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! Read more
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. Read more
See it if You want to see a magnetic performer, Michael Emerson. He is fantastic. You like to contemplate the big questions in life.
Don't see it if You love neatly plotted theatrical experiences that are all tied up in a bow at the end. This is "experimental" theater at it's best.
See it if You want to reflect of the meaning of life and death in an original way!!! A must see!!!
Don't see it if You like traditional plays
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. Read more
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 you like Eno's particular brand of quirky intelligence and warm humor.
Don't see it if You are not mentally and physically alert, you dislike Beckett.
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.
“Emerson makes for appealing company and Eno's meandering text has its cute and funny moments. Checking out some Guy's childhood photos and hearing his thoughts about a distant siren are actually more amusing than they sound. But there's also a redundant meta quality that gets tiresome.”
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"Eno's most accomplished and affecting piece to date...As long as Emerson and LaVoy hold the stage, a mood of deep, possibly profound feeling pervades the auditorium. But the playwright is either too hobbled by irony or too afraid of the darkness not to spike the action with overly cute bits of business...Eno's world continues to seem like Existentialism Lite. Emerson is the real thing, however; the look in his eyes as he fades away says more than the play's complete text."
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“Michael Emerson plows his way through the typical litany of interchangeable Eno bits…It's as fine and thoughtful a portrayal as Guy could receive. The shtick gets tiresome quickly, though. Not because it's not funny, but because it ignores the reality of this specific world…Around its edges, however, ‘Wakey, Wakey’ evinces more discipline than Eno has displayed in years. It's overlain with a resigned sadness about aging and decaying.”
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"'Wakey, Wakey' is Will Eno at his surreal, troubling, beautiful best, a play both challenging and easily absorbed. He truly approaches the unapproachable: the meaning of life."
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"Never morbid, it is surprisingly illuminating and insightful, even revelatory...Sensitively directed by the playwright...I suspect those who are familiar with Eno's plays will find that 'Wakey, Wakey' is his most easily embraced and most deliberately accessible...The press release has this hopeful line: '..there's a chance this will be a really good experience.' It was...and more."
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“An experience that is intimate, moving, and surprisingly entertaining...Emerson’s portrayal of the dying man has a weighted serenity…Death is imminent in this oddly funny play…It is simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking as the pleasant party host's final moment comes…Eno's direction of his own script is tender, precise, and robust at all the right moments...It has the potential to be the most moving experience one could have in a theatre."
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“A mysterious and ultimately deeply moving play…It features an actor delivering a mesmerizing monologue that plays with your mind and ultimately with your heart...A play about death that ultimately celebrates life in both a profound and light-hearted way (I won’t spoil the joyous, revelatory last few moments)."
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"Emerson does not disappoint. Would that the material itself held up as well...Eno goes deep, not wide...Guy meanders through his thoughts with precision if not clarity...For me the question is–to what destination?...Eno writes with sly winks and nods and intellectual forays thither and yon. It can be a pleasure to listen to, especially in the hands of Emerson...In the end, however, there is not enough 'there' there on which you can hang your hat."
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