My overall impression
I was affected by this play. It’s a fast, intense ride that sticks a knife in our complacency by shoving the visceral remains of bad (but typical) choices in our faces. (Of course if that was all—I would have hated it. It stimulates and clarifies, too, more on that later.)
I hate spoilers, so I won’ t, but let’s say there is at least one character who is a train wreck. We get/have to watch this husband, wife, and sister work out their crises, and in the action, we hear what makes all three of them tick; literally, it’s spelled out. For all the action and carnality, this is a play of ideas.
The dialogue is raw, dark, and funny; it’s a punch in the stomach, followed by a titty-twister to the Why Bother Generation and the f-ed up world they were born into.
The direction and acting was very strong for such a demanding piece, it’s paced very quickly—it could easily have been 20 or 30 minutes longer, had the drama been paced like a normal play. Everything is done on the quick and dirty. The effect is that we’re left open mouthed as a moment of horror sours a half formed belly laugh from a moment before or we hold it in, afraid to laugh at too wrong of a moment, often simultaneously or just after, gripping our seats or grimacing. It’s fast. But this is the information age, and I, as an audience member, could handle it.
Aside from the speed of the dialogue, its content is both stylized and not, it is mostly real but at times almost surreal. This effect heightens the moral chaos and confusion of the story, and I could feel that this was part of the heady punch of White Hot’s justice. (The rum of their punch? The kidney?? The Donkey???)
The actors:
Sis is a White Hot mess, and kudos to Ms. Sinnott for giving whimsy and light to a depressed, angry nihilist. You played a really crappy person, who in spite of herself, still cared, and resented it. I bought it, you were a terror and a pleasure to watch.
Ms. Wolfe played the suppressed Lil, whose subtle comments, expressive eyes, and quirky laughter could be unnerving and eerie, but on a couple of occasions brought on a crescendo of (much needed) laughter and comic relief.
Mr. Illing played another believably horrific character with a soul. Some of his lines were the most brutally funny that brought the kind of head shaking laughter, because you know people like that, and WTF.
Mr. Keng played Grig, in a very stylized scene, and not to spoil, was there to do a bad thing, but in the second half of that scene, he is earnestly, compassionately sensitive. This was a touching scene, one of the happier moments of the entire play.
I think my review is already too long, but I really liked this play. My favorite play of all time was Look Back In Anger, by John Osborne, which was was also very witty, dark, timely, and in your face.
And, so,
The End
