First of all, I absolutely acknowledge that this is simply my personal view of course and I do always absolutely believe that actors try to do their very best with the material and that a playwright is trying to create something wonderful and unique. This is my first play of hers and the only other playwrights so far that I have not really liked are David Mamet, Neil LaBute, Eugene O'Neill, Will Eno, and now her. Although certain productions and actors make those work as well sometimes (e.g., Break of Noon with David Duchovny was appealing).
As to the point about naturalism, I am also not a form of dialogue that feels as if no human being ever spoke it where actors are mere devices to convey points of view. But I have seen quite a diverse array of plays in which characters go through complex and multifaceted emotional journeys and speak in ways that are both accessible yet also beautiful and inspiring. A View from the Bridge, Red, One Man Two Guv'nors, La Cage aus Folles, The Other Place, Constellations, and many many more come to mind across genres.
To me, this was really none of that. Listen to characters talk about masturbation and other sex acts in very ordinary and graphic ways (and I am not particularly prude) or create really bizarre and sophomoric stories otherwise without much depth does not really come across as particularly creative or incentive to me - rather simplistic and immature. But, hey, to each his or her own, right? Annie certainly has an audience for whom her style works but I am not part of that audience it seems based on this! :)
Updated On: 4/4/17 at 11:34 PM
