Popcorn Falls NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (152)
See it if you loved The 39 Steps. 2 actors play many male/female parts. "Come on, town, let's put on a show." I didn't laugh. All male prodn. Nice set
Don't see it if you want comedy to be intelligent. I found PF charmless. Constant movt. Women are stereotypes. Played broadly. Tired jokes. Obvious ending.
Critic Reviews (15)
"Not so much a laugh riot as a laugh scuffle. It’s rare that a play manages to be both predictable and confusing...But as directed by the Tony-winning actor Christian Borle — maybe a bet was lost? — 'Popcorn Falls' is also almost charming...The actors are enjoying the material and enjoying each other and their zippy enthusiasm is reasonably infectious...But art — even flippant, sweet-natured, intentionally farcical art — can stand to be better than this."
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"The most entertaining, and awe-inspiring, parts of this play were during the 'play practice' where Souhrada takes on all of his roles...These scenes are when Souhrada's genius shows through the most...The rest of the plot is pretty straightforward...For a directorial debut, Christian Borle took on a beast. This play required expert direction to be executed properly, and Borle rose to the occasion...'Popcorn Falls' has all of the components required for a hit."
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"Heller also has to play the straight man in a story that flirts with sentimentality from time to time, but happily never strays too far off its fundamentally farcical course. Borle keeps the pace brisk and the tone playful...It’s not hard to root for them; at about 80 minutes long, 'Popcorn Falls' never wears out its welcome. In a flash, we’re returned to the real world, grateful to Hindman and Borle and the dexterous performers, and fake vermin, for the reprieve."
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“With Adam Heller and Tom Souhrada, ‘Popcorn Falls’ works valiantly to create a multitude of characters in a very far-fetched story. Unfortunately this is not ‘The Mystery of Irma Vep’ where the quick changes take your breath away. Mildly amusing, ‘Popcorn Falls’ was not even serving popcorn in the lobby at the performance under review, which might have added to the ambience.”
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“This is one wacky, fun filled absurd adventurous two-hander...With the clever use of a chalkboard designating scene locations; a piece of this n’ that...we get to meet many of the zany residents of Popcorn Falls. On some levels think ‘Noises Off’...Wackadoodle script...This twosome are a perfect pair of well seasoned actors who transform and move at lightening speed, assuming characters with a wink, accent, walk or speech pattern...Delightful fun."
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"Are all these characters ridiculously familiar? Certainly. Is the plot a mashup of every comic skit we've ever seen? Of course. But none of this takes away from the sheer joy of watching two veteran actors ply their trade under the skilled direction of the multi-talented Borle...While Heller makes Mayor Trundle both believable and sympathetic. Not every joke hits its mark. A few even fall quite flat. But overall, the comic hilarity of this farce carries through until the triumphant end."
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“An actor’s dream of a play...Charming, funny and clever evening...2 actors play all the roles. They are smashing...Each character is simply but clearly defined. And they have to be because it’s a fast-paced script with the occasional group scene that has the two actors playing multiple characters at once...Borle did a magnificent job in his freshman directing effort..It proved that really, with great acting and writing, and a good pace, you don’t need a lot of extras. Kudos to all involved."
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"'Popcorn Falls,' wildly and most wonderfully directed with brilliance and bravado by Christian Borle had me right where the show wants me, because its smarts exist in that very opening messiness, and that hook is precisely what makes this play by James Hindman such a tremendous joy and surprise...For a hilarious comedy, it truly is wonderfully detailed and drenched in emotion while never losing its wink and wet nod to the theatre audience.”
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"Under the agile comic direction…it provides a digestible, if not always rib-tickling, theatrical snack…So many characters come and go, it's necessary for Heller and Souhadra to exaggerate egregiously to avoid confusion. This, of course, only emphasizes the shallowness of the characters and makes us attend not to the obviously paper-thin narrative but to the constant stream of show biz shtick…The show lacks enough comic butter to make it tasty enough. Orville Redenbacher, where are you?"
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“Hindman’s new uproarious comedy...has been expertly directed and brilliantly acted...Borle, makes his directorial debut with a bang...Heller and Souhrada give you rapid-fire whip smart comedy. They both shifts effortlessly between the characters, with Souhrada taking on the bulk of the character work...Borle really understands comedy and the precision it takes to pull this off. Not one move or line is not carefully framed and executed.”
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"A clever, fun and delightfully unpretentious play...Blessedly, a snark-free breath of fresh air...There is lots of slapstick fun as things unfold, but more than that, there is a real warmth behind the fun as we get to know the characters...When all is said and done, you will realize there has been a great deal of creative magic going on before your eyes, with a cast of two most impressively creating a world of characters with nothing but their talent."
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"At first 'Popcorn Falls'...promises to be a comic romp...Borle as director sets up a swift, madcap rhythm...Soon all goes awry with a cockamamie plot that becomes serious, and eventually it gets to be looking-at-one’s-watch time to see how close we are to the end...The actors attempt to mine laughs out of the machinations...but the screwy plot is a burden, with no reason for an audience to care...The rowdy humor at the start that was so promising has been eclipsed."
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"Pleasant theater but not more. It amuses without being laugh out loud funny. By far and away the best part of this play is that it has been written for two actors. The audience is treated to two actors playing various lovable, wacky, intellectually challenged yet sincere characters...The tender, more serious moments feel authentic. The laughs are not frequent enough, however, so the play comes across as a mild diversion, firmly above not good but not recommendable either."
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"A mile-a-minute silly experiment in loopy absurdity, with some laughs, some wincing, and the hardest working two-man cast ever...Heller and Souhrada play all the Poppers? Kernels? The citizens of Popcorn Falls, which should be a tour-de-force of acting chops, but feels more like a couple of guys having a ball on stage...And yet. The end of the show satisfies...as the playwright pulls a theatrical rabbit out of his hat...It’s fun, if you like your comedy broad, fast, and furious."
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"Hindman and Souhrada have a long combined list of writing and acting credits and awards. But they bring it down to earth on the Snug stage, using their talent and experience to show the audience what true stagecraft is about...Hindman and Souhrada cannot rely on fancy sets, amazing costumes, or rousing musical numbers, and in fact they do not need to. They rely solely on old-fashioned theatrical skills and talent, and do so impressively."
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