What I liked
Everyone brought their A game to Dinosaurs — Mandy’s writing, Faith and Allie’s direction, every performance was locked in and full of depth. Hailey is an incredibly strong actor to anchor the show around, constantly making compelling choices and exuding an air of authenticity most performers can only dream of; Faith plays a tween boy a little too well and it’s clear she’s having a blast while still managing to hang onto a solid emotional core that could very easily have been lost with a role like this; Devin has the underappreciated job of being the “straight man” for most of the show, providing much needed grounding for the insanity to bounce off of (although he gets his moments of lunacy too); and of course there’s the dino herself, Mandy, really showcasing a talent for physical comedy and constantly adding a touch of unpredictability to her scenes that is always executed in the funniest way possible.
This is a tough subject to make a comedic show about, but the show knows when to pull back on the silliness and just let the weight of the characters’ emotional reality sit there and smother the audience for a little while, keeping things from steering into tasteless territory.
It’s funny. It’s poignant. It’s going to Edinburgh. The Scots won’t know what hit ’em
What I didn't like
the bit dunking on ohio got removed f-minus see me after class
My overall impression
This show was already rock solid the first time around they did it two years ago, but somehow Mandy and co. found places to tighten up and really turn this play into something razor sharp where every detail feels intentional
