From grunge to femme punk hits, Abby (Marisa Tomei) and Gus have produced it all. Their work marriage is legendary and Gus has the platinum records to prove it. But when Katherine, a fresh A&R hire, calls Abby out on the compromises she’s made in her work union, Abby must face the music and fight to survive.
In any case, if the play’s point is unclear, the production has its pleasure, not least seeing Marisa Tomei on stage express an impressive range of emotions, from ecstasy to fury to resignation and regret to… rock n roll. She and Gracie McGraw dance to snippets of original rock music composed for the production by the group BETTY.
Directed by Scott Elliott, the production takes some time to catch fire. Arliss and McGraw plumb the depths of their characters as the play progresses and, particularly in Arliss's performance, infuse the portrayals with empathy. Initially, however, they are presented as broad comic types. The set-up, recalling David Mamet's Oleanna, limits Tomei's character to responding to the situation, her emotions expressed through stilted and awkward physical gestures. Additionally, Goldberg's depiction of an unlikely flirtation between the women feels contrived, and its only purpose seems to be for highlighting Abigail's troubled history. The backstory does, however, provide opportunities for a handful of effective grunge and punk songs by the indie rock band BETTY. (Jessica Paz's sound design contributes to the periodic rock-concert ambiance.)
2024 | Off-Broadway |
The New Group New York Premiere Production Off-Broadway |
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