Three Changes

This Nicky Silver play is darkly funny, at times eerie, and overall a strange brew of ideas over at Playwrights Horizons.   It seems that family is the main focus of the playwright and a twisted tale sure does unwind.  

Dylan McDermott (Nate) and Maura Tierney (Laurel) are the main characters who at the beginning, live what appears to be a normal, upper middle class married life on the Upper West Side.  Along co

mes Scott Cohen (Hal), the long lost brother, and his boy-toy hustler, Brian J. Smith (Gordon) and the entire family unit as we see it begins to unravel before our eyes (um, i have to comment once again at how gorgeous Brian J Smith really is - clothes on or off it doesn't matter!)  We immediately find out that Nate is having an affair with Steffi (Aya Cash) and it all goes to hell in a hand-basket from there.

Odd theatrical tricks are employed (very strangely) mostly by Steffi.  We see the cast break the 4th wall upon occasion to narrate the end of a scene or tell the rest of the story to the audience. Was it touching or weird?  Can't be sure.   

In the end, the entire intent of the show was a commentary on how far people go when it comes to family.  In this case, absurdly far.  I won't ruin it for you.  If you do go - you'll probably walk out with a feeling that you #1, have to think some more, and #2 are slightly annoyed that you sat thru the entire play and got the ending you did.

Losing Louie

Truly an entertaining evening at Manhattan Theater Club's first production of the 2007 season. Louie, the namesake about which the play transpires, is dead. The story seamlessly eases between the current and the past. Two stories - one the story of his life, the other the story of his funeral and all the dirt that finally comes out. Aren't all families twisted in some familiar way?

This is the story of family, conflict, and infidelity in the 1960's. It's the story of secrets, lies, and the extent to which people go to cover them up and smooth things over. It's about the truths you are afraid to tell yourself. Perception is reality? Possibly.

Matthew Arkin leads the talented lineup on the stage at the Biltmore. The staging and direction by Jerry Zachs is brilliant. The use of lighting to change the mood and time periods was brilliant. It all comes together in the end and the truth always comes out... or does it?

It really struck me that while this story, chock full of twists, turns and laughs just might contain some element of truth or relevancy to just about everyone in the audience.