Mary Elizabeth Winstead is very good. She was the best aspect of the show by far. Very focused and grounded throughout. but her scene partner is awful. A very hammy, “actory” performance. No truth behind anything he said, not to mention his character is extremely annoying.
I thought the play was awful. Amateurishly written from beginning to end. The blend of politics and family drama feels forced and heavy-handed. The flashback structure had potential but just isn’t utilized very well. Most of the dialogue is exposition, and the male character tends to get the most dialogue, despite being a far less interesting character.
Can’t believe this was a Pulitzer finalist back when it premiered. It fits the bill thematically, but the actual quality is just not there IMO.
If you’re a big fan of Winstead, it might be worth going just for her, especially since the play is pretty short. But if she’s not a draw for you, this is a big ol’ skip.
I was also there last night. It felt like a mediocre college acting showcase. Winstead was very good but she couldn’t save the play from being an absolute drag and her scene partner didn’t help matters. When he plays the love interest, it’s almost as bad as soap opera quality.
Why is this play being revived? I saw the original LCT production and all I remember about it is being bored out of my mind from such a slight/meaningless play.
The Hollywood Reporter review says she "dropped out to work on her first feature," the Jennifer Lawrence film she was announced in April to be directing.
As expected based on the early word, the reviews weren't great:
