Richard Parker

Everything about this show was competently done. There wasn't a lot of glitz or fancy light shows, just two actors doing what they do best. I even found the subject to be compelling, an almost existential debate between these men with the idea of religion being subtly masked with the word "coincidence." And yet, I felt as if this show was missing something. I was quite impressed by the first half of the show,it was compact and had a definitive establishment and an ending that left me just curious enough to wonder what was going on. Then it was followed by a slow scene change in black out (Scene changes that take more than 40 seconds are hard not be distracting). The production filled in this length of time with a recorded monologue whi... full review

"Liked It very much" to be precise, just not quite "Loved It". Brought to mind "Strangers on a Train" or even "Godot". The necessary changes between acts were pretty darn distracting - a hand or two back there would surely help (maybe someone can volunteer for the rest of this run?), so would better wing curtain coverage. Also, I found the short repeating piano "snippet" before the start and again later pretty annoying. The rest of the music provided was perfectly fine. I would say one or two more things, but they would spoil the fun for those who have not yet seen it. ... full review

I have very mixed feelings on this production. There are some fascinating ideas at work here and I find myself still thinking about the production days later, which is a feat in and of itself. I wanted more from this production, but I think there are some good elements here and I hope that some of the technical glitches that others have mentioned can get cleaned up before the rest of their shows begin. Richard Parker resulted in a long discussion with my partner-in-crime and this show just might be worth watching just for the conversations it will start. I think the subject matter would have been better served in the original 20-minute format and with a more realistic bent instead of delving into what I saw as impossible, fantastical ele... full review

Fantastic. Great acting. Tightly woven story. Interesting, original topic. It was alternately fun, funny, intriguing, suspenseful and moving. A real pro effort. ... full review

This is definitely one of the best shows I've seen yet - and I've now seen 14. Do yourself a favor, catch this show that features superb writing and acting from three artists making their U.S. debut after making a big splash at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe. Very funny, vaguely creepy - a disconcerting look at the nature and signficance of coincidence.... full review

This is a smartly written, beautifully acted Fringe treat! Make time to see this one. ... full review

Owen Thomas' play, RICHARD PARKER, is a subtle, absurdist delight, obsessed with coincidence, taking us on a rather spooky series of whirligigs weaving actual historical coincidence with the fiction of the play, like a rich theatrical magic trick. At base two very different characters are pitted against one another in an almost Beckett-like way, yet Thomas' language is at once more traditional and less minimal than Beckett, providing lingual and sonic ammunition for the two actors' rich Welsh voices. Alastair Sill and Gareth John Bale prove that the British Isles are the center of the English-speaking world, spooling out Thomas' ironic, dark, often absurdly funny lines in a way only the best actors can - crystal clear, without flaw, skillful... full review

I had heard alot about this production, and I was bound and determined to catch it. I eventually found a way to take some time off work and catch an afternoon matinee. Believe me, it was worth the effort. Up to this point, I had not had the privilege of seeing any shows with an international cast. However, the last Welsh performance I saw, Rhodri Miles' electrifying Burton, gave me hope that this production would be great - I was not disappointed. I had never bought into the concept of coincidence, but this play made me take an entirely different look at the subject. The play concerns two individuals with the same name, Richard Parker, who meet on a ship crossing between England and France. The first Richard Parker has learned o... full review