Happy Birthday, Wanda June

See it if You want to explore everything in Vonnegut's canon. You like black humor. You enjoy VERY broad acting. You enjoy theater of the absurd.

Don't see it if You are tired of representations of toxic masculinity.

See it if you're a fan of Vonnegut's bleakly funny dystopic writing; for O'Connell's star turn dripping with toxic masculinity

Don't see it if you don't like dark humor with touches of absurdism; you're impatient with some overwriting--point is made well before the final moment

Also Director Wise has a firm grasp of Vonnegut's bleak but savagely funny tone and this vision is carried out by the smart scenic and sound design and on-point cast.
The fact that Vonnegut's critique of a violent and fatuous patriarchy under siege is still potently relevant--despite being written nearly 50 years ago--is both shocking and appalling.
The play shows its age only in its form (three acts are condensed into two for this revival) and in its overwritten patches. We wind up spending too much time exploring the brutal psyche of the conquering hero (O'Connell as Harold Ryan) long after the point of his toxic presence is made. Sadly, the damage such ideas of masculine power continue to inflict on the culture are very much still with us.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like an intense show.

Don't see it if You like easy to understand, non thought provoking material.

See it if you like biting, funny satire that really hits home, despite being written almost 50 years ago, a great cast with some great standouts

Don't see it if you don't plays that are very self aware, artificially heightened drama and acting and a nonsensical plot with bizarre episodes thrown in

See it if you follow Jason O'Connell and want to see an odd, but relatively nice performance.

Don't see it if you're not into bizarro theater.

Also I don't know what to say... maybe I just don't get it. IMO it's just a man ranting and raving crazily about the stage. I didn't get the joke, so I guess I'm not deep enough to see some kind of profound, cryptic meaning. Whatever. See the show if weird theater piques your interest.... Read more Read less

See it if You like off beat plays. (I just didn’t get this show one bit, at all and was painfully bored so I don’t know what to say here.

Don't see it if What I can say is people around me seemed to really like this show. Because I can’t understand the humor I really can’t judge this show.

See it if you like Kurt Vonnegut and absurd, wonderfully performed theater.

Don't see it if you don't like absurdity and Vonnegut.

See it if You are interested in Vonnegut’s writing. Also to support small, very talented, ambitious companies. t

Don't see it if Absurd comedy is not your thing

See it if You like the satire of Vonnegut. Excellent production. Machismo to the max is disturbing.

Don't see it if If you don’t like Vonnegut’ perspective.

See it if You love plays that are rel ant our days

Don't see it if You just want to be entertained.

See it if You enjoy intense dramas. It would be nice if more soundtracks were introduced in between time to fill the voids. Wanda J. was not seen much

Don't see it if You prefer something light and entertaining.

See it if you want to see Kurt Vonnegut's only attempt at playwrighting in a professional, faithful production of his work.

Don't see it if You need a successfully realized treatment of very ambitious ideas. Do not mind scenery chewing as an attempt to excuse the play's flaws.

See it if you like absurdity. you are okay not truly understanding the point/direction or are a Vonnegut whisperer. Great acting and hilarious moments

Don't see it if incredible displays of caricatured male brutishness will disturb you rather than amuse. you don't like dark humor

See it if You want to see a rarely produced Vannegut play, like absurdism & can laugh at anything.

Don't see it if This was an overacted, muddled mess, not funny (although lots of people laughed). Not at all interesting. I like offbeat but this was bad

See it if You enjoy family dramas, and some violence

Don't see it if You want something light and funny

See it if You’d like to try something on an elevated level. The story was interesting and surprising and the cast really did a great job!

Don't see it if You’re hoping for something simple that won’t challenge you at all.

See it if You like edgy satiric material.

Don't see it if You prefer straight up contemporary plays. This play is from 1970.

See it if You want to see an absorbing play that hits home

Don't see it if You have trouble reading between the lines

Also Really great acting. An important play in this divisive time

See it if you enjoy work by the author

Don't see it if need a play that's very realistic.

See it if you're a fan of theater of the surreal, the works of Kurt Vonnegut, and some really stellar acting.

Don't see it if you like things to be a bit easier to digest.

Also I was not familiar with the fledgling theatre company Wheelhouse, but after this production I will actively seek out anything they do from now on. I read this play when I was very young and it went right over my head. It's still pretty out there but this production goes far beyond the text alone to deliver something truly unique. The cast is superb, but Jason O'Connell dominates the show as its lead menacing force. I had seen & enjoyed O'Connell onstage before but he's unforgettable in this role. Constantly engaging with the audience, even just subtly, in ways that demand your attention. He's altogether funny and frightening. The production is richly detailed with a colorful and creative set and overall design that made this play feel entirely different from the one I read so many years ago. It can be a challenging watch, but a rewarding one.... Read more Read less

See it if Like the idea of 4 people playing many roles.

Don't see it if Don't like a play that's overly long, not much content.

See it if to experience this play from the the early 1970's by this important American writer.

Don't see it if if you do not like profanity or are ill at ease watching a frenzied and quirky play.

See it if you want to see a highly relevant revival of Vonnegut with great performance by Jason O’Connell as Harold Ryan

Don't see it if you don't like Vonnegut, or if you're not a fan of cynical humor

See it if Definitely see it if you're a Kurt Vonnegut fan! This is the wackiest show I've seen in a long time but somehow so relevant in today's time.

Don't see it if you are easily offended or don't like to see anything 'out of the box". Show is almost 2.5 Hr.

See it if it is a very intense drama about an evil man who destroys everything around him. It gets you thinking, but not in a good way

Don't see it if It is slow moving and depressing