Antlia Pneumatica at Playwrights Horions

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 7:13pm

Has anyone else seen this yet? I was at this afternoon's performance and overall, I liked it, but I'm still digesting it. Anne Washburn is one of my favorite contemporary playwrights, and while I didn't like this one as much as her previous work, I definitely recommend it. It really left me thinking.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 7:24pm

How was Annie Parisse? Does she have a large role?

 

I adored Mr. Burns and want to see this too.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 7:54pm

Parisse is essentially the lead, and she's quite good. She's also stunning in person.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 7:58pm

That's great to hear. I've always enjoyed her performances both on stage and screen and knowing that she is the lead seals the deal for me getting a ticket. 

 

How would you say this play compares to Mr. Burns? 

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 8:09pm

Mr. Burns is one of my favorite plays of the last five year, and definitely one of the most original pieces I've ever seen. Antlia... feels a bit more accessible, even though there are scenes 

 

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that happen off-stage, that we can hear but not see, as well as a scene that happens mostly in the dark. Atmosphere and imagination definitely play a big role in this play, and there's a real sense of uneasiness and suspense throughout.

I think Mr. Burns is a stronger play but doesn't mean Antlia... doesn't stand up well on its own.

Updated On: 3/13/16 at 08:09 PM

[izzio2]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 4:00am

I saw it the other night, I absolutely can't stop thinking about it. It's cerebral and haunting. I wasn't sure what to feel in the first 45 minutes, but as the play slowly gets more surreal I realized what she was trying to do. It's a meandering mood piece. It's gorgeous.

I think Mr. Burns is sort of an outlier in her collection of work. I never got to see it, but from reading the script it seems much louder and more rambunctious (I love it all the same).

I also saw 10 out of 12 at Soho Rep several times, which I also thought was beautiful.

 

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10 out of 12 also ended with melancholic singing... I'll never get tired of that honestly.

I think Anne Washburn is an incredible playwright and I'll see literally anything she does. Antlia Pneumatica certainly feels like it belongs in a downtown blackbox, but I'm happy to see it at Playwrights. It's towering. I'm not going to forget it.

[followspot]

Posted: 3/19/16 at 8:46pm

While I can appreciate your Washburn crush, izzio2, to call this very minor experiment in playmaking "towering" is wildly misleading. It's a very small idea, nicely executed, with a modest stylistic conceit (several scenes heard, not seen) working hard to add what little gravity there is to the proceedings.  Washburn ultimately succeeds in what she aims for (imo), but that aim is relatively low.

 

Updated On: 3/20/16 at 08:46 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/20/16 at 2:08am

followspot said: "While I can appreciate your Washburn crush, izzio2, to call this very minor experiment in playmaking "towering" is wildly misleading."

Or an opinion?

[Fantod]

Posted: 3/27/16 at 9:19pm

Saw it today. Didn't care for the first half, with the stylized dialogue (i.e.: removing contractions, saying something is most ______ instead of very _____), but I rather enjoyed it once the requiem for the ant happened. It kind of took on it's own ghostly quality. I wouldn't really recommend it overall, because it never was really very affecting, but an interesting night of theatre in its own way.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 4/15/16 at 1:26am

As someone that loved Mr Burns and 10 Out of 12, this was PHENOMENALLY bad and tedious and pretentious. The twist is so obvious and its asking the audience to do a lot of work for very littler narrative payoff, there were actually several people who feel asleep at Under 30 night last night, avoid this at all cost folks.