Review: THE BURDENS at Urbanite Theatre

Urbanite Theatre's latest play "The Burdens," has been extended through December 4th due to high demand. It is amazing in this climate to see this kind of success when theatres across the nation are still experiencing declines. Even today, I can easily purchase tickets for "Hamilton" at the Straz, which pre-covid would have been an impossibility. This is a true credit to this work by Matt Schatz and directed by Brendan Ragan.

"The Burdens" is an emotional experience that follows a brother and sister Mordy and Jane as they navigate a myriad of problems. Their aging grandfather is a financial and emotional burden of the family and approaching 100 it seems he will live forever. The siblings come up with a plan to "eliminate" grandpa, but the plotting is done completely through text. While an interesting approach you do have to suspend reality as much of the dialogue would never be spoken/written as presented through text. They are in fact, actual conversations. This aside, the storyline and humor kept the packed house engaged through the final scenes where we see the siblings come together in person to recount their experiences.

Jacob Fallon plays Mordy Berman and his sister Jane Berman is portrayed by Morgan Lavenstein. The duo has fantastic chemistry on stage. The connections made are unique because since the dialogue is presented as spoken text, the two never look at each other until the show's conclusion. Fallon and Lavenstein's ability to emote feelings without eye connection is truly remarkable. These actors present varied levels of sibling love and rivalry that engage and captivate you.

There is a uniqueness to the play that is appealing to its audience. We as theatergoers tend to experience the same emotions when we see a show. "The Burdens" is both entertaining and thought-provoking." The team at Urbanite Theatre offer our area a fresh theatrical experience every time. It is a different feel and allows for creative and different type of art to be presented to our community. It's dark and it is funny and "The Burdens" should not be missed. If you love to text message, (and who doesn't) this is the show for you.

"The Burdens runs through December 4th. Tickets and more information can be found at https://www.urbanitetheatre.com/theburdens

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