SMOKEFALL (Previews)

[cjmclaughlin10]

Posted: 2/4/16 at 9:04am

Beging previews this evening for the MCC production at the Lucille Lortel starring Zachary Quinto. To me, this seems to be one of the most intriguing offerings of the off-broadway season

"Magical realism collides with manic vaudeville in a family drama unlike any you've ever seen. The Twins swap philosophy while awaiting their birth, Beauty eats dirt and doesn't speak, Father is about to drive away and never return, and a man named Footnote acts as our guide. Whipping from astonishing tenderness to profound humor and back again, this wholly original play uncovers the extraordinary family connections we all stretch and warp across the years but can never quite break."

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 2/4/16 at 2:53pm

I saw the Goodman Theatre production here in Chicago and loved the show. The in-utero portion was really something amazing (trust me, that will make sense if you see it). I'm very interested to see how it does in New York.

Updated On: 2/4/16 at 02:53 PM

[gstrus2]

Posted: 2/6/16 at 10:39am

Anyone go yet?

[jbird5]

Posted: 2/6/16 at 12:46pm

I saw it. I was a little put off by the fantastical elements of the show. It started off realistic but got much less so as it went on. It seemed a bit gimmicky. I did enjoy it though I thought it lost some of its emotional impact. The cast was excellent. Two of the 5 were last minute replacements. They replaced Julia Garner with a much younger girl who seems more appropriate for this role. The old man was also new and was terrific. Robin Tunney has the most thankless role. Quinto was very good in his parts also. It's definitely worth seeing but I won't beat myself up if I missed it.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/13/16 at 11:15am

I saw this last night, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I can definitely see how it's not for everyone. The mix of real and surreal won't float everyone's boat, but I found it incredibly enchanting and emotionally resonant. The whole play is written very poetically (the title even comes from a T.S Elliott poem), which is the sort of thing I really like, like The Fantasticks, Charles III, Sarah Ruhl's work, etc. Not to say that this play is necessary similar to those other works, but they are all things that I love for their poetic language. To me, the play felt like a mix of Thornton Wilder, Tom Stoppard and Sara Ruhl, with bits of Tennessee Williams - all of whom are playwrights that I love. 

 

Though Zachary Quinto and the rest of the cast does a great job, the real star of the show for me was 14-year-old Taylor Richardson. Her performance, especially in the first act, is very impressive. Her character is silent, and the degree to which Richardson can express herself through her eyes, her face and her body is astounding. She nearly made me cry just with a facial expression. 

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/14/16 at 12:02am

The perfect snooze-inducer for a frigid winter's evening. Two hours of existential ruminations that don't amount to a hill of beans. The dullness is both oppressive and aggressive; the drama nil. The "fantastical" element is arch, self-conscious, and unsatisfying, just like the playwright's previous mishaps, Mr. Marmalade and Rag and Bone.

 

 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/14/16 at 12:09am

Oh surrrrrrre you saw it.  Could you post a picture of your ticket stub, please?


 

[playbill-love]

Posted: 2/14/16 at 12:59pm

I enjoyed this a lot. It has fantastical elements, but is far less weird than it sounds from the synopsis. Quinto and Taylor Richardson, the young girl, both have amazing performances. Time is not linear in this play, and the same actors play different family members in different generations, sometimes in back to back scenes. I thought it was very sad and very poignant and had a lovely afternoon seeing it. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 11:54pm

I caught this tonight and really enjoyed it. Loved the surreal world the characters inhabited; the first scene reminded me a lot of a Pushing Daisies type world, especially Richardson's character. (She was excellent btw, especially during her beautiful second monologue about the 74 years she spent searching for her missing father. Brava!) 

 

Quinto continues to delight with each new theater outing. When he first made a splash on Heroes I sort of wrote him off as merely hunky eye-candy, but he has proven himself time and again on stage and has to be one of the more exciting actor finds in the past decade or so. 

 

Lots of food for thought, great performances an interesting set design make this absolutely worth seeing. MCC has a knack, more often than not, of producing worthwhile and exciting new plays. Keep 'em coming!