Pass Over at LCT3

[oldfriends]

Posted: 6/5/18 at 6:22pm

The production at the Claire Tow starring Gabe Ebert, Jon Michael Hill, and Namir Smallwood started previews last Saturday. Any reactions/thoughts?

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 6/15/18 at 12:29am

god this was a stunner, and let me tell you if im still not haunted by Gabriel Eberts last monologue 

 

also its somewhat different from the version currently on Amazon (dialogue/scene changes and different actors) 

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 6/15/18 at 12:29am

god this was a stunner, and let me tell you if im still not haunted by Gabriel Eberts last monologue 

 

also its somewhat different from the version currently on Amazon (dialogue/scene changes and different actors) 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/15/18 at 1:36am

I wanted to like this more than I did. The concept and style are right up my alley, and there are some really wonderful parts, but it didn’t really come together for me. I thought the script could use another draft to really hone in on what is essential to the play. It also felt extremely derivative of Suzan-Lori Parks, to the point of being distracting.

Glad I saw it though. It’s an interesting piece, and the acting is great all around. Gabe Ebert is wonderful as always.

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 6/15/18 at 5:51pm

If by derivative of Suzan-Lori Parks, you mean derivative of Topsog/Undersog, I concur. It’s a shame this play has about 10% as much to say as that play.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/15/18 at 6:06pm

Yes, Topdog/Underdog most of all, but also just in general the way Parks explores Black identity through mythology, and through poeticized use of Black English vernacular. 

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 6/15/18 at 11:51pm

is Suzan-Lori Parks the only writer allowed to do that?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 5:10am

LightsOut90 said: "is Suzan-Lori Parks the only writer allowed to do that?"

 

No, of course not. Just like Lin-Manuel Miranda is not the only writer allowed to write a rap musical about an American founding father. But if someone were to do that, no doubt someone would call it derivative of Hamilton. 

The qualities and devices that I mentioned in my last post make up the core of Park’s very distinctive style, which has gained her noteriety. Also, I should clarify: it’s not just that Pass Over does these things that Parks also did. It’s that it FEELS like Parks. I’m sure there is more than one distinct way of exploring black identity through mythological figures (one might even say that Hamilton does it in its own unique way), but the way Pass Over does it feels like the way Parks does it, particularly with Topdog/Underdog. You’re welcome to disagree, but that was my experience watching the show. 

And I should further clarify: the fact that I found it derivative was not my primary criticism of the show. I frequently enjoy plays that are obviously derivitive of other works. But I’m more forgiving of derivitve plays when I enjoy its other qualities. And as I said, there were qualities of Pass Over that I very much liked. It just didn’t come together for me, and so I was more prone to focusing on its derivitve qualities. 

I’m genuinely glad that you liked it, and I don’t want to change your mind. Like I said, the play was right up my alley and I  wanted to like it, so really I’m a bit envious of you.