LAUGH IT UP, STARE IT DOWN

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/6/15 at 11:53am

I wanted to start a thread about this show in order to warn people not to see it. While I don't think it's the worst show I've ever seen (although others leaving the performance thought it was), it's still pretty damn bad. I honestly have no idea what the playwright was trying to do. It seemed like he wanted to write a David Ives play but without witty dialogue or humor.

The way the characters talked did not sound like people and honestly I couldn't have cared less about them. There is one scene where someone breaks into the main couple's house with a gun to rob them and the main guy decides to play Russian Roulette with the intruder. At one point in the show music starts playing and the couple does some weird jig for no reason. Then there is a tour guide character who pretends to be Italian but then starts changing his accent from Italian to British to American. All of these things were just so dumb.

I thought the actors were all pretty terrible. The set was serviceable enough and transformed into several different locations. My main reason for going was because Chris Eigeman was directing and I've been a huge fan of his since the Stillman and Baumbach days. I saw him in the back of the theatre and wanted to say something to him but I couldn't lie straight to his face. I think he pretty much knew that the audience wasn't into it because the applause at intermission was almost nonexistent and tepid at best once the show ended. Thankfully it was short at only 90 mins including intermission.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 9/6/15 at 4:27pm

Well, that's unfortunate. I'm seeing it Thursday. Hopefully I'll have a more favorable opinion to report.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 10:30am

Anyone else had the misfortune of seeing it? Vintage?

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 1:19pm

Nope, went to see Fleetwood Maxx and Dancing Dream (ABBA cover band) at B.B. King's instead.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 10:22am

Has anyone else seen it? C'mon people.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 10:50am

Maybe they can fix it before Broadway.

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 12:21pm

I saw it. It doesn't work.

Laugh It Up, Stare It Down Review: Marriage as Absurdist Theater

 

[vegas2]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 6:15pm

Thanks for the warnings.