… why do the righteous playgoers suffer? …
The story of Job reinterpreted by a contemporary playwright: what an intriguing idea. Exotic times and places — here the ancient Near East — are appealing. And a play that takes you to supernatural venues, like Heaven, as this play does, and to actually “see” God, at home, so to speak, always have an extra magnetism.
One gets the impression that Thomas Bradshaw began by making a list of everything he could think of that might shock you re sexuality and worked his story to get in as much of it as possible, and then went on to make sure to get it acted out as graphically as possible. By the way, it’s not remotely erotic. More just plain distasteful. And disappointing, given the talent Bradshaw has shown earlier.
The Flea is presenting six plays by six authors, each with some reference to the recession. The actors are drawn from The Flea’s “Bats,” the young, capable and energetic actors of their resident company — you find yourself hoping for a good show at least as much for them as for yourself, but it doesn’t happen. For most of the plays, the link to the recession is so synthetic it doesn’t matter. The plays don’t matter much either, which is too bad for what must have seemed like a good idea.
… race ya to the bottom …
At first it seems The Bereaved is going to be a superficial play, a sitcom, at best a comedy of manners and it does keep the audience laughing, but one comes to realize it’s a dead serious, carefully constructed and politically radical play, written by a Black playwright, about race — specifically about which race or races will come out on top and which at the bottom.
… partial redemption …
Dawn at The Flea Theater has lots to keep you interested including vivid and sensational scenes, great acting and important content — alcoholism and child sexual abuse. It would be stronger if it did not struggle with problems of character and plot.
In the most powerful episode, a pedophile Uncle transforms an on-line Lolita into his sexual partner all the way to rolling-on-the-floor-naked success. It’s the crux in this play of family disaster and a classic scene: well observed, well written, an engine for the narrative and on a significant topic.
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