52 Pick Up

This was such a cool show. I guess I didn't know what to expect; I went in thinking the whole thing would be improv, and I didn't know that the cast would only be two people. But I was pleasantly surprised. The actors I saw were both so natural, whether the scene was dramatic or comedic or somewhere in between. I especially appreciated the subtlety exhibited by the male performer, who seemed charmingly stoned throughout the show. With no mics, the audience was still able to hear all dialogue. Thumbs up for that. The minimal set made sense and was used effectively. Lighting made scene transitions apparent and almost seamless. (It's odd to think that lighting was also dictated randomly by the cards!) The script was natural and coincidentally... full review

52 Pick-up is a play about relationships, but unlike any you have ever seen before or perhaps, will again. It stand the usual play format on it's ear, twists it and transforms it, so low and behold, it is never the same performance....ever. Scenes are literally shuffled like a deck of cards and played as they are dealt. This means that any point in the relationship is seen randomly. 52 cards, 52 scenes. I know, I know, my first thought was how is the audience going to make sense of it all? Surprisingly they are riveted to the stage, never knowing what is coming next is intriguing, and they juggle the scenes in their mind like a Rubik Cube until the brain somehow makes sense of it all. That in itself is worth the price of admission, yet this ... full review

It's a really fun show. Not only will you never see the same show twice, it's a great mix of comedy and some drama. The fun that the actors were having on stage was contagious. I recommend seeing it!... full review

The concept of a randomized order of scenes that would create a compete and fulfilling story was the hook that got me in the seat. Each scene has enough vital information to help string the pieces together and for the audience to make connections and callback to references. Did it pay off? For a 50 minute show, I found myself wishing there were less cards in a deck. I wish the title were 32 Pick Up instead. However, having a random show order and a rotating cast, who's to say the next one wouldn't blow my socks off. The dialogue was quick and relatable but seemed to drag in the hands of the night's two performers as if they were simply reciting from memory and not really in the moment. But they didn't take themselves too seriously and even b... full review

The concept of a randomized order of scenes that would create a compete and fulfilling story was the hook that got me in the seat. Each scene has enough vital information to help string the pieces together and for the audience to make connections and callback to references. Did it pay off? For a 50 minute show, I found myself wishing there were less cards in a deck. I wish the title were 32 Pick Up instead. However, having a random show order and a rotating cast, who's to say the next one wouldn't blow my socks off. The dialogue was quick and relatable but seemed to drag in the hands of the night's two performers as if they were simply reciting from memory and not really in the moment. But they didn't take themselves too seriously and even b... full review

I really enjoyed 52 PICK UP. It was poignant, fun and impressive! Definitely recommend it and knowing there is a different cast and different show order every night makes me want to see it again and experience how the story shifts. ... full review

Imagine going out to lunch with your friend and having her (or him) tell you all about their relationship...all of the juicy details...the good and the bad! Now, even better, imagine hearing BOTH sides of the story! Now imagine them ACTING IT OUT! Well, that's kind of what it's like when you see 52 Pickup. Each card has a different scene in the relationship that the actors re-enact. And the interesting part is when the deck is shuffled...no one knows what will come next! So the performers have to think quickly on their feet to move with fluidity from one scene to the next. You can see this play many times and actually have different results! I've seen it a few times, and as an actor, it's very interesting to see the choices they make and an... full review

I really liked the concept of this piece. With every show the 52 scenes are performed in a different, random order. I wasn't sure beforehand if it would work but it worked with flying colors. It was exciting and interesting having the audience and the actors not know what scene would be next. The two actors were amazing - very natural and lively. It was a tour de force, especially considering the actors had about one second to learn what the next scene would be before performing it. The random order of the scenes worked because the play was about relationships and relationships as we all know are often unpredictable and volatile. I will go again!... full review

The idea behind 52 Pick-Up is that every show is different, that through the end of time you would never see the same show twice. I wanted to test that theory to see just how different the second time around would be. Not only were the scenes different but the actors as well, one of the actors at least. This time the woman was played by Kym Jackson and the man again by Darren Schnase. Darren was as good, if not better than the first time I saw it and Kym gave a different and more grounded sensibility and yet didn't seem as connected to Darren's character as Emily Grace. It was surprising, as always to see the order of the scenes, this time they seemed grouped together to explain the end of the relationship and work backwards which left the l... full review

A very interesting deconstruction of a relationship over the course of a year or so. Using a deck of cards where each of the 52 represent a scene, the actors must play the titled scene that the nine of spades represents, for instance...so before the show the audience shuffles the cards, the actors come on stage and the master of ceremonies, so to speak, calls the card and the title of the scene and off we go...a new play every time as the order of the scenes change......What we then see is a relationship told non-linearly..the highs, the lows, the love, the fear, the recriminations, the aftermath. All of this is handled beautifully by the actors, the director and the playwright...What could easily be a silly gimmick here becomes a touching... full review