The Treasurer NYC Reviews and Tickets

"The first act manages to establish character, conflict, setting, and theme. The second act unfortunately repeats this construct, and makes the endeavor seem overlong and overwrought...Posner’s play has much to offer and 'The Treasurer' would have perhaps worked better if the fluidity and capriciousness of the mind matched more closely the workings of the script, and if Cromer’s unusual staging were less awkward."
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“'The Treasurer,' a semi-autobiographical combination of pathos, humor, and surrealism…that works more because of the excellence of its two leading players than anything in the…play itself…Instead of creating more face-to-face stage time (instead of phone calls) between the Son and Ida, Posner too often distracts us with tangential dialogue, lengthy pauses, and comically offbeat scenes…David Cromer's direction elicits strong, affecting performances but his physical staging raises questions.”
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"An often moving and sometimes funny meditation on parent-child guilt...Friedman’s work through these 95 minutes is both seemingly simple and stunningly truthful, while Dunagan unveils every facet of this complex woman...Cromer’s direction is, as usual, smart and sensitive...Don’t let the plot outline of 'The Treasurer' deter you from this well-written play. What sounds merely depressing is actually quite enlightening."
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"Wonderfully acted, and there are a good number of solid scenes, some funny, some moving. But one walks away as from a family reunion that wasn’t as satisfying as one had hoped...In a family drama, even one about familial alienation, one yearns for some family interaction. 'The Treasurer' seems to be deliberately keeping its family characters at a distance from one another...With nowhere else to go, the playwright mixes in a scene or two that mix middlebrow philosophizing with sci-fi."
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"'The Treasurer' is the study of a beset character whom Friedman plays wrenchingly right through a final in-one talk to patrons that tugs at the heart until the heart cracks. But as a 95-minute intermissionless character study, it stints on aspects that might have been elaborated on...By the final blackout—and the minor flaws notwithstanding—'The Treasurer' is not only a moving experience but also something of a unique one."
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"The playwright, the performers, and director David Cromer manage to take this familiar situation into intriguing directions that leave us uncertain as to where our sympathies lie...It all sounds rather bleak, but thanks to these master actors and a director with an eye for detail, 'The Treasurer' is a fascinating study of how apron strings can become a choking garrote...We are left to consider who has been responsible for all the little murders we have been witness to."
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"Posner displays a brightly contemporary point of view with a keen comic sense. Bright and keen, yes; fully realized, no. Fortunately, he has Cromer to help move this nonlinear memory play along. Posner also profits from excellent central performances by mother and son...Some viewers are likely to object to length, or choppiness, or what might seem to be aimlessness. But Posner is a playwright to watch and to follow, and Friedman and Dunagan make 'The Treasurer' well worth the visit."
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"There are some very funny bits along the way, some more relevant than others...It is uneven and fragmented and could benefit from further work. Nevertheless, Posner’s writing has a quirky energy that shows promise for the future...Cromer is only partially successful in pulling it all together. While it doesn’t seem quite ready for prime time, it is an imaginative take on an all too relevant problem and affords the opportunity to see two top-notch actors at work."
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