Review by anonymous
June 15, 2024What I liked
1. It’s funny and entertaining.
2. It’s politically poignant. The piece is set in 1995. As an audience member I found myself reflecting on how gun violence and severe weather due to climate change has effected Americans’ lives for decades, yet there has been no meaningful progress in these areas. The national conversation around these issues remains the same as it was 30 years ago.
The piece also explores cultural factors and personal circumstances that would lead an individual and a society to embrace right wing extremism.
I think this play is bold because the actors portray extremists. I would say one risk is that audience members who lack media, cultural, or political literacy might not understand the piece’s relevancy in today’s world. They may interpret the exploration of racism as insensitive or tone deaf because Yonker and Eschewsky don’t portray racists in a “heightened”, ungrounded, cartoonish way. I feel that this desire of some white people to distance themselves so performatively from racists is a form of virtue signaling. They want a racist model that they can point to and say “See that looks nothing like me!” That is a fascinating part of white culture – the way many “good white liberals” can’t stand to admit that racism has been engrained in them, and therefore they’re more squirrely and touchy around satirizing white culture than POC are.
What I didn't like
There were a few moments when the actors could have kept their faces and bodies more open to the audience. Instead of giving the audience a profile, consider cheating out and giving us a 3/4 view of your faces.
My overall impression
This show is extremely funny and entertaining. It encourages reflection on the uglier sides of American culture in an unexpected way.
