tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300395900787148509.post3702692174167120344..comments2023-10-20T08:55:42.757-04:00Comments on Critic-O-Meter: WildflowerRob Weinert-Kendthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04015688507553252146noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300395900787148509.post-6871376675606157362009-08-10T18:29:50.693-04:002009-08-10T18:29:50.693-04:00The reactions to this play are incredibly varied. ...The reactions to this play are incredibly varied. While I appreciate that some didn't like it and found the end unwarranted, I was thoroughly engrossed and thought the denouement was perfect. Unless you have an understanding of the frailities and complexity of people like Randolph, the play may seem to be a trick. I assure you it was not. Congratulations are in order for a play and performances which provoked such a strong response. I, for one, did not feel manipulated, but rather was drawn in and appropriately schocked by an end which I should have anticipated, but for the cleverness of the script and the acting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300395900787148509.post-88047205862885136022009-07-30T09:52:54.621-04:002009-07-30T09:52:54.621-04:00To quote Oscar Wilde: "When critics disagree,...To quote Oscar Wilde: "When critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself."<br /><br />-MMark S.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300395900787148509.post-58420897609651927802009-07-29T14:12:51.010-04:002009-07-29T14:12:51.010-04:00I really loved most of this play - I thought the a...I really loved most of this play - I thought the acting was wonderful, and the quality of the writing really raised it from the sitcom level to which so many reviewers are inexplicably banishing it. Almost any plot can be reduced to TV elements, but the way this story is treated - with so much heart and an interesting, specific voice - makes it much more than that. The language was vibrant and I really cared about and believed in the characters. <br /><br />I had trouble with the ending - although it's plenty foreshadowed, it still felt like an abrupt turn that I wasn't prepared for. But this Uptown program is about supporting new voices, and I think taking risks is an inherent part of that. Who wants new voices that are boring and safe? I look forward to seeing what Lila Rose Kaplan does next.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300395900787148509.post-57059976413478727122009-07-29T13:54:27.341-04:002009-07-29T13:54:27.341-04:00It's interesting that different audience membe...It's interesting that different audience members have such strong yet opposed reaction. For myself, I found Kaplan's writing crisp, sparkling, and quite funny. The audience seemed to agree, as there was a lot of laughter the whole way through, particularly given the strong performances of the girl and forest ranger characters. The ending was sharp and devastating, although on reflection it was rather foreshadowed. I am guessing that the ending is really what has polarized reviewers. I found it quite an interesting choice, actually. It shined a light on the dangerous nature of youth and our first sexual explorations. It was provocative, and Second Stage should be applauded for having the courage to choose such a vibrant yet complex piece.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300395900787148509.post-86480560540936376012009-07-29T00:35:29.070-04:002009-07-29T00:35:29.070-04:00This was the worst play I've seen in ages and ...This was the worst play I've seen in ages and I think Second Stage should be embarrassed for producing it. Stock characters, under-realized premise, sitcom characters (Punky Brewster meets Benson meets Gossip Girl) and an un-earned potentially interesting ending. <br /><br />I'm not sure who I'm more disappointed with-- the playwright for putting forth such an amateur play or the people responsible for a years worth of buzz about this substandard story.<br /><br />Is this the best that we can do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com