My overall impression
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 many of the “soliloquies” would foreshadow future scenes. Even the host announcing the cards had a soothing Australian accent. There are so many good things I could say about this show.
I will say that it takes a few scenes to get into the groove of 52 Pick Up, but as clues regarding the couple’s relationship were shared, it was easy to get attached to the storyline. Overall, it reminded me of a nice mixture of (500) Days of Summer and The Last Five Years, which are also centered around rocky, up-and-down relationships, and are on convoluted timelines. The show was an experience in itself, and I highly recommend it. The concept is too interesting to pass up; I want to go see it again, just to see what happens the next time around.
