John’s acting was extremely heartfelt and impressive; I particularly liked his depiction of Vincent, whose ambivalence toward relationships and moral dilemma felt honestly challenging to contend with. The story itself, with the various characters possessing bits of information that was not available to each other, did a wonderful job of illustrating the complex network of considerations and sentiments interwoven in the ties of family. The decision to leave much undecided at the conclusion of the play created a powerful sense of thoughtfulness as I left the theatre.
What I didn't like
Some of the jokes felt a bit ‘punch-line-y’, not so much like they were being thought up by the characters in real-time; however, this didn’t bother me much as the characters themselves were all awkward and slightly wounded people who seemed like they might tell jokes in a slight cartoon-y way (ie, this tended to endear the characters rather than alienate them).
My overall impression
John’s solo portrayal of four distinct characters was a joy to experience; each was complicated in their own way. Monica’s script addressed the gamut of human emotions and, while it offered no definitive answers to questions of mortality and love, it suggested that it’s okay to do the best we can.