Review: INVINCIBLE at 59E59 Theaters is a Must-See Play by Torben Betts

"You have to work with the world as it is."

By Oliver in Invincible

The U.S. premiere of Invincible is now at 59E59 Theaters through July 2. This superbly written play by Torben Betts has splendid direction by Stephen Darcy and features a stellar cast. Invincible is a wholly entertaining yet emotive show that reminds us of why we love the theatre. Don't miss it. The production is part of the highly acclaimed Brits Off Broadway Festival at 59E59 Theaters.

In the play, it is the height of the recession and Emily and Oliver are young parents who have moved out of London to a small town in Northern England. Emily is a collectivist who constantly expresses her views while Oliver attempts to deal with the mounting tensions in their marriage. When Emily invites their neighbors Dawn and Alan over for a social evening, it proves to be an awkward gathering. The two couples seem to have little in common. Alan is a boisterous type, a local who loves football, his cat, and his very sexy wife, Dawn. Dawn is searching for more than the provincial life she has shared with Alan and their growing daughters while she worries about her son who is serving active duty in Afghanistan. This play is an engaging depiction of humankind with amusing moments, surprising events, and tragic situations.

The cast of Invincible delivers Torben Bett's wonderfully crafted dialogue with impeccable timing. There are laugh out loud scenes and some that are completely heartrending. The character portrayals are so genuine, you feel as if you know them each personally. They include Alastair Whatley as Oliver; Emily Bowker as Emily; Elizabeth Boag as Dawn; and Graeme Brookes as Alan.

The creative team has done a top job of bringing Invincible to the stage with original direction by Christopher Harper; production design by Victoria Spearing; lighting design by Andy Purves; sound design by Max Pappenheim. The costume supervisor is David Morgan.

The AEA stage manager is Sofia Montgomery and the company stage manager is Felix Dunning.

See Invincible while it is on the 59E59 Theaters stage. With less than a month left to enjoy the Brits Off Broadway festival of plays, this show should absolutely be on your summer must-see list.

Invincible runs for 2 hours with one intermission. The show is produced by The Original Theatre Company & Ghost Light Theatre Productions. It will be performed on a limited engagement through Sunday, July 2. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7 PM; Friday 8 PM; Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM; and Sunday at 3 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets range from $25 - $70 ($25 - $49 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

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