What I liked
Everything about it! The pacing, the comedy, the subtle lighting and sound cues, the writing, the direction.
What I didn't like
Not much! There were a couple of cues that I was confused about (the buzzing/ringing?) but it didn’t detract from the piece really at all for me.
My overall impression
I saw The Abyss almost a week ago and have not stopped thinking about it since. I have a feeling I will be thinking about it for years to come. Brendan is such a unique performer in that his comedy and his humanity live in the same place and in this show, that place is right on his sleeve for us all to see. The show was equal parts beautiful, hilarious and heartbreaking, thanks to Brendan’s skill as a writer, stand-up and actor as well as Emily’s thoughtful, emotional direction. The feeling I was left with post-show was honestly kind of addictive- that cathartic post-cry feeling where you feel almost at peace with your discomfort. The Abyss made me look at Los Angeles differently, my friends differently and humanity as a whole differently. It is a stunning piece of work!
