Wakey, Wakey

See it if Eno's existential 'stand-up' about the end of a man's life Michael Emerson quite extraordinary as Guy with a moving LeVoy as the 'caretaker'

Don't see it if Eno is an 'acquired taste' Piece can be a bit slow & too quirky for some & Eno's choices as director a bit too twee but often very moving

See it if January LaVoy a great talent is wasted in a 15 minute role, The Meaning of Life seems to be overdone. A diifernet approach here.

Don't see it if Not sure if I would say :See It' but I was impressed gy the short performance og Ms. La Voy

See it if you're a Will Eno or Michael Emerson fan, you enjoy the unexpected, you're interested in a new perspective on approaching death

Don't see it if talk of impending death disturbs you, quirky surprises set you ajar, hard to grip characters

See it if a kind of comic homage to Our Town asking ?s about life/death; M. Emerson as dying man turns in virtuosic improvisational performance

Don't see it if observations about life/death so varied, no coherent point of view; Eno can write a brilliant monologue/Thom Pain; this is not @ that level

Also Eno's punning dialogue and titles give you a clue as to the concerns of his plays. In this case: Wakey, Wakey can stand for three things: (1) how to jolt you from your slumber while alive to waken; (2) what you might want said at a wake if you died/this in effect is a wake by the monologist for himself; and (3) an homage to the stream of consciousness approach of Joyce's Finnegan's Wake. Yes, Eno, the jokester, is a very heavy humorist.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy one-man shows (there is a second character at the end), or existential/philosophical works.

Don't see it if you need action--any action at all. This show is mostly just a single man sitting and talking about life.

Also The dialogue is deeply thoughtful and feels like a stream of consciousness. There are several beautiful moments expressed in the language. Both performers are natural--so very easy to watch.... Read more Read less

See it if You are ready to face how the end of life affects us physically, emotionally, and mentally. If you are alone, this will be more disturbing.

Don't see it if You recently faced a serious illness or had someone close to you pass away. Are afraid of being alone.

Also Michael Emerson is amazing as the lead!!
Will Eno is a great modern playwright.
He is never boring, and begins lots of discussions after his plays.... Read more Read less

See it if You have no choice

Don't see it if You have a chice

See it if You enjoy Will Eno and Michael Emerson. Or enjoy a great actor just talking to you for 75min straight. He makes it feel very spontaneous

Don't see it if You require substance, or a story, or anything resembling a plot structure. This was 75 minutes of banality passed off as great wisdom.

See it if want to see a fine actor looking miserable for good reason and if you worship at the altar of Eno.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy half-baked banalities being passed off as gems of wisdom and won't accept special effects in place of theater.

Also When the playwright-director has to resort to video collages, balloons, bubbles, bright lights, a disco ball and fortune cookies, you know that he is trying too hard to disguise the absence of any underlying substance.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy short, but slow plays that are quite meditative and thought-provoking. Deep with some funny moments. Great acting by Emerson.

Don't see it if you want to see a play with a clear narrative and more action, you don't like long monologues or minimal movement and staging

See it if you are stimulated by interesting dialogue and visuals despite feeling this is more of a monologue than a play.

Don't see it if you expect a real plot and don't like to think a bout sad things.

See it if A tiny play (but a long one-acter) about the biggest questions. The tension between life & death and between being connected & individual...

Don't see it if ...with a serving of life's pleasures delivered by YouTube, combine for a somewhat slow but never treacly or cranky look at the inevitable.

See it if You enjoy complex plays , out of the ordinary with excellent acting.

Don't see it if Do you not see if you only enjoy lite musicals or plays.

See it if You love Michael Emerson and have been yearning to see him on the stage since Gross Indecencies. You want to experience a moving piece.

Don't see it if You get impatient with plays that don't connect dots clearly. You have lost someone recently--this can be cathartic or bring you to tears.

See it if You are a follower of Will Eno. Otherwise, I found this end-of-death play incredibly disjointed and confusing.

Don't see it if You want a more developed play in which you can develop an emotional connection. Didn't like the need for AV effects, balloons, etc.

Also It was hard to relate to this play when I am going through this with a family member. Just didn't resonate with me.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a fan of Will Eno's plays. Great acting by two person cast. Unique story makes you contemplate your mortality.

Don't see it if You prefer more traditional,straight forward story. It was confusing at times.

See it if You like Eno's work. Like thinking about life's essential questions. Enjoy pondering and excellent acting.

Don't see it if Need action. Are bored by a meditation on our humanness. Don't want to think.

Also All Eno. Delightful ending.

See it if You are of a certain age, have lost someone recently, or are open to reviewing/summing up your time here with a talented gracious host.

Don't see it if You just want to be entertained. You have no interest in spending a very, very long, quiet 70 minutes where you might be confused.

See it if you are a fan of Will Eno and you don't mind his self-indulgent writing; appreciate good acting; like surprise endings.

Don't see it if you are looking for something new, provocative, insightful, stimulating. It is definitely "been here, seen this before" time.

See it if existential theater or themes of end-of-life are of interest to you or if Eno or Emerson are people you love.

Don't see it if you are already tired or are in an emotional rut. It's a bit of a slog that will have you thinking though.

See it if you enjoy quirky works that are more about asking questions and putting you in the headspace of a character than... plot or action

Don't see it if you don't have patience for indulgent writing or meandering monologuing.

See it if You are of a certain age and thoughts of mortality run through your head.

Don't see it if You want plot, dialogue, scenery, singing, dancing and you are so young you think you are immortal.

Also I went with two friends. One was bored but thought a lot about the show after she left the theater.
The other friend was sobbing in tears at the end.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in how one man approaches life and death. Very thoughtful dialogue. Captivated by the energy driven by the inevitable.

Don't see it if You aren't introspective about yourself, much less have to listen to someone else's AHA moments.

See it if You are particularly interested in meditations on end of life, enjoy plays that are partially about being a play, are OK with slow

Don't see it if You are looking for action or a lot of character development and interaction or if you dislike theater that breaks the 4th wall

Also Wakey Wakey strips back most conventions ( robust dialogue, character interactions) in favor of a slow and measured exchange between the main character and the audience. This is interspersed with some wry humor that I just didn't think was funny. Audience members seemed to be trying too hard - literally laughing too hard more out of anticipation than anything else.

For me the real problem with Wakey Wakey is that unlike the Realistic Jones - which was intense & fully developed - this play is more of an idea. Clearly Eno was intentionally doing something very different here - I found it boring.

The actors themselves are solid and do their best to hold the audience's attention through the slow material.

The ending copy cats the finale of a successful Bway show from 2014 and it still is the most interesting thing that happens.

Facing death has been a common theme recently; I found both Aubergine & Everybody ( in an adjacent space ) very compelling - this not so much.... Read more Read less

See it if You can imagine being at the intersection of theater and a workshop on end of life - both didactic and experiential. Extremely wise, funny.

Don't see it if You shy away from "big question" plays, want to miss a remarkable performance by Emerson who "dies" in increments before your very eyes. Go!

Also There is so much sweetness and wisdom to be found here, and even humor. Eno and Emerson had me in the palms of their hands throughout. True, there is nothing new here, but it's always good to be in the company of "perennial wisdom" urging to live every moment while you're alive and above all not to fear no longer being here. Walked out refreshed and buoyed by these truths.... Read more Read less