What I liked
New Kid On The Block makes you look at homelessness in a different light. An actor tries being homeless for a week, not for the right reasons but to gain “likes” or “followers” on social media. He befriends a homeless guy who teaches him about living on the streets and introduces him to his other homeless friends. Hilarious bit with a bucket (won’t go into details, just make sure you haven’t eaten right before the show), the emotional disconnection of passserby’s and followers on social media and the inevitable tragic ending that snaps him back to reality.
I loved the scene when (SPOILER ALERT) a homeless dead body is covered with a sheet then “carried out” while his body remained on the bench to later watch his spirit stand up and walk off the stage. SO POWERFUL!!!
What I didn't like
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My overall impression
I was immersed into a street sidewalk the moment I found a seat to watch the show which is part of the charm of New Kid On The Block: homeless person roaming around the stage, begging audience for money, a couple sitting on their cell phones ignoring them, pedestrians walking by… By the time the show begins, I felt I was familiar with this story, as an Angeleno who sees this scene almost everywhere and have debated whether or not help a homeless person or simply pretend they’re invisible.
