Smudge

If you like your comedy dark, you should definitely check out this show. At base it's a story about a normal couple forced to ask themselves some very big questions in the face of an almost unimaginable horror -- and it implicitly demands that the audience engage with those questions as well. Philosophically and conceptually, it's a piece with enormous scope, and it's amazing how much this production manages to pack into the intimate setting of the Hudson Guild Theatre. Incredibly strong, heartfelt performances from all three actors, and more than one moment that made me gasp out loud (alongside a healthy dose of much-needed comic relief). A very skilled production of a play that dives headfirst into the darkest corners of the imagination, a... full review

I really enjoyed Smudge. The writing is terrific and the talented cast honored it. I also thought it was very well produced - they made great use of a small space and the technical effects were tight - not a beat missed that I could see. Well done to what must have been a small crew! ... full review

In Rachel Axler’s Smudge, eager parents Colby and Nick’s expectations are dashed when their baby is born deformed – limbless, one-eyed, purple/gray skin. Not quite a baby. Closer to a smudge. Some might even say inhuman. Would you? While Nick (Jesse G. Louis) is immediately taken by his daughter - lumps and all, Colby (Whitney Wellner) has a much harder time tapping into her maternal instincts. Her resentment of the smudge is palpable. A lesser play would have made Colby a villain and Nick a saint, however Smudge digs deeper. The play adequately gives Colby a point of view that can be understood if not entirely sympathized with. Nick's response, too, is shown to be lacking as it becomes clear that each parent is missing a piece ... full review

Arrived 30 before the 3pm performance of Smudge. After getting inaccurate directions and lineing up at two different venues which both turned out to be incorrect ... We (3) left after finally gritting the correct theater but to late for seating together. Disorganized, incorrect information ... herding ticket holders ... And we wonder why theater isn't respected here in LA. The audience is essential. The theatrical piece, performance and audience are all equal portions of the whole experience. Without respect for an audience the art form is incomplete. ... full review