Detroit

[After Eight]

A new play at Playwrights Horizons, starring David Schwimmer, Amy Ryan, and in a small part, John Cullum.

In suburbia, a married couple who can't see past the noses on their faces befriend a ne'er-do-well pair who have moved next door. The result is a foregone conclusion from the get-go. Until then, there's an hour and forty minutes of pointless, foolish prattle.

The scenic design was worthy of note, but not the play.

The actors are up to the task they are given. The audience is not.

[jv92]

ro see detroyt
lyked the play
vere good
aftr8 wrong
figures

[After Eight]

[RippedMan]

Hm. I'm curious to see the show, but I wish it had the original Chicago cast.

[PlayItAgain]

this show was nominated for the pulitzer, it can't be THAT bad.

[ClapYo'Hands]

I thought it was absolutely incredible. Kind of like August: Osage County but with a more widespread message about how we live as a society.

[After Eight]

"this show was nominated for the pulitzer, it can't be THAT bad."

Actually, nowadays, if a show is nominated for that award, then you know it's probably going to be awful.

[Auggie27]

I read the published script, and found it a rarity: a page-turner. It has two surprises in its storytelling, one that can be guessed, one not so much. But it's a genuine portrait of 2012 America, and manages to make its points with a very engaging group of characters (though admittedly I wouldn't want to spend an evening with them). It's a frightening but all too recognizable quartet. Can't wait to see this next week. Ryan, in particular, seems very right for the role played by Metcalf in Chicago.

[After Eight]

"and manages to make its points with a very engaging group of characters (though admittedly I wouldn't want to spend an evening with them)."

If they're so engaging, why wouldn't you want to spend time with them?

I certainly didn't want to spend time watching them on stage.

[Auggie27]

Huge difference in having people in your living room, and seeing them across the figurative footlights. I can go through any number of plays, from AUGUST OSAGE backward, and make a persuasive case that some of the most dynamic characters in dramatic literature would make scary, dangerous neighbors, let alone friends. The two issues -- compelling presence in a drama and welcome guests in my home -- are entirely difference premises for judging human behavior.

[jeffmiele]

I saw it last night and still really cant grasp how I felt about it. I was entertained throughout. But, again, I'm having a really hard time putting my thoughts together. I felt Cullum's character was such a cop out in a way. To me it felt as thought the writer said "People may not have gotten what I was going for so lets throw an old man in there to quickly explain what this is about"

[bjh2114]

I actually agree with After Eight (though I haven't seen this production yet). I saw the production at the National in London in May and absolutely HATED it. I think the play reads better on paper than it does on stage. When I went back and read it, I found it so much more interesting. I might not even see this one considering how much I hated the production in London.

[ClapYo'Hands]

The one thing I wasn't overly impressed with was the direction. Pendleton didn't really seem to be terribly aware of his space.

[WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel]

I saw Detroit tonight and wasn't taken with it. I wouldn't go as far as saying I hated it, but I was bored most of the time and ultimately thought the "message" had been shoveled to us many times before.

The actors tried their best, but they got little reaction from the audience. I don't mind nasty or annoying characters in a play, as long as they're funny, but sadly I don't think I laughed until Cullum entered.

The characters were supposed to be living in a realistic world, yet none of the actions rang true, the most obvious being that these two couple wouldn't have hung out as much as they did.

Overall it made little impression on me, and in a few months I'll probably forget I even saw it.

[RippedMan]

Are there any cool design tricks or anything?