Go TEAM! Hooray for a wonderful show and for not taking things so seriously, avoiding pretension. It’s probably going to be boring reading about mostly good things but I think there’s plenty to discuss or think about other than “Was it good?” and “Did you like it?” and you can go to Lightsey Darst’s review for the heated back-and-forth.
I definitely recommend seeing it (one more performance on Saturday).
Only just a bit unedited, perhaps, this play warmed me to the bones on a cold bitter night here in the heartland. Talented performers, very pleasing soundscore, sets that leave room for the imagination and movement, and, get this, a really good post show discussion. Director Rachel Chavkin was present.
Me liked the blood, of course, and the crazy, collaged accent (Scottish/Cockney/Australian/Ali G) by Todd (aka Frank Boyd) in the Christmas Carol section. I loved recalling the Twilight Zone snow globe episode and things I haven’t heard since I was a kid in Vermont: “Jesum Crow!” (see, Penny Freeh–I’m not making that up!); that Kennedy accent (even thought the actor looked more like Nixon); “I’ll punch you in the neck!”; “Have you been good?” and fundamental Christianity. One line I didn’t hear as a kid caught my ear: “‘The Rapture!’ In stores 06/06……..”
The Rapture. Not a common topic. I thought it was given a pretty interesting treatment, though you could spend your whole life contemplating whether you could ever be good enough to be part of “Jesus’s army” or even his “second best army” (the ones that might get taken up once they’ve tried a little harder). There are days when I still wish I would be abducted by aliens, I mean embraced by the rapture. Calgon, take me away.
Not much more to say except that mind did wander once or twice to a Twin Cities cast. I’ll write it out later so as not to put any ideas into Saturday night’s audience.
Enjoy the rapture.