My overall impression
The Birthday Boys is definitely one of the top shows in the Hollywood Fringe Festival. The writing by Aaron Kozak is a deep, powerful and refreshingly funny depiction of three soldiers stationed in Iraq, who have been captured while on security duty. These three men couldn’t be more different: There’s the smart-ass Lance, the military bred Chester and the anxiety ridden Collin. Through the majority of the play, the men are blindfolded and bound, limiting their movement to scooching around on their backsides. Keeping themselves distracted they place bets on who will piss their pants first and as the play goes on, they end up sharing their souls.
The second act takes on a more serious turn as the three marines are forced to make ransom videos and are tortured. This is where each man’s true character is revealed.
Brilliantly acted, directed and written and with an ending that will make your jaw drop, The Birthday Boys is a refreshingly funny and emotionally raw look into the psyche of a soldier and what the marines’ motto “The few. The proud.” really means.
