The Christians

Lucas Hnath just might have hit the nail squarely on the head with his new provocative and thought provoking work, The Christians now playing over at Playwrights Horizons.

Mr. Hnath was supposed to be a preacher but he felt too much weight of the souls of others on his back.  What he kept with him as he transitioned to a playwright instead was a keen ear for the preacher's sermon and the delivery of a message.

Andrew Garman (Pastor Paul) makes you truly believe he is a devout and earnest preacher. Joshua, the associate pastor (Larry Powell), takes some time to show his power but when he does in a 1:1 confrontation with Paul it's all guns blazing.  An unexpected and potent foil to Paul is Emily Donahoe (Jenny) a simple, common choir member who confronts his message with plain spoken yet biting words.

Words have meaning.  Words are translated and interpreted.  So many viewpoints.  So many opinions.  Who is right?  Is anyone wrong?  If you don't believe what I believe, can we survive together?  These and many other powerful issues are bright up and laid bare before the audience with tender, thoughtful, and intelligent dialogue.  There are many question.  And even more answers.

It's not very often that at the end of the play you really wished the playwright would come out and take a bow but this is one true exception.  His words were a certainly a palpable placeholder for his physical presence.

Great Expectations

90 Minutes - No Intermission - Charles Dickens on speed! The play by Bathsheba Doran seemed to be more like the play based on the Cliff's Notes of the aforementioned author's novel. All the highlights were hit. The salient facts disclosed. Not a minute wasted.

Kathleen Chalfant looked ancient and raggedly appropriate. The quick pace of the show obviated the need for opulent sets. Good thing, because the Lortel theater always seems one day away from the wrecking ball! Christian Campbell, the handsome, long haired dreamy-boy, aptly handled the role of Pip, transforming before our eyes from poor country bumpkin to a sophisticated, educated London gentleman.

Perhaps theater purists might scoff at this production. I'm torn. By liking this, am I secretly admitting that today we are all really part of the "microwave generation"?

What will be next? Les Miserables - the abridged version? Hmm...