Lewiston/Clarkston NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (63)
See it if 20 y.o.'s go on a treacherous emotional journey in harsh Idaho, seeking their identity and a viable future. Intense multilayered drama.
Don't see it if You are not up for an intimate confrontational experience with suffering characters. 3+ hrs in uncomfortable seats.
See it if Hunter's masterful diptych of small town rural life in western Idaho (his regional muse) Haunting & evocative w/mythic overtones Superb cast
Don't see it if Rattlestick's 'conceptual' union of the two works is a bit clunky but can't harm empathic, Chekhovian quality of dramas Long but rewarding
See it if you would like to see 2 heartfelt plays from an important young voice in the theater, beautifully played by 6 actors who give their all.
Don't see it if the prospect of sitting through 2 full-length plays, separated by a half-hour dinner break, is daunting to you. Read more
See it if 1st play beautiful rumination about how hard it is 2 return to rural roots, 2nd harrowing study of rural dysfunction; fine acting
Don't see it if you expect 2 see plays focusing on Lewis & Clark & their trip, rather than riffs on the trip; in slim 1st play key problems left unresolved Read more
See it if Ancestors of Lewis & Clark Expedition confront their alienation as did their forebearers in the America they cite for their malaise. Spartan
Don't see it if Chekov meets Dogma 95 film-style. At 3.5hrs. plot & character had better be developed, & they aren't. Folding chairs & bad grub aren't cool. Read more
See it if Incredible acting -- riveting. So personal and intense. Both plays were engrossing and v. emotional.
Don't see it if You don't like sitting in a theater for a long time. Seeing both plays in one sitting is long. I'd actually rather have seen them separately Read more
See it if You want to see two completely different plays in one night by the same author. Both are brilliant
Don't see it if You can’t dedicate over 3 1/2 hours They take the time in between both plays to serve food which leads to an almost 40 minute Intermission Read more
See it if you want to see an intimate production of a pair of plays by a fine American playwright. The actors are almost close enough to touch.
Don't see it if sitting on a folding chair for almost four hours would be a problem or if you like upbeat stories with clear narrative arcs. Read more
Critic Reviews (15)
"McCallum’s beautifully calibrated staging is so intimate it seems to implicate you in its themes...Intimacy compensates to some degree for a slightly abstract quality in ‘Lewiston’...’Clarkston’ is the richer drama, with themes that are more tightly bound to characters and a plot both surprising and inevitable..Hunter’s golden diptych, no less than McCallum’s spectacularly unspectacular production, suggests that small rewards may be the only kind available.”
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"Hunter’s smart, sad, inquisitive plays rest somewhere between Jake’s tentative sense of wonder, Alice’s wry weariness, and Chris’s flat skepticism...They need one another — 'Lewiston' especially needs 'Clarkston,' which is tightly crafted, tender, and at times devastating, while its preceding play feels more nascent, as if Hunter’s still finding his way...Exposed is how both production and audience feel, and that’s as it should be."
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“Theater rarely gets more physically and emotionally intimate...‘Lewiston/Clarkston’ is chamber theater of the most deeply moving kind...‘Lewiston’ benefits greatly from the excellent performances...’Clarkston’ deftly works in elements related to Lewis and Clark with discussions about the explorers' historical legacy...McCallum's superb staging makes excellent use of the versatile space...You'll have a palpable sense of having shared something special with your fellow theatergoers."
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"For the daring theatrical explorers among us, 'Lewiston/Clarkston,' directed by Davis McCallum, is obviously a must-see. Marathon evenings like this aren't a frequent occurrence...The actors are practically on top of us, but not in a confrontational way...The introspective silences often speak louder than the words...'Clarkston' is far better, a satisfying entree that features three excellent performances...As noble an experiment as America itself, and just as imperfect."
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"Unequally compelling dramas...'Lewiston' tries to cram too much into ninety minutes, with awkward results...It helps enormously that 'Clarkston' has an ending that, for all its ambiguities, offers at least the possibility of peace for some of the characters...Even marked by a certain up-and-down quality, 'Lewiston/Clarkston' is filled with good performances, and Hunter's ability to mine drama out the lives and conditions of his corner of the Northwest remains unique."
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“An exceedingly special and highly unconventional theatrical event. Small in scale—like the work of a miniaturist—but major in scope, Hunter’s impressive opus features a tiny cast, working almost literally in your laps and giving massively powerful performances...The two plays are altogether different...The plays are exceptionally insightful...The performances brought forth from the actors by McCallum are each and every one exquisite.”
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“A riveting, haunting two-part play...Under McCallum’s intuitive, compassionate direction, the actors give performances of startling emotional transparency...We are reminded, in both plays that both that historic mission and its leaders were flawed, by factors ranging from imperialism to personal demons. Hunter isn’t preaching about the inherent corruption of powerful nations or their heroes; it’s human fallibility in the context of larger social forces that intrigues and moves him."
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"While McCallum's production of 'Clarkston' is much more effective than his 'Lewiston,' taken together Hunter's two plays are ambitious in scope and epic in theme. 'Lewiston/Clarkston' is an unforgettable experience of young people searching for their roots as well as a star to guide them. Ultimately satisfying in a way few plays are, Hunter's 'Lewiston/Clarkston' will stay with you long after you have left the theater, their characters resonating with you long after they have left."
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