Stupid Fu**ing Bird NYC Reviews and Tickets

"A towering achievement that challenges the notion of theatrical form…So raw and free of self-consciousness, that it almost feels improvised...The way in which the actors and brilliant crew play with the form is astonishing...A single visit to The Pearl Theatre might be insufficient to take in all of its richness. For a show to be so generous in its sharing of intellectual ponderings, while providing undeniable entertainment is truly a strange, beautiful thing to behold."
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"An overwrought case on the state of relationships, romance, angst, and the thing we call the theatre…Whatever goes awry is not the fault of the splendid cast or the efforts of director Davis McCallum. The seven cast members throw themselves headlong into the conflicts of their characters and their engaging performances drive the plot successfully…Meta-theatrics become mostly the-same-as-usual in 'Bird'....Where is the risk here? The fresh approach to theatre? The innovation?"
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"Posner’s 'sort of' adaptation is a deconstruction that reduces Chekhov’s cast from 14 to seven, revises their names, highlights only their most salient features, chops out much of the plot, and adds a lot of new stuff. Much of the time it seems he's replaced Chekhov's text with its subtext, a reductionist strategy that doesn't always work. The players...often struggle to find the proper tone for embodying both their characters and themselves as the actors playing those characters."
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"Splendidly acted and thoroughly engaging…Truly a 'Seagull' for our time. The playwright translates Chekhov’s themes for modern audiences in this self-styled 'sort of' adaptation better than anyone else writing for the theater today...'Stupid Fucking Bird' does what all great adaptations should do; it honors the original while bringing something new to the table. Kudos to all involved in this masterful production, from the fine cast, to director Davis McCallum."
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"'Stupid Fu**ing Bird' straddles genres like a hotheaded bull rider. It takes a little time to kick in, time during which you may wonder to what self-indulgent turmoil you’ve bought tickets. At some insidious point, however, there’s a gotcha! moment and you start having a very good time. It could be edited, but take the ride. Much of this sprawling brouhaha is smart, poignant, or astringently funny. Playwright Aaron Posner’s got his mojo on. Direction by Davis McCallum is inspired."
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"Written by Posner, the play captures Conrad’s familial and artistic frustration and torment, as well as his drive to create a new art form, a key Chekhovian concern. Conrad makes cogent points about the state of current media. And yes, he feels compelled to kill a seagull. Posner, like Chekhov, explores theater’s relevance. Plus, he follows the classic’s trajectory. It’s an interesting effort. But the feverish pitch means there is more attention paid to rants than revelation."
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"Aaron Posner's 21st-century riff/recreation of 'The Seagull,' is well-directed, well-acted, well-designed, and a great deal of fun. Its meta approach, with actors speaking directly to the audience, silly songs, and a fresh point of view, brings energy to the familiar story...But beside entertainment--which is, of course, nothing to sneeze at--'Stupid Fucking Bird' offers little...It's a light and amiable romp, which is also nothing the sneeze at. It just seems to want to be more."
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"'Stupid Fu**ing Bird' is among my favorite theater-going experiences of the past month. It uses Brechtian distancing effects superbly—direct address, musical interludes, some audience interaction...Playwright Aaron Posner’s take on this classic is bold, original, and in-your-face. It pulses with an undeniable current that answers Conrad’s non-rhetorical question: yes, theater can still bring originality and excitement."
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