Bobbie Clearly

See it if you like sagas of midwestern small towns spread over multiple years about a murder by a 14-year old boy & its aftermath, to see town react

Don't see it if you are expecting answers to its mysteries, don't like quirky characters that make fun of such locales, can't relate to troubled young folk

See it if you enjoy a drama about a murder and how it affects members of a small town in Nebraska. It is well staged and acted.

Don't see it if you like comedy or a great set. The staging is good but simple props are used.

Also I enjoyed the natural acting of the characters but the Why question is never answered and that is part of the tragedy.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a wonderful performance by Constance Shulman.

Don't see it if you don't like long dramas. Also, the title character is a cipher.

Also I felt that the playwright, Alex Lubischer, was packing a little too much in this play—as if it was his resume telling the world, "Look what I can do." Will Davis directed beautifully, but should have insisted on more cuts to the text.... Read more Read less

See it if Story of a small town trying to cope with a tragedy and forgive. Covers the thoughts and lives of the residents over 10 years. Victims?

Don't see it if You are disturbed by violence and blood. Cannot see two sides to every story.

Also Constance Shulman from OITNB is outstanding as the town police officer.
The population of this Iowa town is only 750, nothing goes unnoticed.... Read more Read less

See it if you might like a genre-bending story about a tragedy in small town and lasting effects over years (drama, comedy, documentary elements).

Don't see it if you don't see the humor in cringe-worthy talent show performances or don't like intimate staging in which the house lights are often on

See it if you like shows that deal with the results of a violent crime.Explores impact on family, on the community, and on the killer.

Don't see it if you want clearly drawn play that explores these issues.Cast is too large.Hard to remember who is who.Acting is good, but writing needs focus

See it if You like problematic, imperfect plays that require you to think, while you laugh and cringe and learn about people you will never know.

Don't see it if drama laced with farce and irreverence offends, you want answers to senseless murder. I totally checked out for the gratuitous buck gutting.

Also It took me a long time to reconcile my verbal introduction to Bobby as "always big for his age" with the slightly built actor who it became clear was Bobbie.

His appearance looked every bit like the recent generation of school shooters living in basements; with his stunned, wide eyed, pale coloring in an oversized head and tiny body, (except for his elegant, very rational beard)

The police officer was lovely throughout. I believed every word she spoke and through her reticent doggedness to connect with Bobbie- I too connected. We neither of us learned to like him but we connected.

There was a bit too much farce, it was too long, the frequent pauses made the play at 21/2 hours, long, but it gave me a chance to weave together story even with overlapping dialog.

I wanted to hear "the rest of the story", dissonance etc. so it did not drag.

I liked these characters even when I despised them. But I cannot accept the author's need to destroy the one thing
that made Bobbie human.... Read more Read less

See it if An outwardly funny piece about a tragic occurrence, nicely developed if a little long. Some characters are sketchily drawn & remain...

Don't see it if tangential to the story but the emotion is palpable & as in reality not all questions are answered. A fearless new voice.

See it if you're forgiving towards a young playwright's workshopped play-in-progress, where ambitious ideas and promising writing sometimes flounder.

Don't see it if you're expecting well-polished writing, a neatly-tied-up finale, mesmerizing and groundbreaking work, and feel-good-vibes: it's a dark one.

Also Bobbie Clearly can be mysterious, alluring, and ambitious: a motiveless tragedy in a small town shakes the community, redefines its members who unevenly move beyond the past, and offers a glimpse at mental illness. Yet, that latter portion is left fully explored. Excessively dramatic moments undercut tender moments. Tensions build well—sometimes. Constance Shulman’s Darla is riveting: listening to her reflections are transforming. I’d love this play reworked to focus on male relationships (Bobbie, Eddie, Derek, Stanley), with Darla as the maternal voice uniting them. The “documentary” style makes BC feel more farcical than poignant. Bobbie (an underused Ethan Dubin) offers little, his finale disappointing. Offering him humanity through art (music) would build empathy without idealism. Instead, BC is too hastily ended, the talent-show portions too comedic. The story and aura of Bobbie Clearly is more than promising: more workshopping and revision can make it a nuanced piece that soars.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy non-linear plot development and a mix of humorous/silly and heavy/deep. It’s a true ensemble piece that makes you think.

Don't see it if you don’t like small venues with minimal staging or if you need straight-forward action. The style is mockumentary.

See it if you want to see a play about a murder in a small town and how the citizens react to it and the murderer during a 10 year period.

Don't see it if you don't want to sit for 2.5 hours and not get a satisfying answer to a most important question in the play.

See it if You like shows that do not spoon feed the points to the audience; you are ok with complexity and ambiguity.

Don't see it if This is incorrectly billed as a comedy and tragedy but it’s not funny enough to be considered a comedy.

See it if you can appreciate dark humor or like mockumentary-type pieces (i.e., The Office, Christopher Guest movies).

Don't see it if you aren't willing to explore the comedic side of a tragedy or don't like dark humor. But this piece deserves a chance.

Also I was very captivated by everyone's performance in this show. At times, it was hysterical, and at times, jaw-droppingly uncomfortable (by design). The characters were very nuanced. This was a very unique and inventive show.... Read more Read less

See it if you like a thought provoking script in its early developmental stage performed by a very talented ensemble cast on a well designed stage.

Don't see it if you blindly follow professional critics. Sure there are flaws-including one very big one at the end-but overall this is a promising start.

See it if you enjoy long drawn out dramadies; don't mind no real conclusion

Don't see it if you want a show with a real ending, something not so confusing

Also Show doesn't answer important questions, explain necessary facts. It lacks details. If you didn't read the poster in the lobby to learn about tasslers, you'd have no idea what they were talking about in the show. Too many confusing and/or unnecessary situations. Show was too long... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy melodrama.

Don't see it if you dislike intimate staging and/or suffer secondhand embarrassment.

Also there are flashes of brilliance in this script, but ultimately it doesn't flesh out any of its excessive characters. The title character is by far the most intriguing and he is woefully under-served by the script. I imagine the staging is supposed to look like a choice, but unfortunately it just looks like budget shortage. Cast is uniformly solid and try their best, but ultimately it's a very unsatisfying evening.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy multi-talented actors, strong direction and new young playwrights with real promise. Extremely well-produced.

Don't see it if You prefer not to spend over two hours sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on lightly-padded folding chairs. You don’t want to turn your head every

Also few minutes to see the actors who are all around you. The play takes on the subjects of homocide, grief, traumatized communities, compassion, the desire for positive and public attention and what we owe the mentally ill. It is not an easy play. You must listen.... Read more Read less

See it if You love and support new theatre. It’s bold and ambitious in it’s style and direction. So so cool and interesting!

Don't see it if You are uncomfortable in tight spaces or with actors being in your face

See it if You like beautifully written characters, fully developed by a very talented director and cast. Be prepared to be astonished,

Don't see it if Tales of bullying and vengeful action disturb you. Also, don’t go if seeing an animal gutted will upset you.

Also A heartbreaking and hilarious story. The ensemble is superb, with captivating turns by Ms.s Finn, and Shulman and Mr. Innvar. This deserves a transfer/longer life somewhere. I hope it happens.... Read more Read less

See it if the murder of a child by another child in a small town arouses your interest.

Don't see it if you're looking for a coherent examination of a senseless murder and its after-effects.

Also The play seems to be a documentary 10-to-13 years after the murder in Milton, a small town in Nebraska, with monologues that are responses to unheard prompts by invisible interlocutors. If anyone has made an effort to find out why Bobby murdered Casey-even if, as the play finally asserts, there's no explanation-we don't know about it. Individuals react variously to the crime; the town's collective way of coping is through an annual talent show to raise money for and awareness about troubled youth. I found it hard to watch the talent show (which includes Bobby's bizarre performance) without thinking the playwright was satirizing (and condescending to) the people from Milton, who may be older but none the wiser (or more mature) than they were at the time of the murder. This is an ensemble piece without a true central character.... Read more Read less

See it if you like mockumentary style dialogue. you don't mind a show that hasn't found a clear lens or focus

Don't see it if you want a story that is masterfully and intelligently told with clear reasons behind writing decisions.

Also For this show to work, the characters need to be captivating and sincere, not caricatured and designed to make us laugh. I've seen plays deal with serious matters and still include genuine humor but this one failed at that. I was left wondering why the writer wanted us to laugh at nearly half the characters and only treated two or three with genuine respect. While there were a couple powerful moments, it didn't come together for me as a powerful whole.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see crisp staging and pacing from Will Davis, who's getting to be a master of that. Plus, some really delightful folksy humor.

Don't see it if you want legit answers or social commentary on the violence at the heart of the play. It's content to just be witty and light instead.

Also This is one of those situations where a play is doomed by misleading marketing. RTC hooked me on 'what really happened in the cornfield, and why?' But this play is about feelings, what it's like to live in a place marked by violence. That's valuable. It's just not what the play was marketed as.... Read more Read less

See it if Ambitious but too long and not very satisfying.

Don't see it if Clearly a first effort

See it if If you like great ensemble cast work and quick dialogue exchanges and thoughtful, engaging writing and great actor/audience connections.

Don't see it if If you don't like actors to be very close to you and acting all around you or if you find the subject of teen murder too difficult.

See it if you want to see an ambitious, winding take on a multitude of difficult issues. You are happy to be engaged for a couple of hours.

Don't see it if you want some coherence. The interview format is a bit lazy and the characters reductive leading to the actors floundering.