Past Reviews

Off Broadway Reviews

Marge Says
(Mini Reviews to Die For)

by Marjorie Shapiro

Y2K

The staging was excellent. The performances by James Naughton & Patricia Kalember were great. Unfortunately, I found the play itself a little disappointing. My problem with it was that the big discovery that destroyed the lives of the people involved seemed too ordinary. Isn't there any other terrible secret thing that a person can do that isn't some sexual perversion? I felt "oh no, not that again." However, on the positive side, it was not boring & in our cyber times not irrelevent.

Y2K
Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
(212) 239-6200
Adam Baum & the Jew Movie

I have always been interested in the place of "the Jew" in American life. What do people really think of us & what do we as Jews think of ourselves? This play tries to think back to the time after WWII when Jews couldn't be "too Jewish" & everyone was very confused about Jewish identity. Ron Liebman gives an over the top performance & I liked Christopher Evan Welch as well. It's not a perfect play, but the issues it discusses are important. The production values were excellent & it was not boring.
Blue Light Theatre Company
Fuddy Meers

If you haven't seen Fuddy Meers, I really suggest it. J. Smith Cameron is so good she alone is worth the visit. I enjoyed the play tremendously with all its wacky, zany characters. It's definitely not for the very serious types who might be offended by some slightly un-"pc" characters. I would like to see the show again, which I would say is my highest form of praise.

Fuddy Meers
Minette Lane Theatre
18 Minetta Lane
(212) 420-8000 Elsa Edgar

A one man show- 1st part Elsa Maxwell, 2nd part J. Edgar Hoover, 3rd part both. Lasted about 1 1/2 hours - no intermission - seemed like 3 1/2 hours. My aunt came along and slept through most of it, however she will tell you it was very interesting. We were there on opening night & I suppose the most eventful part of it was when a 100 year old lady decided that she had seen enough just before Bob Kingdom decided that he was going to be both Elsa & Edgar at the same time. It was surreal to watch her navigate over people in the first row & up the aisle without killing herself while poor Mr. Kingdom was giving his all to the most emotional section of his play. I really couldn't recommend this show unless we hired the lady to repeat her performance.

Elsa Edgar - through January 16
by Bob Kingdom
Primary Stages
354 West 45th Street

Editors Note:  Elsa Edgar completed its run and closed prior to publication