“Judgment Day” at the New York International Fringe Festival at the Players Theatre
“Judgment Day” at the New York International Fringe Festival at the Players Theatre Written by Maria S. Schlatter Directed by Michael Schwartz Reviewed by David Roberts Theatre Reviews Limited
Days of Judgment come and go. Soothsayers, sages, and sycophants wait on the mountains and the plains with followers and well-wishers for the end of time, the final day when some supernatural being will judge all humankind, sending the good to eternal bliss and the not-so-good to equally long-term punishment. In Maria Schlatter’s “Judgment Day,” seven disparate characters await their turns at the pearly gates with varying degrees of turpitude and confidence. Veteran Broadway actor Donald Corren portrays all seven characters with exactitude and exuberance.
The “narrator” for the anticipated chastisement is a news anchor who displays confidence while on camera and less than calm with drink in hand as soon as he knows he is off the air. Mr. Corren’s performance here is spot on and shows the confidence of the newscaster dwindling and his rush to drink increasing as the clock ticks towards midnight. This is the play’s strongest character and by far the most interesting.
The script also includes a pageant dad, a socialite, a cab driver, a person in psychotherapy, and a homophobic cult leader. Under Michael Schwartz’ judicious and careful direction, Donald Corren brings each of these characters to a stunning reality differentiating one from the other with ease. Whether they appear once or more often during the eighty-five minutes, the characters each have a vivid personality and await their judgment day in equally vivid ways.
JUDGMENT DAY
“Judgment Day” is presented by The New York International Fringe Festival and Rare Media Productions at the Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street (West3rd and Bleecker).
The final performance of “Judgment Day” took place on Saturday August 24th at 12:00 p.m. For more information about the show and the cast and creative team, please visit www.judgmentdayonstage.com For more information about the 17th Annual New York Fringe Festival visit www.FringeNYC.org.
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Wednesday, August 28, 2013
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