Review Roundup: SIGNIFICANT OTHER at the Geffen Playhouse
After a successful Off-Broadway and Broadway run, Joshua Harmon brings his affecting and hilarious play about finding and lacking love to The Geffen Playhouse. Significant Other follows Jordan, a single, young professional with a close group of female friends who slowly drift away as they each get married while he searches for his own "Mr. Right."
This New York Times Critics' Pick revels in the paradox of feeling old when you're still young and the sometimes-crushing loneliness that comes with growing up. With humor and humanity, Significant Other offers a relatable portrait of twenty-something urban life and the seemingly endless string of weddings that accompany it.
The cast features Melanie Field, Vella Lovell, Preston Martin, Keilly McQuail, John Garet Stoker, Concetta Tomei and Will Von Vogt.
Tickets currently priced at $25.00 - $90.00. College Student tickets priced at $25. Available in person at The Geffen Playhouse box office, by phone at 310.208.5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.
Let's see what the critics had to say!
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times: But the crisp presentation of "Significant Other" is undeniably impressive. The design - especially Sibyl Wickersheimer's abbreviated sets and Bobby Frederick Tilley's character-defining costumes - combines canny detail with brisk theatrical efficiency. One hopes that the high quality of the production is a sign of more to come from Geffen artistic director Matt Shakman's attentive stewardship. Ah, but the lion's share of gratitude goes to Harmon and Von Vogt for fully realizing a gay stage protagonist whose inner life ultimately matters more than his zingy punchlines. "Significant Other" is an unorthodox (and increasingly dark) romantic comedy that will appeal both to traditionalists craving more existential realism and theatergoers who have long felt excluded from the genre.
Beverley Cohn, LA West Media: Beautifully written by Joshua Harmon ("Bad Jews,") and skillfully directed by Brooklynite Stephen Brackett, the story takes us through the evolving lives of a quartet of single young friends - Jordan, Laura, Vanessa (Vella Lovell,) and Kiki (Keilly McQuail,) whose opening funny monologue about loving herself, sets the tone for the amusing moments that would ensue. These bosom buddies share their dating experiences and Jordan confesses that he has a crush on Will, a co-worker, played by John Garet Stoker, who, along with Preston Martin, and with the help of wigs and fake facial hair, convincingly climb into the skins of their multiple characters.
Don Grigware, BroadwayWorld: Under Stephen Brackett's finely paced direction, the actors are sublime. McQuail keeps Kiki self absorbed and very funny. Field is just marvelous as Laura. Every one of us has a sincere friend like Laura. Stoker plays three roles exceedingly well, differentiating between them as does Preston Martin who plays both straight and gay, having great fun with the queenish office mate. Von Vogt steals the play as Jordan with so many highs and lows to play. He creates a terrific balance and wins our hearts. Sybil Wickersheimer has created a lovely set design that inlcudes multiple changes from locale to locale with a minimum of transformation.
Kaia Sherry, Daily Bruin: The play's most prominent strengths lies in the cores of its characters, exploring the contrasting themes of romantic love versus love between close friends. In one of "Significant Other's" most poignant scenes, Laura breaks down and tells Jordan she loves him. He hugs her and tells her the same, after which she runs off joyfully to her fiance Tony (John Garet Stoker). The juxtaposition of the two men and the role they play in Laura's life emphasizes the importance of both, a lesson that Jordan often forgets in his search for Mr. Right.
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