La MaMa presents this world premiere, a new tragicomedy by Paul David Young, that centers on the life-changing declaration by Young's elderly mother that he is the bastard son of the family pediatrician. More…
From the show:
This surreal, seemingly scripted disclosure instantly rewrites the playwright's devoutly Christian, Southern upbringing. Young, whose life had suddenly turned hyperbolically dramatic, incorporates text from both obscure and well-known family plays such as The Seagull, Oedipus, Well, The Strange Discovery, and All My Sons.
See it if You want a really smart and inventive play. Treats aging characters sensitively but with a touch of humor.
Don't see it if You’re sensitive regarding old age and dementia as well as cancer.
See it if interested in an offbeat, beautifully acted, funny/sad play that encompasses dementia, paternity issues, deception, dead characters & more.
Don't see it if you prefer a traditional approach without characters breaking the 4th wall & a teasing epilogue that goes on a little too long.
Also All 4 performers are spot on & Deborah Hedwall is extraordinary.The st... Read more Read less
See it if you want a play that can only be done as a play. SPOILER It beraks down the fourth wall. Totally enjoyable despite its serous topic.
Don't see it if you want fluff this is not for you.
See it if you like well developed characters, superb acting & themes of family members attempting to deal with considerable stress.
Don't see it if you dislike frequent flights of fantasy, dream sequences, dead people talking & interacting & some talking to the audience.
See it if You want to see a solid play in every way. I was totally involved
Don't see it if You want a production with full sets and high tech. This play doesn’t need that to be enjoyable
See it if you want to see a powerful and well-acted story about identity and paternity, one of the best off-Broadway shows currently playing.
Don't see it if you want an elaborate show with big production numbers. This is a show with a simple set and four actors.
See it if Absolutely explosive mother-son dialog, heartfelt exploration of family dynamics, outstanding acting on all 4 counts
Don't see it if You don’t want to watch a very real family drama, with all its concomitant pain and sorrow
Also Let’s hope this play has another life after La MaMa
See it if Seasoned actors and director take on a family dramady with gusto. Everyone will be able to relate to situations relating to elderly parents.
Don't see it if You don't like family dramas or mental health issues. I liked this play more than I thought it would.
See it if Playwright’s autobiographical work; gay son vs. dying parents & uncertain dad; breaking 4th wall a lot in last scenes; the “mother” actress
Don't see it if .. keeps my jaw dropping in awe; intimate theatre space @ LaMama basement (elevator available); dramaturgic scene is a bit self-indulgent
See it if you're fascinated by family plays, DNA tests, meta-theatrics, and strong performances.
Don't see it if you have no patience for autobiographical cop-outs, in which the playwright's stand-in ends the play by discussing what really happened.
See it if The issue of parenthood resonates with you
Don't see it if you feel one issue (no matter how well played and produced) is worth an entire play
See it if If you want to see a well written play about a family and his secrets/unresolved problems with a touch of Pirandello/Freud.... Smartly Done
Don't see it if Not interested in a play about the meaning of being a real father, cancer, dementia and family issues with actors who break the 4th wall
See it if You like family dramas. The kissing scene at the beginning is quite unnecessary and disturbing. Plenty of intertwined moments.
Don't see it if You prefer more entertaining shows
Also Having a ghost in a story is not something new. "All my fathers" doesn... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy serious drama that takes on difficult psychological questions with a sense of dark humor
Don't see it if you want something light. But really, don't miss this: La Mama does it again!!
See it if You appreciate a well written, well acted drama that touches on dementia and family secrets and conflicts
Don't see it if You want to see a lavish production with a big cast, or want to see a comedy or musical. Also don't see if you are offended by profanity.
See it if A gay son revisiting his southern home, mercurial mother, shy father. Good bye fourth wall. Valuable experimental theater.
Don't see it if Straightforward plotting is your cup of tea.
See it if very well staged, excellent lighting design, very good acting. An unusual and inventive plot.
Don't see it if I found the intertextuality and "breaking the fourth wall" parts a tad too forced and self-congratulatory, so to speak;
Also they were still entertaining and clever, it just felt that the author ... Read more Read less
See it if you want to see some excellent acting in a play that bogs down in the playwright's navel-gazing & out-clevering himself
Don't see it if you have little tolerance for a shaggy dog story that refuses to wrap up, or for a dream sequence inexplicably featuring a man in a Speedo
Also No complaints about the acting, which was very good, but the Big Revel... Read more Read less
See it if you are a fan of Paul David Young's plays (especially "In the Summer Pavilion" & "The Clown Play" at Fringe Festivals). Don't miss this one.
Don't see it if you want to miss the terrific quartet of actors: Richard Gallagher, Deborah Hedwall, Jonathan Hogan, and Brian Hastert. They are excellent.
See it if You want to see a family dramedy dealing with relationships with older parents.
Don't see it if You want to see a long, large-cast epic dealing with deep insights.