Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Aisle Say and NY Post review Other Side

Not very positive, I'm afraid. Aisle Say says:

Under the direction of Blanka Ziska, the play is performed with an urgency matching its silliness, Mr. Farber seeming more stiff than strict, and veterans Cullum and Harris spinning pleasantly respectable variations on their personae, familiar from so much previous exposure on stage and in the media. It all seems like a strange literary exercise, removed without fanfare from a time capsule, only to be sent back once the limited run concludes...

The NY Post review is along the same lines. Registration required; bypass with BugMeNot.

While the metaphor is reasonably evocative, its thinness becomes apparent very quickly, and Dorfman fails to provide the wit necessary to sustain the concept.

It's unfortunate, both because of the play's relevance and the typically strong performances by the veteran stars. While it might have been highly effective as a brief one-act, in full-length form "The Other Side" feels both precious and attenuated.

No comments: