What I liked
Wonderful creation of a world and a theatrical vocabulary for describing it. Amplification of voices was used to good effect for carefully chosen scenes and moments; otherwise all singing and speaking was refreshingly acoustic, as was the band except for the electric piano. (The guitarist was out when I saw the show, so I’m imagining that he also played acoustic, thank you.)
What I didn't like
The early 1950s look was evoked so well with just a few elements that the anomalies were just a bit distracting: the men’s hairstyles, the portable LED lights. Probably only noticed because the show sets such a high bar for itself for period and precision.
My overall impression
A level well above much fringe-fare. Very carefully detailed text, music, and movement, all performed with seemingly effortless crisp precision. Is there a best ensemble award this year? Not surprised that the creator has NYC roots as this piece would be very much at home in a lower-east-side experimental theatre space.
