ChipandGus (FringeNYC)
Closed 1h 30m
ChipandGus (FringeNYC)
88

ChipandGus (FringeNYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets

88%
(53 Ratings)
Positive
98%
Mixed
2%
Negative
0%
Members say
Clever, Great acting, Funny, Intelligent, Entertaining

About the Show

A FringeNYC Encore: Two oddball acquaintances meet once a month over a Ping-Pong table. But this night is different. This night there is something else in the room. A fast, furious, surprising comedy with balls.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (53)

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57 Reviews | 16 Followers
99
Clever, Entertaining, Great writing, Great acting

See it if You want to see older men who teach at an out-of-the way college play ping pong and talk about their joys and problems in a roundabout way.

Don't see it if It is a fantastic show and descriptions don't do it justice. You don't need to be an expert in philosophy or music to enjoy.

124 Reviews | 28 Followers
95
Witty, Great acting, Great staging, Great writing, Fun

See it if you enjoy well done theater. It's wonderful. The two actors play off each other so well. Great concept.

Don't see it if you don't like witty banter. I found it charming.

74 Reviews | 26 Followers
95
Absorbing, Clever, Delightful, Profound, Original

See it if You enjoy quick, witty repartée that demands you pay attention. Or if you like wordplay. This show is an intellectual humorist's dream.

Don't see it if You're feeling mentally lazy. This show is incredible, but only if you're willing to actively listen.

56 Reviews | 10 Followers
94
Ambitious, Intelligent, Must see

See it if You like smart, funny theatre with original characters and a twist.

Don't see it if If you don't like smart theatre or ping pong balls.

754 Reviews | 128 Followers
93
Absorbing, Clever, Funny, Great writing, Thought-provoking

See it if you enjoy theater that builds by layers using subtle clever dialog. The play is funny too.

Don't see it if you don't have the patience to watch the characters reveal themselves.

69 Reviews | 20 Followers
92
Clever, Entertaining, Epic, Great acting, Delightful

See it if you would enjoy a clever, funny, sometimes touching well-acted Off Off Broadway show with 2 actors who are totally in tune with one another.

Don't see it if you expecte all theater in New York to be big splashy Broadway productions and can"t appreciate fine acting, a clever script and simple set.

115 Reviews | 15 Followers
92
Great acting, Intelligent, Original, Funny, Great writing

See it if You like snappy, intelligent dialogue and humor and characters who, while perhaps not like you, are very relatable.

Don't see it if You don't like ping pong, two-handers, or plays that emphasize characters over plot.

AA
80 Reviews | 26 Followers
92
Must see, Hilarious, Delightful, Intelligent

See it if you want to see two brilliant minds face off with great wordplay, backed by the constant movement of ping pong that adds a real dynamism.

Don't see it if you're uncomfortable watching two grown men sweat through their wardrobe.

Critic Reviews (7)

DC Metro Theater Arts
September 26th, 2016

"As the actors volley back and forth with balls and words, they never miss a beat in their non-stop dialogue or the real-time game they play. They distinctly capture the two disparate personalities with fluid naturalism, while developing their characters...'ChipandGus' is at once intelligent, funny, exasperating, and poignant, and the FringeNYC award and encore presentation of this self-described 'comedy with balls' are well deserved."
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Time Out New York
August 18th, 2016
For a previous production

“Writer-director-performers Christopher Patrick Mullen and John Ahlin are seasoned actors who know how to deftly reveal character, all while keeping their ball in play...Together, they quaff beer, swing their paddles, crack jokes and resolve long-held resentments with humor, wit and pathos...Bright, funny and cathartic: an emotionally resonant buddy comedy for thinking audiences. As the banter accelerates, so does the game.”
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Theatermania
August 24th, 2016
For a previous production

"Thanks to the perfectly matched Christopher Patrick Mullen (Chip) and John Ahlin (Gus), 'ChipandGus' gracefully withstands the tension with thoughtful character development and a barrage of witty dialogue that flows as easily as Ahlin and Mullen's impressive volleys…For a play so light on plot, the pace of this downhill tumble is a little too creeping. But along the way, Mullen and Ahlin hit a few genuinely poignant notes on love and friendship."
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CurtainUp
August 21st, 2016
For a previous production

"There's propulsion under their chatter. Their verbal badinage is a surface sport, a kind of screen that keeps troubling little things from falling through...Although the talk ranges all over the place, it's a tight play with a ping-pong kind of metronome behind it. Ahlin and Mullen, who bring their star quality to the acting, collaborated on the writing of 'ChipandGus.' You don't have to be a member of the intelligentsia to enjoy this lively play, but it wouldn't hurt!"
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Theatre is Easy
August 24th, 2016
For a previous production

"The tiny nuances of thought that Mullen and Ahlin share are simultaneously entertaining and thought-provoking. Perhaps their ease of executing this comedy is a result of having written and directed the show themselves. Whereas the lack of an outside perspective can often be detrimental, it's quite the opposite here. This insightful comedy incorporates witty banter with philosophical humor. The ridiculous yet clever ideas sewn into the dialogue are wonderful."
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Theatre Reviews Limited
August 17th, 2016
For a previous production

"A remarkable two-hander one act play…It is written by John Ahlin (Gus) and Christopher Patrick Mullen (Chip), who also credit themselves with the adroit direction. They are a perfect team, amiable opponents that manage to play with rather than against each other. Their chemistry is not an experiment but an explosion that can only be accomplished when combining two incredibly skilled actors together in a clever and precarious script…They are a pleasure to watch and intriguing to hear."
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NY Theatre Guide
August 24th, 2016
For a previous production

"Ahlin and Mullen are friends in life and have specifically developed this piece together...The play began through their love of the game and grew into a profound and heart-wrenching play. The work is evident and the two gel together on stage with an ease that can only come from years of camaraderie and mutual respect. 'ChipandGus' is funny, real, sad, and surprising...If you’re passionate about ping pong or simply an evening of human connection, look no further."
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