The Humans

[dave1606]

Posted: 9/30/15 at 10:53pm

Did anyone catch the first preview? I was there tonight and really enjoyed it. I loved Sons of the Prophet, and thought the direction in this production especially really shined. Joe Mantello keeps the two tiered set brimming with action. There are constantly scenes taking place simultaneously on both levels of the set.

 

I'd like to give a mention to Sarah Steele who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses. She was wonderful in The Country House, and her role on the last season of The Good Wife is one of my favorites of the season. She's in great form here, loved her delivery and humor. Jayne Houdyshell who is always great at chewing scenery is wonderfully restrained here. I thought she was believable and it was one of my favorite performances of hers. 

 

The play is very interesting. For the most part its a rather standard Thanksgiving dramedy, so and so has secrets, so and so is sick etc (I was reminded me of the film Pieces of April), but then there is a rather supernatural effect that sets it apart. There's some great humor here, but notably ,  there's an excellent use of sound, and the last scene is particularly interesting. Overall it might wind up being one of my favorite plays of the fall. Curios to hear other's thoughts on this one. 

 

 

Updated On: 9/30/15 at 10:53 PM

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 9/30/15 at 11:08pm

I missed Sons of the Prophet but loved Speech and Debate so I'm hoping I get to see this. Thanks for sharing your thoughts -- I'm glad that you enjoyed yourself!

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 12:34am

I was there tonight, surprisingly funny and yet super eerie, especially the last 5 or so minutes, Houdyshell is playing the role she was born to play, pretty tight for a first preview and i can only assume it will get even better before opening, was so cool sitting 2 seats away from Karam too, was neat watching him react the the audience reacting 

[cjmclaughlin10]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 1:22am

Can someone please tell me the run time?  Thanks in advance 

[jbm2]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 1:24am

I'm looking forward to seeing this one

[Skip2]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 1:35am

What's the deal with this?

Pretty standard Family Dinner play.

Performances fine. But not much there.

 

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 2:49am

The play was extremely well-received in its world premiere in Chicago last year, directed by the (tragically) recently deceased PJ Paparelli. As a big fan of Karam's writing, and this play in particular, I am glad to hear your positive reactions. I love how Karam makes an essentially plotless story so compelling by weaving in a building sense of suspense into the proceedings. The characters he crafts are so believable, relatable, and lovable. I consider Karam to be among the very top tier of today's young playwrights. The family dynamic he crafts in The Humans is beautiful. I wish I could see this production in order to revisit the piece.

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 3:16am

I live in Los Angeles and have been a long time fan of Stephen Karam from afar.  His characters and dialogue are so well written.  And the themes he touches are complex, universal and deep. By coincidence, tonight I was at The Blank Theatre in Los Angeles where Karam was part of their Young Playwrights Festival years ago, very  early in his career. The Blank, I believe, helped him get his start and subsequently produced the LA debuts of "Speech and Debate" and "Sons of the Prophet". I am glad to read comments on it here because I won't be back east to see it.  I hope that the play will come to Los Angeles in the future.  And I see the play will be out in paperback on November 24 - http://www.amazon.com/The-Humans-Stephen-Karam/dp/1559365129

Updated On: 10/1/15 at 03:16 AM

[gimlet2]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 3:50am

cjmclaughlin10 said: "Can someone please tell me the run time?  Thanks in advance 

"

Started a few minutes after 7:30pm, out the door by 9:20pm?

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 4:33pm

i found the whole plot line about hurricane preparedness ironic considering the city might be about to get hit by one this week. 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 4:53pm

Seeing it Saturday afternoon.

[mpd4165]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 5:39pm

Absolutely adored the Chicago production, a play that made me laugh, cry, and jump in 90 minutes. I look forward to reading (hopefully) more positive thoughts!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 10:10pm

I saw this tonight and I have to echo the praise. I really enjoyed myself. I thought the direction was really great, and overall the performances were really captivating. I have to disagree on Steele as I thought she was the "fakest" of the bunch. Her character didn't feel real enough to me as the others ones did. Jayne, of course, along with Reed, are national treasures. They were just really amazing. And I thought Casey Beck was pretty darn fabulous. 

I would hesitate to call anything "supernatural," at least it didn't come off that way to me. 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 10/1/15 at 10:17pm

I've been a big fan of Stephen Karam's for a while, but tonight was the first time I've actually seen one of his plays staged and it certainly met my high expectations. His dialogue is so natural and sharp, and even though the premise is nothing new, what he does with it is well worth seeing. The direction is excellent, as are all the performers, with special notice going to Reed Birney and Jayne Houdyshell. Houdyshell resonated with me to an even greater level because I could swear I was watching my own mother in so many moments of hers. She's very funny, but it's so touching when she shows the pain and resentment that exists inside her. 

 

As as for the supernatural element, I did feel there was a touch of it, based on Erik and Richard's conversation about the comic books and Deirdre's email about subatomic particles. This isn't to say that the play is overtly supernatural, but there are enough references to supernatural elements that it definitely informs a great deal of the play, especially the last few moments. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 12:03am

I agree about that, but I wouldn't say that the last few minutes of the play are "supernatural." At least, I think that was more a directing choice than the writer's choice. And I'm still left a little "huh" in terms of what I was suppose to take away from those last few minutes. 

"Houdyshell resonated with me to an even greater level because I could swear I was watching my own mother in so many moments of her." 

YES YES YES. So true. It was kind of amazing. 

[jbm2]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 1:06am

What would this show be rated? Appropriate for my 16 year old?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/2/15 at 1:17am

Totally. Nothing even remotely offensive. It's about a family gathering, and the parents are rather old school/religious, so nothing is said that is too out there. 

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 4:30pm

This is one of the most finely wrought plays in recent memory. Every moment feels necessary and the cast is sublime. I don't imagine the Roundabout crowd will warm to it, but kudos to them for mounting it. 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 4:47pm

We thoroughly enjoyed it but differ re the supernatural aspect of it. We definitely thought there was.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 6:08pm

I saw it this afternoon and enjoyed it immensely. Karam writes some of the best dialogue out there today and Roundabout has assembled the perfect cast to deliver it.  There was something Annie Baker-ish about the piece- perhaps the supernatural elements reminded me of the similar goings on in Engel's B&B. 

 

Mantello excels at directing small, actor-y pieces like this; he got Houdyshell to give one of her best performances (which is saying a lot) and Birney is wonderful as usual. Maybe Mantello and Karam could start a partnership in the same way that Gold has established himself as the grand decoder of Baker's plays.  

 

This is easily the best thing to play the Pels since Sons of the Prophet. Maybe Roundabout should make Karam a resident artist and produce three more of his plays in five years or something like that.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 9:49pm

Totally agree. 

 

I thought Houdyshell was giving an incredible performance. And I could have spent 5 more hours with that family. 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 10:01pm

I think if that family had to spend 5 more minutes together, they would have killed each other..

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 10:06pm

Probably true. Honestly I felt like the "central couple" -  the younger daughter and her boyfriend were rather boring/bland characters. But I love the parents  - primarily because they were essentially my parents. But I was curious to know more about them, which I think speaks to his writing. 

I'm just not totally sure I get what he was going for. I get that the title refers to the fact that maybe the paranormal or the aliens are afraid of "The Humans," but then the ending left me a little confused. 

I wish Roundabout had transferred Sons of Prophet to Broadway so I could have seen it. Wish they'd produce more new work on Broadway, but I get that that isn't their "mission." But it seems silly when they produce some new musicals that are awful. 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 10:09pm

The central couple were beyond annoying. The best written parts were the parents. The boyfriend and the girls sister were really cardboard characters.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 10/3/15 at 11:41pm

re: The Title

Richard (the boyfriend) explains that he's obsessed with a comic about monster aliens who sit around telling stories about "The Humans"

and yeah Roundabout has produced 3 excellent Karam plays off broadway why don't they have enough faith to give him his broadway debut, so frustrating.