This uproarious road-trip comedy becomes a chance to talk about social class, parental strife, regressive opinions, and intense patriotism. When Mackenzie’s Scottish dad shows up to his graduation with his standard boisterous attitude, a beer in hand, and two tickets for the Oasis reunion, the young man is instantly embarrassed. He changed his name and hid the fact that he’s on a scholarship for a reason. The plan? Hitchhiking to Edinburgh in two days to see the best band on the planet.
This unlikely duo travel the country, meeting a generous quantity of oddball characters and having one too many inappropriate father-son conversations, all the while trying (and mostly failing) to accept their differences. Grant MacIver writes and directs a very funny and down-to-earth play.
He infuses the side-splitting moments with poignant interactions that grab at its political discourse laterally. The car journey with the fortuneteller is one of these instances; it’s absolutely priceless and Megan Porter is a fantastic character actor, but it’s also a pivotal moment for the story’s sub-textual reflections.
Harry Foyle and Jonny Tulloch butt heads in an amusing clash of personalities. Their asides to the audience add intimacy and further hilarity, but also create a more dynamic and meta-theatrical relationship with the viewer. MacIver builds the tension in the plot cleverly, keeping the gags short and clear, never overplaying them.
His characters are lifelike, relatable, and endearing even in their OTT nature. We can assure you that there may be quite a few similar figures in your personal life. All in all, The Reunion is a surprising, entertaining, and lighthearted choice that hides a more sombre debate at its core. It’s neither preachy nor pretentious, opting to observe rather than indict. Lovely job all around.
Get Broadway News on WhatsApp
Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.
|
Antigone 1989: A Town Hall Musical Gilded Balloon Patter House (8/05-8/29) |
|
Elvis in Chaos Lime Studio at Greenside @ George Street (8/07-8/15) |
|
To Do Lists Pleasance Courtyard (The Green) (8/05-8/31) |
|
DECKHAND theSpace @ Niddry Street (8/24-8/29) |
|
They’re Just Small Town (Northern) Lads Summerhall (8/06-8/16) |
|
Glob Underbelly (8/05-8/30) |
|
I'm Still Not That Girl Braw Venues (8/07-8/30) |
|
It Couldn’t Get Worse; or, The Margarita Boat Tour Incident theSpace @ Venue 45 (8/24-8/29) |
|
Puck Bunnies: A Heated Rivalry Drag Musical Parody Puck Bunnies: A Heated Rivalry Drag Musical Parody (8/05-8/31) |
|
Father, Away She Goes Zoo (Playground 1) (8/07-8/30) |
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.