Endlings - New York Theatre Workshop

[Ledaero]

Posted: 2/23/20 at 10:49pm

Previews just started for Endlings this week at New York Theatre Workshop, has anyone else seen this yet? Caught it tonight and was absolutely blown away. Hilarious, profound, and pushes form. Easily one of the most fascinating pieces of theatre of recent. The plot synopsis doesn't do justice to the wild night of post-modern contemporary theatre it erupts into. All about identity/representation, family/tradition, and what minority groups are challenged with by creating art in a white-centric world. Incredible script by Celine Song, an up-and-coming playwright with nothing shy about her confidence, and directed by another big up-and-comer Sammi Cannold, famous for her Ragtime on Ellis Island and Violet set on a bus. The production is really a force of nature, and I expect it to be a big milestone for many involved. A must-see from me! And there's even a pool onstage if that gets ya excited.

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 2/24/20 at 12:37am

I’ll add a dissenting voice and say I thought it was a total mess — completely unfinished and far, far worse than anything else we’ve yet seen from Celine Song.

[CarmenA3]

Posted: 2/24/20 at 3:07am

Synecdoche2 said: "I’ll add a dissenting voice and say I thought it was a total mess — completely unfinished and far, far worse than anything else we’ve yet seen from Celine Song."

Synecdoche2...I don't think you'll be the dissenting opinion on this one. I was at the 2nd preview and as soon as the show took that sharp right about a quarter of the way in, it began to fall apart for me. By the end I was scratching my head. That anyone is thinking of taking this one uptown is baffling to me.  

[Susanswerphone]

Posted: 2/24/20 at 5:43am

Add a dissenter. Caught it at ART last year. It made my hair hurt.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/24/20 at 8:04am

I’m with Ledaero on this one. I thought this was brilliant and a ton of fun.

At first, I had issues with the way the playwright was incorporating herself into the work, but then when the play took the sharper, more drastic turn, I felt like the device clarified, and suddenly I got what she was actually going for. And once I did, I really appreciated how the wildly ambitious use of form paid off.

Carmen, who is suggesting that the play moves uptown? I can’t imagine this working in a commercial setting. Not just because it’s a play without much in the way of commercial prospects, but also because part of the whole point of this play is that it satirizes non-profit theatre and it’s audiences. Sounds like you’d agree (though maybe for different reasons) - but I’m curious who has been saying it should transfer and why.

[52889j]

Posted: 2/29/20 at 11:46pm

The audience last night completely ate this up. I really enjoyed it and hope it finds all the love it deserves. 

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 12:24am

Green hits the nail on the head here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/theater/endlings-review-celine-song.html

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 12:31am

Knew nothing about this play but now I am intrigued. These women exist in Japan also. NHK-World did a documentary on them and it was quite interesting. I may need to check this out.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 1:54am

some Broadway producers put enhancement money into this one hoping for next steps...that NYT review pretty much killed that 

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 9:45am

LightsOut90 said: "some Broadway producers put enhancement money into this one hoping for next steps...that NYT review pretty much killed that"

Good because I absolutely hated this.