Microcrisis - A Sure Fire Investment

The Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning Ma-Yi Theater Company opens its 2010-2011 Off-Broadway season with the World Premiere of Michael Lew's play, Microcrisis.  Running now through October 23^rd and directed by Ma-Yi Artistic Director, Ralph Pena, Microcrisis is a comedic look at the financial crisis running rampant over our retirement dreams.  (Yes, they found comedy in this.  What do you expect from the generation raised on "Schoolhouse Rock"?)  Microcrisis is hip, thought-provoking and funny as hell.

Lew's writing is sharp and frankly more satirical than most of the so-called American satire out today.  Microcrisis ponders the capabilities of the American banking system to exploit "microcredit", the Nobel Prize winning practice of providing small loans to third-world businesses, and ravage the global economy in the process.  Somewhere, former President Clinton would be horrified by this.  Lew shoots straight, dumbs it down for no one and, most importantly, doesn't provide us with a sugar-coated ending. I appreciated that Lew, while reaching for satire, reached for the jugular.

Pena did a great job at the helm.  He kept the lighting simple, the set symbolic and the pacing quick.  Pena also did an admirable job navigating the giant pole in the middle of the stage.  (I understand that this is a structural integrity issue, but it's like watching a play in Wrigley Field.)  There were a couple of tech snafus during the show I was at, but I have to disclose that I was at a preview.  I'm sure they're in the process of still ironing stuff out and frankly, the pluses far outweighed the minuses.

The only word that could properly be used to describe the cast would be - hilarious!  Not anyone can (or should) do comedy, but these guys were savvier than anything I've seen on "Saturday Night Live" in the past ten years.  David Gelles was really funny as "Randy," the Harvard Grad-turned-Billionaire.  It sure doesn't hurt that he looks like he stepped right out of "The Social Network".  William Jackson Harper was wonderful in the roles of "Frankfurt" and "Acquah."  Harper has that rare ability to bring gravity and dimension to comic characters.  Nonetheless, my favorite performance by far belongs to Jackie Chung in the role of "Claire".  Frankly, if she could find a way for me to feel so deeply empathetic to her beleaguered Moody's employee, I believe she could play anything.

Support high-quality new comedic work.  Check out Microcrisis at the HERE Arts Center.  Tickets are available at www.Here.org or by calling 212-352-3101.