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Monday, March 12, 2018

"Between Riverside and Crazy" @ Artists Rep.

The excitement of anticipation is always fun, but it's even more fun, (and rare) when the object lives-up to the hype you have created in your head, when it's everything you'd hoped it would be. Such is the case with "Between Riverside and  Crazy." This is the show I've been rubbing my hands together for since the Season Announcement. Stephen Adly Guirgis is, in my view, the New David Mamet, because The Old David Mamet went senile. That line will get a giggle out of the Theatre Geeks, but here's what I want the Non-Geek Readers to hear: If you've ever wondered why I go to the theatre, it is because I hope to see a show exactly like this.

"The Magic Play" @ PCS

It is surprising to me that "The Magic Play" is my favorite show so far in PCS's Season. We all have things we look for in pieces of art, our favorite themes or "ingredients." I am keenly aware of my own "checklist" at the moment, because Artists Rep's "Between Riverside and Crazy" ticks all of my boxes. "The Magic Play" shares nearly nothing with my wishlist, (I'm not particularly fond of relationship dramas, for instance.) But, I was enthralled with "The Magic Play" from curtain-up. The magic and the drama are 8n perfect balance, it could easily have been a situation where the magic overshadowed the traditional play-elements, or the drama could've been so "heavy" as to make the magic seem out-of-place, or gimmicky. If there's one thing I can say about "The Magic Play" it's that you'll be surprised, surprised by the tricks, surprised by how well all the elements work together, and perhaps even surprised that you liked it as much as you did.