I'm a big fan of the works of playwright David Mamet, and with his play, SPEED THE PLOW, he takes aim at the cutthroat world of Hollywood. It's a fascinating look at what sells and what doesn't when you're talking about the big screen. And, it also shows how friendships can be pushed to the brink by perceived betrayals. Marked by solid performances from the cast, the play is funny and telling in equal measure. The current production by The New Jewish Theatre is nicely constructed and executed, as well as providing ample food for thought.
Though cut from some of the same cloth as his "Eugene" trilogy, LOST IN YONKERS is a different animal all together from playwright Neil Simon. There are laughs to be found for sure, but the overwhelming sense that pervades this particular work is that of the dramatic. There are similarities as well, what with this being a coming-of-age tale, too. But, Simon works these characters differently, even confessing in one of his memoirs that he isn't sure where they all came from. The current presentation by The New Jewish Theatre is a thoughtful and nicely performed rendering.
Adam Bock's THE THUGS is now playing at the Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis and runs through October 25th. The play won Bock an Obie Award in 2006. THE THUGS is directed by Steve Busa and Jairus Abts, Kirby Bennett, Leif Jurgensen, Julie Kurtz, Katherine Kupiecki, Miriam Must, Sigrid Sutter, and Toni Trussoni.
Adam Bock's THE THUGS is now playing at the Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis and runs through October 25th. The play won Bock an Obie Award in 2006. THE THUGS is directed by Steve Busa and Jairus Abts, Kirby Bennett, Leif Jurgensen, Julie Kurtz, Katherine Kupiecki, Miriam Must, Sigrid Sutter, and Toni Trussoni.
