I read this play in preparation for an audition. I am not that fond of it. It is by an award winning playwright named Will Eno. It was nominated for an award itself, the 2011 Outer Critic’s Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play. It did not win. It is about confronting death.
It is essentially a one man show. A guy named Guy sits in a wheelchair. He is old.He is nearing the end. He is in some kind of hospice care. He has prepared a slide show for the audience punctuated by sound effects that seem to not be in his control. The play is very “meta” and self referential. It is delivered in a direct audience address. He keeps losing his place and being distracted by his ruminations, referring to index cards that he has in his pocket to keep on message.
Three quarters of the way through the play a caretaker, Lisa, shows up. She and he have some conversation. She is unaware of the audience. His asides are part of his dying allusions to her. She leaves and the play end with an extended video and light show meant to emulate the end of a rock show. There is also supposed to be wake-like post lobby treats and and signage meant to allow the audience to process and discuss the play. Stress balls and wrist bands are suggested gifts to the audience.
The play, while displaying an amusing turn of phrase here and there, did not impress me. Much of the text is in that Andy Rooney "aren't-memories-kooky-and-meaningful" style, glib and canned. I found it gimmicky and lacking events, or even ideas, really. It wants to come off and as a eulogy for an unknown man. A self-eulogy, at that. it's trying too hard.
It is essentially a one man show. A guy named Guy sits in a wheelchair. He is old.He is nearing the end. He is in some kind of hospice care. He has prepared a slide show for the audience punctuated by sound effects that seem to not be in his control. The play is very “meta” and self referential. It is delivered in a direct audience address. He keeps losing his place and being distracted by his ruminations, referring to index cards that he has in his pocket to keep on message.
Three quarters of the way through the play a caretaker, Lisa, shows up. She and he have some conversation. She is unaware of the audience. His asides are part of his dying allusions to her. She leaves and the play end with an extended video and light show meant to emulate the end of a rock show. There is also supposed to be wake-like post lobby treats and and signage meant to allow the audience to process and discuss the play. Stress balls and wrist bands are suggested gifts to the audience.
The play, while displaying an amusing turn of phrase here and there, did not impress me. Much of the text is in that Andy Rooney "aren't-memories-kooky-and-meaningful" style, glib and canned. I found it gimmicky and lacking events, or even ideas, really. It wants to come off and as a eulogy for an unknown man. A self-eulogy, at that. it's trying too hard.
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