Category: Plays

Two Trains Running – Play – Seattle Repertory Theatre

Attended a preview of the play Two Trains Running. What's up with Seattle Repertory Theatre choosing plays where people just talk? No action, scene changes, or entertainment. So boring! At least the 3rd performance here I've walked out at intermission.
Attended a preview of the play Two Trains Running. What’s up with Seattle Repertory Theatre choosing plays where people just talk? No action, scene changes, or entertainment. So boring! At least the 3rd performance here I’ve walked out at intermission.

Type: Play

Recommendation: Don’t see unless you like to watch people talking. I actually left at intermission.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 2 Stars

Negatives: I was bored to tears. No action, just talking! When I go to theatre, I want to be entertained.

Story, Script, and Lyrics: Black people from the mid-1900s in a restaurant talking about race stuff.

Cast and Theater Company:  Well acted. Just not a good choice of play. I’m learning more and more that Seattle Repertory Theatre is a hit and miss.

Venue and Set: Well designed set of a restaurant. It’s a shame there were no scene changes though.

Music and Audio: No microphones but the actors project enough that you should be able to hear okay (if not “barely okay”). Seriously though, Seattle Repertory Theatre needs to start using microphones for the ticket prices they’re charging.

Price: $$ (Mid Priced at $17-80)

Dates: January 12, 2018 – February 11, 2018

Seating: Nothing special to say.

Link: https://www.seattlerep.org/Plays/1718/TT/Synopsis

Crime and Punishment – Play – West of Lenin (Akroplois Performance Lab)

Opening night to the stage adaptation of Crime and Punishment. Too serious, deep, and confusing. Not an entertaining piece but very well acted and sung with interesting hurdy-gurdy accompaniment. Great murder scenes.
Opening night to the stage adaptation of Crime and Punishment. Too serious, deep, and confusing. Not an entertaining piece but very well acted and sung with interesting hurdy-gurdy accompaniment. Great murder scenes.

Type: Play with Music

Recommendation: I recommend this for people who like serious, deep plays. Please come early to sit in the first row!

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3 Stars

Negatives: It was too serious, deep, and confusing. When I go to theatre, I want to be entertained. I actually left at intermission.

Story, Script, and Lyrics: Stage adaptation of the novel Crime and Punishment. Some Russian guy down on his luck tries to justify murdering someone and goes crazy.

Cast and Theater Company:  Very well acted. This is the first time I’ve seen anything by Akroplois Performance Lab and despite me leaving during intermission, I was pretty impressed. However, I wasn’t a fan of Matt Sherrill’s interpretation of Dmitri Prokofych Razumikhin. It was a bit too gay for this piece (and I’m gay). But he was really cute!

Venue and Set: Set was minimalist but wasn’t bad for a community theatre production. However, there was a distracting door malfunction a couple of times.

Music and Audio: Easy to hear the performers. Accompaniment was via hurdy-gurdy (a communist sounding instrument), which was really nifty. Sometimes the cast sang acapella and they weren’t off key.

Price: $ (Low Priced at $30)

Dates: January 5-13, 2018

Seating: Tickets are General Admission so come early to get a good seat on the first row. All other seats kind of suck the way the chairs are configured.

Link: http://www.akropolisperformancelab.com/activities/plays/crime/

The Humans – Play – Seattle Repertory Theatre

Attended the preview performance of The Humans on Broadway. Showed how stable lives can easily change for the worse. All dialogue and no plot. Felt like I was watching a play of Gilmore Girls talking constantly.
Attended the preview performance of The Humans on Broadway. Showed how stable lives can easily change for the worse. All dialogue and no plot. Felt like I was watching a play of Gilmore Girls talking constantly.

Type: Play

Recommendation: It’s worth seeing but don’t come in with preconceived expectations of the “Best Play of the Year” Tony Award hype.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3.5 Stars

Negatives: All dialogue and no plot. Felt like I was watching a play of Gilmore Girls talking constantly.

Story, Script, and Lyrics: East-coast family has Thanksgiving dinner. Dialogue unfolds to show how stable lives can easily change for the worse.

Cast and Theater Company: Not much to say. Typical Seattle Repertory Theatre quality theatrical production. Convincing performance.

Venue and Set: Two story set of a bare-bones New York City apartment. There were no scene changes since everything took place in the apartment.

Music and Audio: Easy to understand dialogue. No music.

Price: $$ (Moderately Priced at $17-95)

Dates: November 17, 2017 – December 17, 2017

Seating: Assigned Seating

Link: http://www.seattlerep.org/Plays/1718/TH/Synopsis