What I liked
The play felt the most grounded when Charlie and Sully finally dig into their relationship history. This element seems to be the heart of the story, and the play was most engaging when it focused on that.
What I didn't like
The script touches on a lot of fascinating topics, each of which could be the core of the entire play, but I left wondering what it was trying to say about any of them. The element that stuck with me the most was Charlie using the trauma she inflicted on Sully for her own benefit, and I wish that this had been explored more thoroughly.
My overall impression
Playback grapples with a number of thorny subjects, any one of which could anchor the show. Sexual assault. The inherently performative nature of a public persona. Catering your product or brand to a group of people who you know cause harm. But in trying to tackle all of those things (and then some), the production left me confused about what it wanted me to take away from it all.
