THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews — Page 2

Interesting that this was originally done in a smaller house. I do feel that Cera and Gevinson are doing that inexperienced actor thing where they shout their lines so that they'll be heard in the balcony. Very one note and annoying.

I saw this last night, Cera was out last night and management ran it very poorly. Instead of splitting up the line into people who were picking up tickets and people who were getting refunds it was just one line. It was getting close to 7pm so I finally had to complain to get my tickets at will call because I wasn't looking for a refund anyway cause I never liked Cera. They ended up starting the show about 30mins late.

I forgot his name but the understudy was fine. The whole problem with the show for me was that I found all the characters to be extremely annoying. There were some funny jokes here and there but overall just a completely forgettable show for me. I also agree with the comments about that girls voice. Just down right painful to listen to.

Updated On: 9/16/14 at 11:27 AM

I saw it a few days before opening. I had heard bad things, but I loved it. Glad to see the reviews so good. It's really a magnificent play, and it's a very good production of it.

I caught this over the weekend and on the whole thought it was a good production. Mostly, Culkin was a revelation. It was the first time I've seen him on stage, and clearly his experience showed as he was a natural up there. His performance felt lived-in, honest, and I thought he earned every moment. Cera was a little hit-and-miss for me, but more hit than miss. Especially given his character, written to be an oddball and uncomfortable in the skin he lives in, Cera used his persona and any stage-jitters to good effect (or at least his casting was effective in the part.)

Gevinson was the weak link, by far. Almost her entire performance felt like an actress concentrating more on projecting for the Balcony than performing a character. She had some moments here and there, but the dominant note of her mostly one-note performance was "enunciate and project loudly." A stark contrast with someone like Culkin, who was as clearly-heard without sounding once like he was projecting beyond reason.

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"Is there any worse criticism in the history of narrative art than "the characters are unlikeable"?" "

Uh....... yeah. That a bad play is brilliant, for example.

^

Well, you don't seem to get it; it's not that the play is bad solely because the characters are unlikable; it's that the play is bad and the characters are unlikable. So too, the appalling Bad Jews.

Moreover, no member of the audience need apologize for feeling irritation, disgust, or anger at being subjected to reprehensible, loathsome, or annoying characters on stage, especially if the authors of such plays, (and their fawning admirers) demand that we feel a certain empathy for characters who deserve nothing but the revulsion and scorn we feel.

Updated On: 10/23/14 at 07:32 AM

Correct. No member of the audience need apologize for feeling irritation, disgust, or anger at being subjected to reprehensible, loathsome, or annoying characters on stage. But nor should that be a qualification for judging a work? Kenneth Lonergan may want us to feel some empathy for these characters, but he is highly critical of them. So I don't even see how your point is valid. Do you think Lonergan finds these people/characters model citizens or something?

Saw it last night. Cera was out. Nick Lehane, who covers both men, was terrific. Loved everything about the show, including Gevinson's truthful and touching performance. The role in some ways pales next to the guys' roles but I loved what she is doing with it. And I liked her voice which I agree seems perfectly normal and natural. If her vocal range (at least here) is modest I found it perfectly calibrated for the character and, to my ears, never grating. it never seemed to me that anyone was overprojecting.

Word was that he was out sick but don't know anything else.

"Tavi spoke on two notes. b flat and C. Grating and irritating to listen to."

I'd sort of agree with that -- but found that ideal -- just like the grating monotone voices of most girls that age. I've seen Tavi in an interview and she didn't sound like that at all, so I considered it a wise acting choice.

"For me the characters of Warren and the girl were so unlikable in that I didn't care what happened to them, good or bad, I just wanted them off the stage so I didn't have to listen to them."

Let me guess -- Macbeth is not your favorite play either?

If I limited my play watching only to plays in which all the characters were likeable, I'd probably lose interest in theatre after awhile.

Saw this Sunday night. Everybody was in. Although not a masterpiece it was entertaining enough to fill up my time slot. At only $35 for the ticket, I can't complain too much. I thought it was very well acted. You have to admit, all three have very long lines of dialogue, and none seemed to mess up. I went to a taping of Designing Women once, and it took the late great Dixie Carter about a half hour to get through her "Julia rant" correctly. On a side note, I am curious if anyone who has stagedoored has had a negative interaction with Kieran Culkin. He came across to me like a huge douche. He had a problem with me when I asked him if I could take a picture. He stated "that was really messed up of me to want to take a picture of a guy, since I was a guy" I did not want to be in the picture with him, so I don't know where the problem was. Then I complimented him on his acting and how they remember all the long lines of dialogue. He stated sarcastically, "that's my job dude, that why." I stated under my breath, "what an ass". My only hope is he heard me. (I have a very deep booming voice). He was the only negative aspect of my weekend trip.