Other Than We

See it if you’re willing to endure 2 long, uninterrupted hours for a few very powerful images; or you’re interested in the coming ecological collapse.

Don't see it if you hope to understand the particulars of the ecological catastrophe you are sitting through: Here much of the plot is only implied.

Also “Other Than We” runs 2 hours without intermission. I wanted to flee after 20 minutes, but things eventually got better, for a few reasons. The early story takes place inside a dome after the earth’s ecology has collapsed; here the writing is at its murkiest, & the staging, skeletal scaffolding moved to different positions in the basement space, its least interesting. After 3 of the characters escape the dome to take their chances out in the real world, things perk up. Scenes of gritty confrontation, humans with the uncaring landscape, achieve some power. Another reason the night picks up is the delayed entry of the play’s 4th character, a sage-like old man played with impressive verve & precision by octogenarian actor George Bartenieff. The latter part of the play also contains the most memorable stage images: women birthing inter-species hybrids, men wet-nursing infants & the old man’s transformation into an owl; I was glad I’d weathered the rough 1st hour & stayed.... Read more Read less