and reminds the audience and more crucially his pal, Bobby Gould.
To take the top off, the play has a fight scene. The sudden burst of violence and blood presents another level of Mamet at his best. Director Robert Walsh deserves kudos for the entire production. Walsh transitions the scenes and directs the actors to lead us through the phases of it all; no small feat with this play.
The pivotal conflict is dramatized effectively; both sweetly and purposefully by Aimee Doherty. Her role as Karen is the rub and she moves as an ingenue and a femme fatale. Who knew Karen (Doherty) would have this effect? Doherty plays her hand close and the audience appreciates how she develops this part.
Mamet addresses art and the concepts of being worthy, much like Oscar Wilde did in his essays on art and the value of art, artists and critics.
The Actors, the action, the play - exceptional! Speed-The-Plow
Reviewed - J.K. Cosmos - New Rep Reviewer
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Speed-the-Plow-Not-to-be-Missed
by Frank Furnari
David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow opens with Charlie Fox, a film producer, presenting the plan to make this next smash prison movie with a big name celebrity to Bobby Gould, a newly promoted studio executive. The film has everything in it and it will sell, even if it’s not a great story. The dialogue here is typical Mamet-speak where sentences are rarely finished as they are interrupted by the other person, words are often repeated, and there are lots of swear words. Gabriel Kuttner as Charlie and Robert Pemberton as Bobby do this in such a natural way, as if they always speak this way and as a result get many laughs. We then meet Karen, played by the always-great Aimee Doherty, a good-looking temp that gets both men’s attention. She is pretty, seems innocent and hasn’t really figured out how things work in Hollywood. Charlie bets Bobby that she won’t sleep with him, Bobby accepts. To get Karen to come to his house, Bobby asks Karen to read a novel that he has already decided will not make a good movie - The Bridge; or, Radiation and the Half-Life of Society –she should report on it at his house that evening. She shows up, loves it, and tries to convince him to make it into a film. She reads several quotes from the book, which are some of the funniest moments of the show. Things happen that night and the next morning that determine which film will be made and who ends up on top.
This play premiered on Broadway in 1988 (Madonna played Karen!) and it feels fresh today, you can see nothing has changed in the movie industry. The play looks at the question of art vs. business – do we make the film that should be made – a good film, or do we just make the film that will make us rich? At one point when Bobby is asked, “Is it a good film?” he replies, “it’s a commodity.” In 85minutes of witty dialogue, we get a glimpse of life in the movie business played by three actors whom you really believe lived these lives.
While the production as a whole is great, Eric Levenson’s set was unimpressive. Not consisting of much more than a few chairs and a few tables, it left me wanting a little more – is this how sparse a studio executive’s office is? But then again, this is Mamet – it’s all about the words, and there are lots of them. Pay close attention, it’s worth it - you will catch most of the words in between all the laughter.
“Speed-the-Plow” Delivers
by Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer
“Speed-the-Plow,” David Mamet’s classic play, starts off as a picture of life in a Hollywood film studio - suits, swearing, and the allure of excessive wealth. Over its 80 minutes, this play humanizes the people who bring us blockbusters, and presents a moral dilemma about the responsibility of those who make decisions that ultimately shape our culture.
The production currently running on the mainstage at New Rep, directed by Robert Walsh, is one of the best pieces of theatre that I’ve seen in a while. Every aspect is well done. All three actors give nuanced, full performances that are as genuine as they are hilarious; the set is interesting and evocative; the pumping music adds brilliantly to the atmosphere; and the lighting is crisp and decisive. This all comes together to produce a thoroughly entertaining evening of high quality theatre.
The show is done in threes - three characters, three scenes. Bobby Gould, the newly promoted studio executive, is portrayed by Robert Pemberton, and his performance is masterful. When we meet him, he is all talk and fluffed ego. But as the play continues, Mr. Pemberton expertly strips away Bobby’s outer shell, and this process is both hilarious and touching. One of the best moments comes when Bobby shyly seduces his new secretary; he takes on the body language of a teenage boy, and his slightly flushed face gives him away completely.
Charlie Fox, the executive underling, is played by Gabriel Kuttner. Mr. Kuttner makes amazing use of his movement. Charlie appears jumpy by nature, and this seems to be a physical manifestation of his deep sense of anger at never getting his shot. This movement progresses from his first moment on stage to his last, when he finally walks steadily, having taken control and gotten what he wanted.
Finally, there is Karen, Bobby’s temporary secretary, played by Aimee Doherty. Ms. Doherty is faced with a challenge, as the character of Karen is not written as fully or given nearly as much motivation as her male counterparts. Doherty does a very credible job, moving swiftly from naive temp to passionate advocate. However, through the fault of the script, Karen’s choices remain somewhat unconvincing.
This play presents big questions in the guise of a somewhat silly scenario, a construction that gives the script tremendous versatility. This production made me laugh hard and long, and it also asked for an examination of how power is gained in human relationships, and what motivates decisions that have an impact on society. David Mamet has written a very good play, and Robert Walsh has directed an excellent production. I urge you to see “Speed the Plow.”
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Speed the Plow -- fantastic
I have no idea why this play is called Speed-the-Plow, but I guess that’s kind of irrelevant. What is relevant is that this play is fantastic – the best New Rep has produced this year. Mamet is a great playwright and the dialogue is fast-paced, profanity-laced and, at times, almost too quick to follow.
The actors were excellent. The best was Robert Pemberton as Bobby Gould, the just-promoted movie producer who has to decide whether he wants to produce a crowd-pleasing “movie” or a “film” with a moral and ethical message. This dilemma is presented to him on the one side by his long-term friend and associate Charlie Fox (very well played by Gabriel Kutner), who brings him a sure-fire script for a prison movie, complete with a popular actor. The argument for art and morality is presented by Bobby’s temporary secretary, Karen (beautifully played by Aimee Doherty). Karen urges Bobby to forego the materialistic prison movie and to make a film from a “courtesy read” book that he asked her to review (with the ultimate hope of bedding her). The three characters regularly read from the book, which is about radiation and the end of the world, to underscore the points they are making. But regardless of whether it is Karen reading with awe and passion, or Charlie reading the book with derision, one thing is clear: the book is puerile and would make a terrible, terrible movie.
The writing is taut and fast paced and the actors do it justice. Although Kutner (Charlie) was a bit hesitant in the first few scenes, he caught his stride by the middle of the play and finished it with a dynamic and memorable performance. Doherty (Karen) was perfect for the role of a seemingly naïve young woman, who is ultimately as shallow and ambition-driven as everyone else. The most performance was Pemberton’s. He fully inhabited the role of Bobby, a man who was alternately motivated by power and lust. He gave a nuanced performance allowing the character to be forceful, funny or passionate, as the scene demanded. Pemberton was on stage for the entire performance and despite the strength of the other actors, it was hard to take your eyes off him.
“Speed-the-Plow” is playing at New Rep through November 7th. It would be a mistake to miss this one.
K.Poverman, New Rep reviewer
The actors were excellent. The best was Robert Pemberton as Bobby Gould, the just-promoted movie producer who has to decide whether he wants to produce a crowd-pleasing “movie” or a “film” with a moral and ethical message. This dilemma is presented to him on the one side by his long-term friend and associate Charlie Fox (very well played by Gabriel Kutner), who brings him a sure-fire script for a prison movie, complete with a popular actor. The argument for art and morality is presented by Bobby’s temporary secretary, Karen (beautifully played by Aimee Doherty). Karen urges Bobby to forego the materialistic prison movie and to make a film from a “courtesy read” book that he asked her to review (with the ultimate hope of bedding her). The three characters regularly read from the book, which is about radiation and the end of the world, to underscore the points they are making. But regardless of whether it is Karen reading with awe and passion, or Charlie reading the book with derision, one thing is clear: the book is puerile and would make a terrible, terrible movie.
The writing is taut and fast paced and the actors do it justice. Although Kutner (Charlie) was a bit hesitant in the first few scenes, he caught his stride by the middle of the play and finished it with a dynamic and memorable performance. Doherty (Karen) was perfect for the role of a seemingly naïve young woman, who is ultimately as shallow and ambition-driven as everyone else. The most performance was Pemberton’s. He fully inhabited the role of Bobby, a man who was alternately motivated by power and lust. He gave a nuanced performance allowing the character to be forceful, funny or passionate, as the scene demanded. Pemberton was on stage for the entire performance and despite the strength of the other actors, it was hard to take your eyes off him.
“Speed-the-Plow” is playing at New Rep through November 7th. It would be a mistake to miss this one.
K.Poverman, New Rep reviewer
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Pitch
by Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer
Mamet. Hollywood. Power. Ruthlessness. Moral decay. Male bonding. Serial Swearing. Staccato dialogue. Got it.
New Rep’s current offering of David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow” comes with some interesting Broadway baggage. Both the original 1988 production and the recent 2008 version are famous, or infamous, for their casting choices, Madonna in the former (almost universally panned) and Jeremy Piven in the latter (supposedly done in by some suspect sushi). The star of most Mamet works, however, is Mamet, with his idiosyncratic rhythm of speech. This time around, with some three dozen screenplays to his credit, he has the street cred to write about turf he knows all too well. His title comes from an old saying that work produces wealth, therefore may God speed the proverbial plow for a swift and profitable harvest. How his characters plan to cultivate proposed movie projects is the crux of the play.
This short work features three characters in three scenes. Bobby Gould (Robert Pemberton), head of production at a film studio, and Charlie Fox (Gabriel Kuttner), a producer, have been friends since their days in the mail room. Charlie, a self-described whore, in the best-written and most complex role (Ron Silver won a Tony in the original and Raul Esparza was nominated in the revival), views movies as a business and believes in success at all costs. It is his pitch for a screenplay he temporarily represents that initiates conflict, and he repeatedly notes that he could easily have “crossed the street” (that is, pitched to another studio) with his project. Bobby, also a self-described whore, states that money isn’t everything; he wants to make a difference in the world. Karen (Aimee Doherty) is the literal whore willing to do whatever it takes to be a player, in the least interesting role. This is nothing new for Mamet, whose focus in previous works such as “American Buffalo“ and the Pulitzer-winning “Glengarry Glen Ross” is clearly the issue of male friendships and bromance; his female characters are often marginalized or objectified.
This cast nails the pace and the cynicism neatly. Kuttner gets the lion’s share of the best lines and makes the most of them, while Pemberton’s reactions are priceless. The problem is the character of Karen, and, while Doherty does about as well as one could with the role, it’s as shallow as the character she plays. Her biggest scene lacks the pacing of the rest of the work and spends way too much time getting to a point that is telegraphed much earlier; it’s almost as though it’s from another play. It’s not the fault of the actors, but of Mamet, who doesn’t acknowledge that a woman might be the verbal equal of the men. This may have been credible in 1988, but in today’s Hollywood, with several female studio heads, it’s a bit dated. Nonetheless, Director Robert Walsh does a splendid job of verbal choreography. On the technical side, the set works very well and the costumes are spot on (Bobby rumpled, Charlie buttoned-down, Karen chameleon-like), but the lighting too often puts the actors literally in the dark.
Art and idealism may not triumph over commerce, but the process provides a great deal of hysterically funny writing. Mamet surely doesn’t spare the rod in portraying the movie culture. As Charlie puts it, “They’re only words unless they’re true”.
Mamet. Hollywood. Power. Ruthlessness. Moral decay. Male bonding. Serial Swearing. Staccato dialogue. Got it.
New Rep’s current offering of David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow” comes with some interesting Broadway baggage. Both the original 1988 production and the recent 2008 version are famous, or infamous, for their casting choices, Madonna in the former (almost universally panned) and Jeremy Piven in the latter (supposedly done in by some suspect sushi). The star of most Mamet works, however, is Mamet, with his idiosyncratic rhythm of speech. This time around, with some three dozen screenplays to his credit, he has the street cred to write about turf he knows all too well. His title comes from an old saying that work produces wealth, therefore may God speed the proverbial plow for a swift and profitable harvest. How his characters plan to cultivate proposed movie projects is the crux of the play.
This short work features three characters in three scenes. Bobby Gould (Robert Pemberton), head of production at a film studio, and Charlie Fox (Gabriel Kuttner), a producer, have been friends since their days in the mail room. Charlie, a self-described whore, in the best-written and most complex role (Ron Silver won a Tony in the original and Raul Esparza was nominated in the revival), views movies as a business and believes in success at all costs. It is his pitch for a screenplay he temporarily represents that initiates conflict, and he repeatedly notes that he could easily have “crossed the street” (that is, pitched to another studio) with his project. Bobby, also a self-described whore, states that money isn’t everything; he wants to make a difference in the world. Karen (Aimee Doherty) is the literal whore willing to do whatever it takes to be a player, in the least interesting role. This is nothing new for Mamet, whose focus in previous works such as “American Buffalo“ and the Pulitzer-winning “Glengarry Glen Ross” is clearly the issue of male friendships and bromance; his female characters are often marginalized or objectified.
This cast nails the pace and the cynicism neatly. Kuttner gets the lion’s share of the best lines and makes the most of them, while Pemberton’s reactions are priceless. The problem is the character of Karen, and, while Doherty does about as well as one could with the role, it’s as shallow as the character she plays. Her biggest scene lacks the pacing of the rest of the work and spends way too much time getting to a point that is telegraphed much earlier; it’s almost as though it’s from another play. It’s not the fault of the actors, but of Mamet, who doesn’t acknowledge that a woman might be the verbal equal of the men. This may have been credible in 1988, but in today’s Hollywood, with several female studio heads, it’s a bit dated. Nonetheless, Director Robert Walsh does a splendid job of verbal choreography. On the technical side, the set works very well and the costumes are spot on (Bobby rumpled, Charlie buttoned-down, Karen chameleon-like), but the lighting too often puts the actors literally in the dark.
Art and idealism may not triumph over commerce, but the process provides a great deal of hysterically funny writing. Mamet surely doesn’t spare the rod in portraying the movie culture. As Charlie puts it, “They’re only words unless they’re true”.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
2.5 Minute Ride...Whoosh! And What A Ride It Was! by JK Cosmos, New Rep Reviewer
Lisa Kron has a hit featuring Adrianne Krstansky. Kron keeps the pace and engages the audience without any dead space. The initial scene may have been perplexing, as Lisa, played by Krstansky, takes us on the journey and the ride, uses a pointer on a blank screen. The sound of the clicking slides, the red dot on a blank screen, all very effective. It gave the audience pause and allowed them to fill in the blank space, the white space, to create the scene based on the language of the production, not the visuals. It reminded me of art appreciation classes as an undergrad and the use of the white space, rather than color on the screen lead to images and use of my imagination. Nicely done.
Krstansky gave an energetic and well-paced performance with humor and some ironic twists. She evoked emotion and illicited a recognition in us and an empathy that crosses ethnic lines. The traditions and cultural descriptions in the dialogue transcend the Jewish experience, as many peoples identify with much of the play.
The acting was up close and personal; there is no other way to say it. The outlook despite tragedies in life, remains optimistic and positive. Who knew? I didn't expect the joi de vivre that came across despite some horrific recollections in the piece.
One short story of a German boy, who chose not to join the war and not to join the Nazi Party and his courage to be his own person resonated for me and was one of the thesis components of the play. Lisa's father feeling lucky to be Jewish, so as not to have to make a decision to choose a Nazi uniform or to decline; very poignant.
Krstansky stayed in character and moved us through the events of her life; of Lisa's life. It was fabulous!
Krstansky gave an energetic and well-paced performance with humor and some ironic twists. She evoked emotion and illicited a recognition in us and an empathy that crosses ethnic lines. The traditions and cultural descriptions in the dialogue transcend the Jewish experience, as many peoples identify with much of the play.
The acting was up close and personal; there is no other way to say it. The outlook despite tragedies in life, remains optimistic and positive. Who knew? I didn't expect the joi de vivre that came across despite some horrific recollections in the piece.
One short story of a German boy, who chose not to join the war and not to join the Nazi Party and his courage to be his own person resonated for me and was one of the thesis components of the play. Lisa's father feeling lucky to be Jewish, so as not to have to make a decision to choose a Nazi uniform or to decline; very poignant.
Krstansky stayed in character and moved us through the events of her life; of Lisa's life. It was fabulous!
2.5 Minute Ride (Well, really, 70 Minute Ride)
by Frank Furnari, New Rep Reviewer
Downstage @ New Rep begins its season with the roller coaster that is Lisa Kron’s 2.5 Minute Ride. Some may remember Lisa Kron from her 2007 Boston appearance starring in her other major autobiographical play, Well. 2.5 Minute Ride opens with a slide show about Lisa's family, but from the beginning, we know something isn’t quite right, we don't actually see images on the slides, only colors. Something is a little off - as Lisa says, “My family is all either dead or crippled.”
Lisa takes us on a whirlwind journey - abruptly changing time, place, and topic. We jump from family vacations where the “cripples” go on roller coaster rides, to visiting Auschwitz with her father, to a family wedding – just be sure you hold on as the quick transitions can be jarring. The piece alternates from funny moments discussing Peg’s (Lisa’s partner) reaction to Lisa’s family and analysis of the situation through her ‘therapist mind’ to the realities of horrors of Auschwitz. The jumps are occasionally confusing, but it makes you feel as if you're hearing an unscripted talk rather than a play.
Adrianne Krastansky masterfully performs the character of Lisa – one feels that she is channeling Lisa Kron. Occasionally, Adrianne falters when portraying some of the other characters - sometimes one isn’t sure who is supposed to be speaking, but when she is Lisa, she is spot on and a remarkable sight! One of the best moments of the piece is also its darkest - while visiting Auschwitz, Adrianne gets the audience to feel the dread, the sorrow, and her reluctance to even attempt to explain the experience. This play isn’t going to offer you new insight or break new ground, but it is interesting, touching, funny, and only 70 minutes long – hard to pass up, especially when you get to see such a talented actress giving a great performance.
"2.5 Minute Ride" is a Powerful Trip
By Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer
“2.5 minute ride,” the one woman show currently playing in the black box theatre at New Rep, begins with a family slide show, presented by a daughter. She points out the people in the photographs with a laser pointer, often finishing her descriptions with “but of course, you can see that.”
The catch, though, is that we can’t. The audience sees just empty slide after empty slide, blurry around the edges. As the piece moves forward, this becomes a metaphor for the blurred vision of the woman’s father, who has lost all sight except for a sliver of peripheral view. When he looks at his daughter, he tells her that this loss of vision has actually given him a more accurate perception of the world: “and when I look at where your head is,” he says, “all I see is flowers.”
Adrianne Krstansky, the actress, who embodies the writer of the piece, carries the show with passion. The playwright, Lisa Kron, has written a piece that jumps from the midwest to Eastern Europe, from the old world to the world of twenty-four hour stores that carry everything from Wonder Bread to guns. The action moves from an American amusement park to the streets of Poland and into the depths of Auschwitz. What makes this journey work is Krstansky’s complete embodiment of Lisa, and her acceptance of Lisa’s world; her relationships with the people she is describing are clear and fully realized, which brings them to life.
What works best are the hardest parts. Lisa speaks honestly about her expectations for her trip to Auschwitz - her biggest fear upon going, she says, is that she will feel nothing at all. But when she arrives, her telling of the tale is truly horrifying, and all the more so as she admits that she cannot possibly do it justice, and hardly even wants to try. A powerful moment comes when Lisa embodies her father, and describes his insistence that he was lucky to be born a Jew, so that he did not have to face the choice of whether to join the Nazi party.
What is less successful are the stories of the every day. The script works admirably to provide comic relief, but the attempt to mix comedy with tragedy feels somewhat staged, and the transitions aren’t smooth enough to allow for time to adjust.
But Krstansky is not afraid to look her audience in the eye, and that is what makes the experience of this play so effective. She paints clear pictures of the people in her life, so that despite the empty slides, we can see them. The not seeing - the fact that there are no pictures of these people, and we must rely on Lisa’s perceptions - ultimately gives us a better view.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
E-Ticket to Ride?
by Jack Craib New Rep Reviewer
Approaching a one-person show is a bit like a first encounter with an unfamiliar rollercoaster; will the ride seem to be over in 2.5 seconds like a flash or will it seem more like two and a half hours of an endurance contest? The perceived length depends greatly on the depth of the performance given by the soloist and to what degree insightful direction overcomes the obstacles inherent in this limited (yet often freeing) form. It also depends, of course, on the work's content and how its author provides sufficient variety, mystery and tension. This is a tall order given the typical limitations of a performance piece. Without the benefit of supporting players to provide conflict, most often without set designs that enhance context, and fundamentally without the traditional arc of a more structured drama, there has to be a lot of naked courage on display.
Fortunately for New Rep theatergoers, the current production of author Lisa Kron's autobiographical "2.5 Minute Ride" succeeds in delivering the goods. As with all such solo acting efforts, what transpires is less a play in the strict sense and more of a series of vignettes, less like a novel and more like an interrelated grouping of short stories. And what a solo performance this is. Local actress Adrianne Krstansky, with very few exceptions that will undoubtedly be overcome when she has had time to grow into the part even more, conveys the humor and the pathos of a woman whose family has had more than its share of both good times and sorrow. Under New Rep alumna M. Bevan O'Gara's direction, both subtle and searing, the title's allusion to a brief ride on a rollercoaster is certainly apt.
The first thing one notices upon entering the intimate Black Box Theater is the calliope music, preparing the audience for what is to come. As the first scene opens, theatergoers find themselves at a slide lecture in which no images appear on the screen but are described in detail by the sole character, a perfect illustration of the true essence of acting, namely seeing through the eyes of the performer. Whether it's her family's dysfunctional visits to a Michigan amusement park, her visit with her father to the concentration camp where her father's parents died, or her totally unexpected reaction to a family wedding as half of a gay couple of bridesmaids, this device works brilliantly. The scenes at Auschwitz are particularly gripping in a very surprising way when the simple act of misplacing something leads to terror.
It's not "Belle of Amherst", "Mark Twain Tonight" or "I Am My Own Wife", but this is one memorable ride. If this were another amusement park, Disneyland in the old days, this would surely be an E-ticket.
Approaching a one-person show is a bit like a first encounter with an unfamiliar rollercoaster; will the ride seem to be over in 2.5 seconds like a flash or will it seem more like two and a half hours of an endurance contest? The perceived length depends greatly on the depth of the performance given by the soloist and to what degree insightful direction overcomes the obstacles inherent in this limited (yet often freeing) form. It also depends, of course, on the work's content and how its author provides sufficient variety, mystery and tension. This is a tall order given the typical limitations of a performance piece. Without the benefit of supporting players to provide conflict, most often without set designs that enhance context, and fundamentally without the traditional arc of a more structured drama, there has to be a lot of naked courage on display.
Fortunately for New Rep theatergoers, the current production of author Lisa Kron's autobiographical "2.5 Minute Ride" succeeds in delivering the goods. As with all such solo acting efforts, what transpires is less a play in the strict sense and more of a series of vignettes, less like a novel and more like an interrelated grouping of short stories. And what a solo performance this is. Local actress Adrianne Krstansky, with very few exceptions that will undoubtedly be overcome when she has had time to grow into the part even more, conveys the humor and the pathos of a woman whose family has had more than its share of both good times and sorrow. Under New Rep alumna M. Bevan O'Gara's direction, both subtle and searing, the title's allusion to a brief ride on a rollercoaster is certainly apt.
The first thing one notices upon entering the intimate Black Box Theater is the calliope music, preparing the audience for what is to come. As the first scene opens, theatergoers find themselves at a slide lecture in which no images appear on the screen but are described in detail by the sole character, a perfect illustration of the true essence of acting, namely seeing through the eyes of the performer. Whether it's her family's dysfunctional visits to a Michigan amusement park, her visit with her father to the concentration camp where her father's parents died, or her totally unexpected reaction to a family wedding as half of a gay couple of bridesmaids, this device works brilliantly. The scenes at Auschwitz are particularly gripping in a very surprising way when the simple act of misplacing something leads to terror.
It's not "Belle of Amherst", "Mark Twain Tonight" or "I Am My Own Wife", but this is one memorable ride. If this were another amusement park, Disneyland in the old days, this would surely be an E-ticket.
2.5 Minute Ride -- Whew!
Lisa Kron’s “2.5 Minute Ride was a very intense experience. This one-woman autobiographical show (featuring a wonderful Adrianne Krstansky as Lisa) is a study in how one woman comes to terms with her heritage, and her efforts to make sense of this heritage in the context of her Midwestern upbringing and her family’s experiences.
The play’s conceit involves Lisa’s project to capture her father’s life and history in a video. Her father was a Holocaust survivor whose parents were killed at Auschwitz. Coming to the United States at 15, he eventually moved to the Midwest and raised his family in Lansing, Michigan. The play begins with Lisa discussing her family’s quirks and giving a mock travelogue of pictures taken on a trip to Auschwitz with her father. The stories about her family and her relationship with her partner are humorous and sometimes hilarious. Her stories about the trip to Auschwitz are heartbreaking. The two story lines – the humor and the heartbreak – are told alternately, and Lisa slips from humor to heartbreak without notice. Krstansky played the scenes – especially the Auschwitz scenes –so beautifully, so well, and so intensely, that they were almost too much to take. I found myself wanting some scenes to end; not because they were bad, but because they were so painful to experience, even second-hand.
By re-living her grandparents’ experiences in the trip to Auschwitz, and by seeing how her father processes this experience, Lisa comes to more fully understand the role of her Jewish heritage in her life. This processing culminates in her discussions of her brother’s wedding to an Orthodox Jew. It was a decision her family could not understand and initially mocked, but the wedding turned out to be a surprising and healing event.
This is an excellent play. Just be ready to be taken on quite an emotional rollercoaster.
The play’s conceit involves Lisa’s project to capture her father’s life and history in a video. Her father was a Holocaust survivor whose parents were killed at Auschwitz. Coming to the United States at 15, he eventually moved to the Midwest and raised his family in Lansing, Michigan. The play begins with Lisa discussing her family’s quirks and giving a mock travelogue of pictures taken on a trip to Auschwitz with her father. The stories about her family and her relationship with her partner are humorous and sometimes hilarious. Her stories about the trip to Auschwitz are heartbreaking. The two story lines – the humor and the heartbreak – are told alternately, and Lisa slips from humor to heartbreak without notice. Krstansky played the scenes – especially the Auschwitz scenes –so beautifully, so well, and so intensely, that they were almost too much to take. I found myself wanting some scenes to end; not because they were bad, but because they were so painful to experience, even second-hand.
By re-living her grandparents’ experiences in the trip to Auschwitz, and by seeing how her father processes this experience, Lisa comes to more fully understand the role of her Jewish heritage in her life. This processing culminates in her discussions of her brother’s wedding to an Orthodox Jew. It was a decision her family could not understand and initially mocked, but the wedding turned out to be a surprising and healing event.
This is an excellent play. Just be ready to be taken on quite an emotional rollercoaster.
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