What I liked
I ADORE a serio-comedy that unashamedly hits below the belt and this one delivers punch after punch after punch! While I am unsure of who the writer(s) is (as one isn’t listed), I can say that just when I think this couple can’t go any lower, they do!
Interestingly… whether I was meant to think about the five stages of grief by Kubler-Ross or not, I couldn’t help but go there when I thought about the crumbling of this relationship – you have your Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance all within the one hour.
This was by far one of the best sets of any Fringe show I’ve seen, so I gotta applaud their realism in delivering an authentic looking NYC apartment.
What I didn't like
A few tidbits stood out to me where a bit of refinement could benefit this show as it continues to grow: there are a few unnatural pauses that I think need to be flushed out better; additionally, I think this pair might benefit from an outside director to help with pacing a bit on those pauses so that they can focus entirely on their performances. You really can’t root for either one of these lost souls and I am wondering what would happen if there were any redeemable qualities to be found in them somewhere after the insults are hurled.
My overall impression
“They say that breaking up is hard to do…” Can I get an AMEN?!?! Truer lyrics to a song could not be more appropriate than they are here when I think of this serio-comedic, gut-punching, two-hander brilliantly acted by Emily Yonker and David Auspitz! At times, the darkness of this relationship was brutally uncomfortable and left me squirming in my seat, and at other times, I couldn’t help but HONK OUT LOUD at the dark humor swirling around the dismantling of this five-year relationship gone so sour. I’ll never look at coffee, cottage cheese, or Captain Crunch the same way again…
