THE HANGOVER REPORT – Aaron Posner’s LIFE SUCKS uncannily updates and unlocks “Uncle Vanya” for contemporary audiences

In recent years, playwright Aaron Posner has become primarily associated with his trio of barbed contemporary riffs on three classic Chekhov plays – the provocatively named Stupid Fucking Bird, No Sisters, and Life Sucks (respectively after The Seagull, … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Andrea Burns as Judy Holliday in SMART BLONDE shouldn’t be missed

This week at 59E59 Theaters (in a co-presentation with MBL Productions), I had the great opportunity of catching a performance of Smart Blonde, Willy Holtzman’s Off-Broadway play – with lots of music – about … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – John Doyle’s unsurprisingly minimalist revival of THE CRADLE WILL ROCK works as a tone poem, sans the anger

This week, John Doyle’s revival of Marc Blitzstein’s The Cradle Will Rock opened Off-Broadway at Classic Stage Company. The highly political so-called “play in music” – which is perhaps best known for being actively  opposed … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Mabou Mines’ FAUST 2.0 bites off more than it can chew

This week, Mabou Mines’ Fasut 2.0, Matthew Maguire’s  ambitious take on Part II of Goethe’s masterpiece, opened Off-Broadway at the theater company’s renovated home in the East Village. For those of you … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – John Guare’s masterful NANTUCKET SLEIGH RIDE is a youthful late-career effort

This past weekend at Off-Broadway’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, I caught John Guare’s latest play Nantucket Sleigh Ride, courtesy of Lincoln Center Theater, an institution that has long been key to … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Rehana Lew Mirza’s punchy, familiar HATEF**CK dutifully entertains

Last weekend, I caught the Off-Broadway production of Hatef**k by Rehana Lew Mirza, courtesy of WP Theater and Colt Coeur. The play continues the dialogue started by Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Theatre Re’s near wordless THE NATURE OF FORGETTING is a gorgeous portrait of early onset dementia

Playing through just this weekend is a marvelous, soulful piece of physical theater entitled The Nature of Forgetting at the New Victory Theater, courtesy of the London-based Theatre Re. The show, a … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ambiguity reigns in PERP, Lyle Kessler’s indistinct new play

Last night at TBG Mainstage Theatre, Lyle Kessler’s world premiere play Perp opened Off-Broadway courtesy of the Barrow Group. Mr. Kessler is perhaps best known for penning the 1983 play Orphans, which was famously performed … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – City Ballet star Sara Mearns shines in the delightful Encores! revival of Rodgers and Hart’s I MARRIED AN ANGEL

Sunday evening at New York City Center, I caught the final performance of the delightful Encores! revival of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart’s rarely performed I Married an Angel. Besides getting … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ira Fuchs’ sturdy new play VILNA is workmanlike and ultimately quite affecting

Yesterday, I attended a matinee performance of Ira Fuchs’ new play Vilna Off-Broadway at the Theatre at St. Clement’s. Set in the Polish city of Vilna, the play depicts the turbulent two-and-a-half … Continue Reading →