Staring Brendan Fraser (Crash, Gods and Monsters), Tony Award® winner Denis O'Hare (Take Me Out, Sweet Charity, HBO's "True Blood"), Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie, Legally Blonde, Best in Show) and Tony Award winner Richard Easton (The Invention of Love, Noises Off). Directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (The Royal Family, Doubt).
The summery of this play lacks a few key elements! I felt slightly punk'd after seeing it, by the interesting ill fated twist .... The pair is mentally challenged ...about to be released back into society from an asylum. The apartment they are to share, is one of Oslo's few govt facilitated living spaces & it's their last chance at living a "normal" Life!
It's "The Odd (Rare) Couple who Flew from the Koo Koo's Nest, one... a Mouse, the other... half Man!" Imagine... Rain-Man meets I am Sam...These characters are extremely limited, ridden with anxiety, yet somehow endearing. The odds of the two surviving on their own is slim to none!
So... keep that in mind when reading on...
My sister invited me, so I google'd it, to find out what it was about....
ELLING: The story of two wildly different roommates, one a tightly wound wannabe poet (Denis O'Hare), the other a gentle giant with girls on the brain (Brendan Fraser) (FYI, a virgin) and their unusual approaches to life, love, friendship and food. Hysterically funny and very moving, ELLING follows this lovably odd couple as they try to embrace their independence and experience the world. They'll have the time of their lives, if they can just get out of the apartment! Through a series of hilarious misadventures--involving an inquisitive social worker, an eccentric artist, and a very pregnant neighbor--this rare pair discovers a little about life and a lot about each other.
So.... with that said....It was indeed Clever & Witty! The best part was Jennifer Coolidge, she's... hysterical and kept things moving with her pure comedic genius. Playing the 4 female roles with her brilliant delivery! The only flaws ..were the stupidity factor which grew annoying, the first act was a bit too long & the second, fell short in a few spots.... Overall, It was a good night at the theater! read more