Two Plays

[skynyc]

I saw two plays this week and suggest folks get tickets ASAP to both, as I predict both are going to be very well-recieved.

 

And WOW! Are they different.

 

All in the Timing by David Ives, produced by Primary Stages at 59E59 is truly riotous. Six short plays and there's not a clunker in the bunch. It's the 20th Anniversary production and my friend and I laughed all the way through, this was a thinking man's Saturday Night Live.

Universal Language and Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread were my two favorites, but I think I will be using Philadelphia as a descriptive noun for a long time.

Cast is all very talented, two of the gents recognizable from Peter and the Starcatcher.

John Rando directed these five folks beautifully.

This is scheduled to play through March 17th, and that theater has a busy schedule so it may not extend...but grab a ticket quick and treat yourself to a laugh. It's 100 minutes with an intermission.

 

The Dance and the Railroad is currently in previews at the Signature on 42nd Street. Originally produced in 1982, this early David Henry Hwang takes a very stylized look at two young Chinamen who are working on the transcontinental railroad in 1867. One of the men leaves the camp each evening to practice movement and song from the Chinese opera for which he was training before coming to the "Gold Mountain" to earn money for his family. I found it effective and thrilling. I cannot imagine that this can be produced often because of the level of skill required by the two performers.

 

Telling the story of the workers while presenting the earliest movements of a trainee in this ancient form, I was fascinated by both aspects of the tale.

 

I am hesitant to post how much I enjoyed this, as I suspect I will be immediately informed that they're doing it all wrong, it's not authentic, and I am naive to think that this is even a faint representation of actual Chinese opera, but having had NO exposure to that art form, I found this depiction to be beautifully fluid and very moving.

 

Signature shows are only $25 for their initial dates, and the price goes up if the show extends. I hope that this will extend to give more theater-goers an opportunity to see it, and have a similar introduction.

[Kevin Slater]

All in the Timing by David Ives, produced by Primary Stages at 59E59 is truly riotous. Six short plays and there's not a clunker in the bunch. It's the 20th Anniversary production and my friend and I laughed all the way through, this was a thinking man's Saturday Night Live.

Universal Language and Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread were my two favorites, but I think I will be using Philadelphia as a descriptive noun for a long time.

Cast is all very talented, two of the gents recognizable from Peter and the Starcatcher.

John Rando directed these five folks beautifully.

This is scheduled to play through March 17th, and that theater has a busy schedule so it may not extend...but grab a ticket quick and treat yourself to a laugh. It's 100 minutes with an intermission.

 

I couldn't agree more. I just saw this wonderful production tonight. It's witty, sharp, amazingly well acted (which is critical, because a couple of the plays truly depend on impeccable timing), and loud-out-loud hilarious. Off Broadway at its best. My favorites were Sure Thing and Words, Words, Words. But all six were fabulous. David Ives, by the way, is the gent who brought us Venus in Fur (also fabulous). Be sure to catch this if you can. It's been extended through April 14.

 

Kevin Slater

[operalover21]

I couldn't agree more. I just saw this wonderful production tonight. It's witty, sharp, amazingly well acted (which is critical, because a couple of the plays truly depend on impeccable timing), and loud-out-loud hilarious. Off Broadway at its best. My favorites were Sure Thing and Words, Words, Words. But all six were fabulous. David Ives, by the way, is the gent who brought us Venus in Fur (also fabulous). Be sure to catch this if you can. It's been extended through April 14.

 

Kevin Slater

 

I'm with both the posters here. Very enjoyable stuff, far better than the crap you see on Broadway. Highly recommended without reservations.