Melancholy Play

It just had so much heart! The feeling of melancholy was palpable—carrying the weight of sadness while feeling profoundly grateful to be alive. At the same time, the actors embodied another striking contrast: the messiness of being human paired with performances that were polished, clean, and articulate. It was truly a wonderful show to experience!!... full review

Sarah Ruhl is arguably one of the best contemporary female playwrights in American Theatre. Her work speaks for itself and yet, this show is elevated in the very capable hands of Contempo Productions. Indeed, they deliver an impeccable showing of her farce, "Melancholy Play" at this year's Fringe. What starts as a series of therapy sessions for Tilly (played by a revelatory Madeleine Ince) evolves into desperate searches for love, or more appropriately, happiness. While her melancholy attracts various partners, her happiness has a reverse effect. And what happens on this see-saw ride can best be describe as... nuts. ... full review

It was such a wonderful night of theatre. A reminder why live performance is such a beautiful art form.... full review

Sarah Ruhl's play is funny, surreal, and thought provoking. The nature of love and relationships is amusingly examined from several POVs. I enjoyed the show enough to recommend it to friends.... full review

Melancholy play is great - very worth squeezing into your Fringeing schedule! It was totally engaging from start to finish and acted by a superb cast of wickedly talented people who are clearly having fun. The directing is bold and precise and the whole thing feels almost like a comedic ballet. Go see! ... full review

Incredible directing, acting, music, pacing, and SO FUN!... full review

Delightful and hilarious ... full review

A smash hit from one our our generation's best playwrights! This production is not to miss and knocks it out of the park on all levels. McDonough's direction shines, fully breathing life into this absurd farce. ... full review

I absolutely loved this production! Exceptional performances across the board from this incredible cast. The style, tone, and movement were beautifully directed. I laughed throughout the entire show. Just a delight! ... full review

Not having any idea of what I was about to see - from the minute the play started with its quirky characters I was ready for the ride. And what a ride it is. ... full review