SMOKEFALL (Previews)

Beging previews this evening for the MCC production at the Lucille Lortel starring Zachary Quinto. To me, this seems to be one of the most intriguing offerings of the off-broadway season

"Magical realism collides with manic vaudeville in a family drama unlike any you've ever seen. The Twins swap philosophy while awaiting their birth, Beauty eats dirt and doesn't speak, Father is about to drive away and never return, and a man named Footnote acts as our guide. Whipping from astonishing tenderness to profound humor and back again, this wholly original play uncovers the extraordinary family connections we all stretch and warp across the years but can never quite break."

Anyone go yet?

I saw this last night, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I can definitely see how it's not for everyone. The mix of real and surreal won't float everyone's boat, but I found it incredibly enchanting and emotionally resonant. The whole play is written very poetically (the title even comes from a T.S Elliott poem), which is the sort of thing I really like, like The Fantasticks, Charles III, Sarah Ruhl's work, etc. Not to say that this play is necessary similar to those other works, but they are all things that I love for their poetic language. To me, the play felt like a mix of Thornton Wilder, Tom Stoppard and Sara Ruhl, with bits of Tennessee Williams - all of whom are playwrights that I love.

Though Zachary Quinto and the rest of the cast does a great job, the real star of the show for me was 14-year-old Taylor Richardson. Her performance, especially in the first act, is very impressive. Her character is silent, and the degree to which Richardson can express herself through her eyes, her face and her body is astounding. She nearly made me cry just with a facial expression.

Oh surrrrrrre you saw it. Could you post a picture of your ticket stub, please?

I caught this tonight and really enjoyed it. Loved the surreal world the characters inhabited; the first scene reminded me a lot of a Pushing Daisies type world, especially Richardson's character. (She was excellent btw, especially during her beautiful second monologue about the 74 years she spent searching for her missing father. Brava!)

Quinto continues to delight with each new theater outing. When he first made a splash on Heroes I sort of wrote him off as merely hunky eye-candy, but he has proven himself time and again on stage and has to be one of the more exciting actor finds in the past decade or so.

Lots of food for thought, great performances an interesting set design make this absolutely worth seeing. MCC has a knack, more often than not, of producing worthwhile and exciting new plays. Keep 'em coming!