A Picnic at the Asylum

Neff somehow manages to bring 15 characters to life- including her larger than life father- without confusing or exhausting the audience or overacting. The subject matter- the effects of mental illness on the individual and family dynamics - is heavy, yet bearable in her capable hands. The story begins when "Ange" is a child and slowly becomes aware of her father's battle with substances and the workings of his own mind and ends with his dramatic suicide. In between we are treated to a sensitive, entertaining series of vignettes illustrating and celebrating her fathers ongoing battle and her family life. The characterizations are so strong that you can identify each of the 12+ characters by their physicality long before they even utter a wor... full review

A Picnic at the Asylum is a touching an honest look into Angela Neff's relationship with her larger-than-life bi-polar father. She aptly transitions between all the characters in what feels like a vignette of childhood memories. Although well written, the text seems like a better fit for prose or even transformed into visuals for a film. Each scene is detailed and descriptive but not very theatrical. That being said, this is definitely a compelling story, told and performed with ease by Neff. Director Mark Kenward lets the text speak for itself and trusts Neff to simply tell her story. For anyone who has had a difficult relationship with a parent (lets be honest, most of us have) this is definitely a must see. Her realization that her ... full review

Reblogged from www.LAtheatrereview.com: A Picnic at the Asylum at the Hudson Theatre by Marcus Kaye~ From the moment she steps onto the stage, Angela Neff has the audience in the palm of her hand, or rather, in the seat of her father’s woody. Neff’s stage presence alone is reason enough to see A Picnic at the Asylum. Factor in her seamless character transitions, a darkly comedic story, and a compelling examination of father/daughter relationships and what results is nothing short of a Hollywood Fringe hit. Bravely portraying her bi-polar father, pregnant mother and 6 other siblings, Neff paints a fascinating picture of suburban life with her manic depressive dad. Through AA, asylum picnics and birthday dinners, the audience grows u... full review