What I liked
Just about everything was superb. With the kinetic directing, the scathing social commentary, the witty writing, the distinct voices of each character, and especially the fantastic charisma of the actors, this was the most entertained I’ve been with Fringe this season.
Prior to ‘Suck My Tongue’, I’ve never heard of the Dalai Lama incident, and had I heard it from a passerby, my opinion would’ve been a pretty open-and-shut case into the stupid answer. Not only does this play catch up with the audience with that conversation, but also expands into a lot of wider issues on why Americans assume foreign cultures as degenerate and why people like Ryan Lisman’s character are hopelessly trapped in an ignorant current.
PS: A great follow-up post once you’ve finished watching:
https://x.com/TibetCollective/status/1646516453015953413
What I didn't like
Honestly, any negative is more of a nitpick than anything.
I had the most fun with the scenes in which all the characters interacted with each other and if there was some way to tactfully crosscut the individual character antics in the middle section, the play would’ve had the perfect pace for me.
I also might have preferred if “Gunner” came off a little less stereotypical in comparison to the others, but Brian Graves killed the character so hard that it’s not too much of a big deal.
My overall impression
A truly great time that will ask you to think while laughing with and at some fantastic characters who ought to think a little harder.
