“The Tunnel Play” at FringeNYC 2014 at The Kraine Theater (Closes on Thursday August 21, 2014)
“The Tunnel Play” at FringeNYC 2014 at The Kraine Theater (Closes on Thursday August 21, 2014) Written by Ashley J. Jacobson Directed by Courtney Laine Self Reviewed by David Roberts Theatre Reviews Limited
Birdy (Dondrie Burnham) and Priddy (Chelsea Wolocko) choose to live in an underground tunnel, preferring its ambiance to the cluttered competitive world above. Birdy clips things from newspapers and Priddy feeds the rats and sings a bit. Colin (Ryan Guess) lives above ground quite comfortably (financially) working as a copywriter cajoled daily to work on the Nabisco account by his Boss (Brett Epstein). During the super storm of all super storms, these members of the one per cent and the ninety-nine percent collide in the Manhattan bar tended by Bartender (Laura Bogdanski). Ms. Bogdanski also plays the frenetic Meteorologist who warns of the impending doom.
These characters in Ashley J. Jacobson’s “The Tunnel Play,” currently running at the Kraine Theater as part of FringeNYC 2014, are not clearly defined and their problems or conflicts are not carefully developed so it is difficult to engage with them or with the plot that their conflicts drive. If there is a theme here it is not readily apparent. Yes, the audience knows Colin is miserable and bereft of girl friend/fiancé but the audience has no idea who Colin is and could care less about his weird flirtations with Priddy and the barkeep and his inability to hold on to his wallet in the subway.
Standing in a bar dripping wet and proclaiming that it would be nice to get along after the flood is not enough to make a play. “The Tunnel Play, despite the efforts of its cast, just does not work on any level.
THE TUNNEL PLAY
“The Tunnel Play” is presented by The Dirty Blondes in Association with The Present Company (Elena K. Holy, Producing Artistic Director). Directed by Courtney Laine Self.
The cast of “The Tunnel Play” includes Laura Bogdanski, Dondrie Burnham, Brett Epstein, Ryan Guess, and Chelsea Wolocko.
For performance schedule, ticketing information and more information about the presenting company, please visit www.FringeNYC.org. For mobile ticketing, please visit www.FringeonTheFly.com. The running time is 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission.
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Thursday, August 21, 2014
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