My overall impression
Benjamin Schwartz’s Zip Ties is ambitious. One scene, six actors, working a high intensity crime piece in the spirit of Reservoir Dogs. That’s not an easy thing to pull off. His piece is brutal and mean, men at their worst, and has some genuinely cringe-worthy moments. All the elements are there: The wit, the crazy, the everything-goes-wrong. And the cast is great. Everyone is up to speed, steaming through the material with passion and skill, at times it’s like watching a verbal street fight. Belligerent and funny, Benjamin Schwartz’s dialogue is highlighted throughout and keeps the danger of the piece palpable. More frightening than a psychopath like Otto (with his suitcase full of power tools and cutting devices) is the fact that at any moment he could turn on his partner on the use of a word.
So if you want to watch six actors beat each other up with words for an hour, Zip Ties is your piece. But good luck. This thing is selling out all over the place.
