ANON: a tempest at our kitchen table

They’re having a pre show tea bar on the 20th. Artisanal tea, I love my tea so I’ll be there on the 20th.

I really wanted to like this more than I did. It starts off incredibly strong but sets up way too much that’s never dealt with and in the end I just felt it didn’t go anywhere. Excellent performances across the board but it all felt very (and I’ve sat here for 5 minutes trying to think of this word) aimless. When the show ended, there was so much more than needed to be cleaned up in the plot that I was pissed off when the lights went out. Not to mention I HATED the final scene but it just left me with a big eyeroll.

I saw a talk back after the show with the playwright and director. Anne Washburn said she spent a lot of time observing political debate from right wingers on x and how at the end of the day, nobody was changing anyone’s mind. The ending is a reflection of that; both sides digging in. It just felt very abrupt, and I agree aimless. There’s also a moment where she’s on the screen talking about how we all need to come together after this, making her seem sympathetic. I don’t really hear that kind of rhetoric from the right, idk the whole play just didn’t feel substantial enough for me. The Shakespeare analogy was also a miss for me.

Jordan Catalano said: "The bit with her saying how the right needs to learn to forgive the left felt like the playwright wanted us (the left, presumably) to say “Oh wow both sides kind of are the same” but like you said above, I’ve never once heard that come from a right winger so it felt extremely manipulative."

totally agree. in a similar vein (i think), i found the level of fear and paranoia the playwright assigned to the gay couple increasingly implausible as the second act unfolded. the only thing i can think of is that she needed everybody equally crazy in order to support her both-sidesism.

she hasn't written a play with two sides here.