What I liked
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What I didn't like
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My overall impression
“Seven” is a moving piece served by an excellent cast who each get multiple opportunities to shine and demonstrate their range. At its best moments, it’s thoroughly captivating. The few sections that feel like they may still be developing remain engaging and hold resonance.
There’s a lot of truth here, not all of it easy. But it’s the kind of truth that brings clarity, as watching others go through it helps us to recognize things about ourselves. You will likely hear voices that remind you of your own. Other voices may be achingly reminiscent of past loves. The mix of gender pairings here is varied and satisfying. Gender stereotypes are referenced, but instead of laborious tropes, we are given textured representations of how people experience love that are uniquely connected to their gender identity.
Without revealing too much, there is a lovely and clever technique employed for the transitions between scenes that feels almost magical at times and is uniquely tuned to each of the scenes connected. Additionally, the staging benefits from moments where characters address the audience as a whole and even sometimes individually. It feels like there’s room for even more of that in future productions.
While love is not tidy, we recognize it is imperative. Thankfully, amidst the awkward moments and even perhaps trauma, “Seven” brings with it a comforting assertion that this is what we must do and we are better for it.
