The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love Suicide

See it if you want to see the issue of bullying in schools engaged with an immediacy that is only possible in the theater.

Don't see it if the idea of adults playing children committing deeply hurtful & even violent acts against each other makes you nervous.

Also In “The 4th Graders…” playwright Ken Graney doesn’t so much mimic the speech & behavior of pre-adolescent school kids when they’re among themselves as blow it up. The result is recognizable, but also larger than life, worthy of the figures of myth & of the grandest theater. Here all the passion that animates classic Japanese theater (invoked by the playwright in his title) is poured into a play-within-the-play, ostensibly written by recently departed 4th grader Johnny & presented by his classmates. Adult actors playing kids play outsize versions of themselves for us, the audience, as if their lives depended on it, because they do. Graney’s execution is almost flawless. The actors & creative team involved in the current production at the Access Theater play the game with equal skill. The result is by turns funny, touching & deeply disturbing. Ari Shapiro plays the central character, a boy playing his dead best friend, with an awkwardness so consummate it’s operatic.... Read more Read less

See it if You want a play that deals w/school violence in a stylized, theatrical manner. You like dark comedies.

Don't see it if You're uncomfortable w/violence depicted onstage. You don't like stylized theatre formats. You prefer light comedies.

See it if hybrid forms of presentation, examination of dealing with trauma, bullying & life, grade school pageantry, + talented cast intrigue you

Don't see it if viewing trauma thru eyes of 4th graders, embracing Kabuki/Noh stylings, climbing many stairs, waiting 4 comedy to manifest itself R not 4 U

See it if You want to see older actors playing cute and adorable fourth grade students

Don't see it if You are expecting a full length play this play doesn’t even run one hour

Also The play tries to be funny but also moving and emotional at the same time. It just didn’t work. Obviously they were going for laughs making adults portray nine-year-olds. I thought the acting was adequate but they tried to get very moving and emotional in the final scene and it just didn’t work for me. I don’t like musicals and I don’t ever see musicals but there was some singing in this by the Asian actress and I thought her voice was absolutely incredible... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy “play within a play” type shows and comedy derived from kids playing serious adults.

Don't see it if You expect to see more of the backstory that comes before the Play. I craved learning more about what happened and its reverberations.

See it if fun, well-acted and well-staged

Don't see it if you want to see theater of the absurd. It takes an absurd notion and justifies it. Not nearly as dark as it should be.

See it if You want to see an experimental work that really makes sense and has some cute moments

Don't see it if You really can’t take experimental theater

See it if You want to explore tragedy from a child's perspective.

Don't see it if You have high hopes for the treatment of this perspective to feel authentic.

See it if the worthiness of the subject of elementary schoolers committing suicide is enough to make you attend.

Don't see it if you want a compelling drama to deal with this sensitive subject.

Also The idea of a kabuki-like show as a vehicle to explore this subject sounds better than it plays. It comes off more as a presentation, by adults playing children, of predictable reasons for a school child resorting to suicide rather than an exploration of those reasons.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re interested in issues, relationships and hierarchies that kids deal with, the severity of which might not be known to parents.

Don't see it if You cannot deal with topics of violence on many levels as they relate to kids

Also This was a cleverly staged production with adult actors who really committed to their roles of being children. Definitely worth seeing. The only caveat is about the space: it’s 4 or 5 (felt like a million) floors’ walk-up to get to the theater. The building is old. Perhaps there is an elevator somewhere. I would call ahead to ask before getting any tickets if you have any mobility or health issues that would make climbing a bunch of flights of stairs too difficult. That being said, this is the 2nd production I’ve seen by this company. They are worth the patronage.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy fables with an important message about bullying in schools and the importance of respectful communication set in modern day.

Don't see it if If you don't like when adults are portraying children on stage and if you prefer more intellectual theatre.

Also The hour went by quickly with really engaging characters portrayed by a talented cast. I was entertained from beginning to end but more importantly I was intrigued by the events unfolding and where the story was going and how it would end.... Read more Read less

See it if You like a Short realistic juvenile show.

Don't see it if You don't Get offended my suicide and violence .

See it if You enjoy quirky, off-kilter plays with a lot of imagination and with relevant issues presented in an unusual, intimate, entertaining format

Don't see it if You don't like Off-Broadway or broad humor or a playful approach to a tragedy will strong impact in the end; can't climb up 6 flights

Also This is a quirky and often effective piece of theater with one especially wonderful coupe de theatre, which I won't spoil. Telling of a tragedy through the eyes of children is a fascinating approach which, for the most part succeeded. There were moments that lacked authenticity, but overall the concept worked and the end was incredibly impactful. I would recommend the author rethink the last line of the play, as silence would have been much more profound, but despite that small quible, the piece works very well. Warning, you do climb 6 flights to the 4th floor of the Access theater, so be prepared to walk up. The piece is entertaining and you are involved throughout. It is in the category of productions worth seeing and worth the effort, even if not socko all the way. I was actually surprised at how strongly I was emotionally impacted, despite the irritant of 4 "Friends of an actor" sitting behind me hooting and laughing annoyingly at inside jokes. Recommend seeing this!... Read more Read less

See it if You want a short show that is well acted with committed actors

Don't see it if You have a problem with violence

Also The hardest part about this show is that it's a great start to something, but doesn't really ever live up to that promise. The actual story that they're trying to tell is unclear, not the actions of the play itself, but why are they telling it. What's at the heart of it.

The show feels like it's trying to ask questions, but never really gets to a point that it actually asks anything.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to be challenged about difficult current topics. You are open minded and want an entertaining evening.

Don't see it if You don't want to see adults playing 9 year olds. .You don't like Small off Broadway productions.

Also Fresh, and important!

See it if Great staging. Johnny is a very good actor. Great singing.

Don't see it if You dont enjoy adults playing 4th graders.

See it if - You want an intermission snack (they hand out juice boxes and granola bars!) - For the amazingly beautiful operatic moments!

Don't see it if - You're bothered by adults playing 4th graders (because you will be).

Also This show would be a 100% more resonant if it were told by actual children. As much as I tried, I never believed that any of the actors were children - they all over-acted and missed the delicacy of the piece. However, there are some truly beautiful musical moments that are definitely worth seeing!... Read more Read less

See it if Like Young romance

Don't see it if N/A

See it if You are interested in the topics of bullying or Suicide. I was impressed with the acting of the young man in the lead role.

Don't see it if You are looking for a lite, fun entertainment or a highly professional production.

See it if You want to see theater that is thought provoking as well as entertaining.

Don't see it if You are sensitive to intense subject matter involving children.

Also The original music (by Tom Lee) was absolutely breathtaking. It took a wonderfully staged and acted play and elevated it to something magical. The singer (Motomi Tanaka) has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. She is definitely someone to look out for in the future.... Read more Read less

See it if You like opera and intelligent sound design, you like cool props

Don't see it if You don't like adult actors trying very hard to play young

See it if You are interested in kabuki-influenced staging. I loved the performances and the fun intermission.

Don't see it if You hate walk-up theaters. Don’t worry there’s and elevator down!!

See it if You are drawn to dark humor that makes a commentary on modern society and enjoy laughing at the comedy of real life tragedy.

Don't see it if You are very sensitive and do not understand the subtlety of Kabuki style theater.

See it if You enjoy great theater.

Don't see it if You aren’t into dark shows.

See it if you enjoy a well-designed & well-directed tragedy with tear-jerking performances, hauntingly beautiful music, and charming comedic moments.

Don't see it if you can't handle a rollercoaster of comedy & tragedy, you don't like to feel emotions, you aren't imaginative enough to see adults as kids.

Also The performance I saw was wonderful, with several gut-wrenching performances, especially from the women playing Lucy Law & Rachel. The "mean girls" duo was also terrific. The singer was phenomenal, and her voice, along with the rest of the music and sound design, enhanced the eerie tragedy of the piece. The bully was well-cast. The lead was adequate, but trying too hard to get laughs. A note: This is a tragedy, though there are obvious strong comedic elements; there was someone disruptive in the audience who gave a review here (Radrunninal, 37) who obviously didn't get the show at all. He talked throughout much of the show and cheered when the protagonist committed suicide, which was insensitive, rude, and distracting. If you don't "get" a show, fine, and if you don't like a show, that's your prerogative, but don't be obnoxious at a performance & then give a bad review. The rest of the audience was enrapt due to the emotional subject matter and extremely engaged the night I attended.... Read more Read less