Bobbie Clearly

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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 like character based plays where all the information isn't spoon-fed to you.

Don't see it if you like lite and fluffy entertainment.

Also I'm not sure if this is a dark comedy or a funny drama, but I dug it. The First and Second Acts could use some trimming, but the Third Act is outstanding.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to be totally absorbed in a drama with interesting characters, frightening moments, and (thank goodness) some comedy.

Don't see it if You don't like a long play, (2 hours, 20 min) that keeps you totally suspended.

Also Great acting with many heart wrenching moments.

See it if You like fast paced, great acting plays about a life event from multiple angles

Don't see it if You are looking for a fully buttoned up production with great staging, music, etc

See it if You enjoy seeing what a director can do with a theatre the size of my living room.

Don't see it if You don’t like shows that don’t get to the point until the third act (which is literal here since it’s three acts).

See it if You appreciate a cohesive overall production.

Don't see it if you are uncomfortable with unanswered endings and stagnant character arcs.

Also The design, acting, and directing of the play were masterfully performed and truly coloured the play. Though the play itself was beautifully written, it lacked a satisfying resolution and morphed into an drama with what felt like an unnecessarily cruel ending.... Read more Read less

See it if you want a thoughtful and provocative show with incredibly talented actors. Action is close-up (no audience participation)

Don't see it if you need to know all of the answers to all of the questions in a play You're very squeamish (it lasts 5 mins max and you can look away)

See it if A black box show brings a community together as they deal with tragedy.

Don't see it if A tale of murder in a small town brings up the question why, but you may want an answer.

See it if you find comedy in dark subject material

Don't see it if dark comedy is not for you, or if you're overly sensitve to murders or corn.