chrishuyen said: "I also enjoyed this, it was just a lot of fun to watch these actors portray these characters and just see what arguments they were going to get into. Some were a bit predictable (though there was a nice bait and switch moment in the beginning) but I also agree that it got a little muddled near the end when everything was coming hot and heavy. Jane Krakowski and Neil Patrick Harris I thought were fantastic as the hosts of the party and both had some really nice emotional moments, but the cast was quite good across the board (a few fumbled lines but it's still previews). The comic timing was pretty impeccable throughout and there were a large number of laugh out loud moments solely based on physical comedy as well.
I don't know if it's just because I happen to be getting to a certain age, but this play did make me consider how my closest friends in college were somewhat cliquey and what it would be like to bring a new romantic partner into that fold and how it would be to try to accept someone into that kind of group. I don't think the play itself is necessarily trying to make a broad sweeping statement in that regard, but it was certainly something to consider for me.
I was also a bit mixed on the last 5 minute of the show, I don't know that it added a whole lot (and almost felt preachy in a play that I don't think was trying to really impart any lessons for the most part), but I did enjoy it just for its last surprise reveal.
One thing I found confusing (spoilered):
Click Here To Toggle Spoiler ContentDid Logan just HAPPEN to be dating a guy who had the same name as Brett's paralegal? Or did Brett make up the paralegal's name when that call first came in? I can't actually remember, but I did find the whole idea of switching phones pretty clumsy (isn't it kind of unlikely they would have the same phone case and background wallpaper etc?) and I don't think I saw it, but did they actually physically move the phones around? I only realized it when Brett blamed the ringtone change on the kids since it wasn't his phone.
Stage door today had Garret Dillahunt, Genevieve Hannelius, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tramell Tillman who signed. Billy Magnussen came out and thanked us for coming but didn't stay to sign."
Response to your **SPOILERS**:
Yes, he did move the phones around. The switching phones thing was clumsy, I agree, because even if they had the same case, their lock screens would immediately give away the phone owner. I thought Brett made up the paralegal thing as a cover.
I had questions about the end. **SPOILERS**
1) The implication is that NPH’s daughter was also sleeping with Magnussen’s Frank when she’s wearing “the necklace,” but was Nick made up then? Or did she have a big box of condoms because she is promiscuous and he’s just another one.
2) The mom and Frank were also sleeping together, right? Or did the revision without the game negate all of those realizations?
3) And in the last seconds, all three members of the family are staring at their phones. I assume the daughter and mom are texting Frank, but what are we supposed to assume NPH’s character is doing? He seems to genuinely love his wife, but is equally as focused on his phone as the other two in that moment.
4) Lastly, when Logan finally unleashes on his friends he calls them horrible white people (or something similar). Frank then questions when Logan first decided that - was it when Frank gave Logan a place to stay or one of the other times that he helped Logan? It makes sense, based on Frank’s reaction to the sexuality reveal, that Logan’s friendship with Frank would not last, but the white people discussion made me wonder. Are we supposed to take from this that mixed race friendships cannot work?