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THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night

Posted by: NeoAdamite 12:51 pm EDT 09/10/14

I had a really good time; but while this might've killed at the Laura Pels (as it did in 1998 at Second Stage), it's not really landing here.

As another post here said, the characters we're seeing are well-drawn but a little tedious. Cera is mostly fine, but too small emotionally in his responses to Culkin, or at least too small for the size of the set. Culkin plays broader to make up for it, which is effective, but his longer speeches sag because we don't feel Cera's presence in the room strongly enough.

Cera's moments alone don't have that problem, and play very well.

Gevinson is making some very interesting choices. Her peculiar speech rhythm reminded me of Scarlett Johanson in her comic mode (which is not a bad thing), and although it took a little getting used to I was won over. Her willingess to agressively overlap with Cera's lines was risky, but it definitely helped to keep things moving. Their scenes together are much stronger than that of the two men.

Anyway, this is not a play with a lot of laughs, and I could feel the audience wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Frank Zappa has been dead for almost twenty years, which may be why the musical jokes (200 Motels! Joe's Garage!) aren't making much of an impression.

I guess they thought Cera's name would sell tickets, but unless this gets raves it's too much of a hothouse flower to survive in the wild.


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I thouhgt Culkin was terrific ...

Posted by: jdm 05:16 am EDT 09/11/14
In reply to: THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night - NeoAdamite 12:51 pm EDT 09/10/14

the others less so. Gevinson reminded me of Ellen Barkin in the Normal Heart, seemed to be just shouting her lines.

Enjoyed it, but nothing special.

Jim


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re: THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night

Posted by: AlanScott 05:31 pm EDT 09/10/14
In reply to: THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night - NeoAdamite 12:51 pm EDT 09/10/14

Last Friday night, there was lots of laughter throughout. Some huge laughs. None seemed inappropriate and it did not feel like the audience came determined to laugh. But it definitely played funny that night.


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re: THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night

Posted by: NeoAdamite 05:55 pm EDT 09/10/14
In reply to: re: THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night - AlanScott 05:31 pm EDT 09/10/14

Last Friday night, there was lots of laughter throughout. Some huge laughs. None seemed inappropriate and it did not feel like the audience came determined to laugh. But it definitely played funny that night.

Good to know, I'll be glad if I just hit an off night.


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re: THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night

Posted by: AlanScott 06:56 pm EDT 09/10/14
In reply to: re: THIS IS OUR YOUTH last night - NeoAdamite 05:55 pm EDT 09/10/14

Or maybe the performance you saw was more typical. I wonder.


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