While in New York several months ago, my friend and I were deciding which plays/musicals to see, and I really wanted to see this one because I am a fan of Charlie Cox. It was even extended to incorporate more dates. It's done now (as of mid-July), but I still wanted to write a review because I make it a point to write 100 Yelp reviews a year, and I'm not being too successful on that front this year.
Four actors play many different roles in this play, from a pathologist who steals Albert Einsteins brain, to a pianist who experiences a seizure and can only remember the love he has for his girlfriend. It is a play about the brain, about memories, about the self. But even that statement is too simplistic. Because really, it was more than that. The staging was stripped down--maybe a chair added here and there--but otherwise no discernible set changes, and the same gray and black clothing worn throughout. When an actor was finished with their part, they went to the back of the stage and turned their back to the audience, or stared out at the stage, depending on the scene.
Despite the fact that there were something like 20 different character expressed by these four actors, I only got lost a few times about whose story was going on, but I was generally able to pick it back up through the use of body language or the accents that were used. I wasn't confused about the premise, because the acting was truly a treat to behold. It takes a seriously talented playwright to incorporate and intertwine so many stories together and ultimately leave the audience intrigued and thoughtful about the overarching premise.
The theater was an excellent one for this play, as well, since it was relatively intimate, and had stadium-style seating--the ones closer to the stage were lower to the ground, and seats in the back were higher. Acoustics were good, and I didn't feel like I was being squished to death with a bunch of other people.
But one of my favorite things they did was that at the end, all the actors came out on the stage and we were encouraged to move forward (I didn't need to be asked twice!), and ask questions. "What did you like?" "What did you find confusing?" "What did think?" Audience members asked questions, made statements, etc. It was fun to hear the actors' responses, to hear about their individual processes and their own opinions on their characters. I'm a shy person, so even though I did have a question, I didn't ask it.
And one final comment: the bartender here was on point with the themed cocktail. It was so good we asked for the recipe, and then went and bought the ingredients to make our own when we got back home. (Chesapeake bay bitters + ginger beer + rum, I think) read more