Thursday, April 7, 2016

I saw "Familiar"

What I saw: "Familiar," at Playwrights Horizons, Main Stage at 416 W 42nd St. in NYC



What I wore: quilted black Barbour parka (for the second time this winter), favorite black Fluevog "Guides," Wolford fishnet knee-highs that are totally worth the price, the way-too-long black jeans, Lilith silk blouse that is cream with tiny faces on it, and no makeup at all because I ran out of time




What I did beforehand: ate a lobster roll at one of the food vendors at City Kitchen. I had rootbeer

Who went with me: a new friend from the new barn

How I got tickets: online, full price (and my friend reimbursed me, so now I have a coat-pocket full of cash, woo hoo)

Why I saw this show: to the extent that a living playwright can, Danai Gurira has captured people's attention;  I got this text from a friend who saw an interview with her and she was all, "You should see her plays," and I'm like, yeah, ok. Also, I was looking for something family-dram-comedy but not too dysfunctional-family-ish to see with a new friend that might not appreciate, say, blood explosions or plays about rape victims.

Where I sat: Row E, seat 14, between my friend and a pair of ladies of a certain age who howled and laughed at all the same things as me




What it is: a funny drama, set in a midwestern American home, by Danai Gurira, performed in two acts, with one 15 minute intermission. The multi-racial cast of eight was the first cast that seemed to me to have the perfect actor in each role. 

Things that were sad: remembering my own wedding dramas insofar as they resembled the ones portrayed

Things that were funny: the play has a lot of laughs built in

Things that were not funny: I was promised, by a guy seated behind me at "American Psycho," that "Eclipsed" was the better and more important of Danai Gurira's plays in production right now. I disagree. He did, however, tell me I had excellent taste in plays when I told him "Hungry" was the best play I'd seen this spring.

Who should see it: fans of Danai Gurira, people from Minnesota, artists who feel their families don't understand them, anyone with a sister who has unexpectedly embraced Christianity, people from Zimbabwe, people who have relatives in other countries


What I saw on the way home: garbage



3 comments:

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  2. Wish all reviews were this entertaining.

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  3. me... I should see this one!!! I'm nearly from Zimbabwe and my family is all over the f-ing place!

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