Say Something Bunny!

See it if you always wanted to be a PI. Every moment of the 2 1/2 hours is guided by the appealing, talented Kobayashi who makes the tapes come alive.

Don't see it if you want lots of insight. The tapes aren't extraordinary, but do seal-in-amber the '50s. AK's devotion to unlocking mysteries is infectious.

Also I thoroughly enjoyed SSB, but it isn't really theater. It's more performance art that is inclusive/immersive (with no pressure on viewers). Much effort has been expended in making the tapes come alive (video, songs, props) but, unfortunately, the content of the tapes isn't eye-opening. The astonishment is in the years of research to identify the speakers and the creative ways the results are shared.... Read more Read less

See it if You want a completely original performance piece. Like being a part of a live unfolding documentary. So good. So original.

Don't see it if You are looking for a play or musical. This is not that. If you don't like performance shows.

See it if If you want to see a different kind of play . A play about a Jewish family. Keeps the audience intetested.

Don't see it if If you want a non quirky play, a more traditional play.

See it if Delving into two old recordings transports us to the past and celebrates the richness of life. Unique take on family, time and mortality.

Don't see it if You aren't interested in multimedia nonfiction performance art. You don't have the patience for a 2 1/2 hour experience.

Also Altered my perspective on life. The ordinary can be extraordinary. Audience members congregated around the artist for a half hour after the show. I had to stay in order to hear what everyone else was thinking.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to take a unique, intriguing multimedia adventure w/a charming host as she unravels the mystery of voices on a found wire recorder.

Don't see it if you don't like documentary theater or experiential theater; you can't find the extraordinary meaning in seemingly ordinary events.

Also You'll be impressed by the exhaustive & expert research that went into this piece, but, even more so, you'll also be beguiled by the sweet earnestness of Alison Kobayashi's presentation and performance. This whole event will stick with you for a while.

Note: Be sure to stay for the "bonus" slide show at the end.... Read more Read less

See it if you’re a fan of verité documentaries or experimental theatre, or love the idea that everyone has a story to tell. This will stay with me.

Don't see it if you can’t do experimental works or can’t read well (there’s a lot of reading involved).

See it if You are interested in families, nostalgia, history, genealogical research, detective work, etc.

Don't see it if You want big Broadway production values. This is an intimate show (only 24 people in the audience!).

Also It's not exactly a play or a traditional one woman show. It is hard to describe and really needs to be seen to be understood. It was engrossing although it dragged a little for me in the second act. I'm very glad I saw it. I'm sure I won't forget it. And for the most part I was totally engaged.... Read more Read less

See it if the process of obsession evolving into theater allows you move beyond your comfort zone into this unique experience. A world made from sound

Don't see it if you are expecting a well made play on a proscenium stage.

See it if 1 family history; very different, entertaining. Only 24 people a show.

Don't see it if Not a musical, it about a family.

Also When I order the ticket for this show I have no idea what it was about. I heard of wire recording before going to this show. The whole show is very interested.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to have a unique experience in the theatre. Kobayashi investigates a Jewish family in the 1950's, and slowly reveals their history

Don't see it if you don't like intelligent or unusual theatre.

Also "Say Something Bunny" is one of the very best plays of this season. Do not miss it!!!... Read more Read less

See it if Never thought about beauty of an ordinary life & want a delightful expert 2 guide you down that path. This is slow, strange, wondrous & dear

Don't see it if Want trad play. Not like anything else & not 4 everyone. Act 2 needs a bit of trim, & best 4 those who love diving through scrapbooks.

Also I personally believe there is something magical afoot here, and felt like I was falling down the rabbit hole even as I climbed the single flight of stairs from the sidewalk on a darkened street.

I don't want to divulge its many delights, but I think it's safe to say that if you are fascinated by people in general, you won't be disappointed here. Kobayashi is a young, engaging, committed performer and she has done the investigative field of genealogy proud. She's also found a way to make this highly theatrical and this simple portrait of an era and a family goes deep if you let yourself feel it.

Note: you might want to consider whether you've enjoyed the work of Harvey Fierstein, Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs and other stories about Jewish families in the 1950's---if those haven't appealed to you, this might likewise not be for you.

Saw this mid-October, 2018... Read more Read less

See it if you want to experience the product of a labor of love; you enjoy performance art that makes you feel like an active participant. Well done.

Don't see it if you dislike non fiction, intimate theatrical experiences & a cast of one.

Also Kobayashi is warm, charasmatic, energetic and funny in the relaying of a couple of days in the life of a regular family. Sound boring? It's not. Go see this wonderful story and performance - it's like no other you've seen.... Read more Read less

See it if you're open to a completely unique, painstakingly researched, funny and humanizing performance, up close and personal.

Don't see it if you're not interested in complicated New York-centric family histories.

Also I have never seen anything like this, and I truly loved it. Only 24 people in the audience, and everyone reads along and "portrays" (without actually speaking) one of the characters from recorded audio of family gatherings in New York in the 50s. The creator and performer of the piece found these tapes, researched them, and presents them to us, employing multimedia elements to take us on a complicated, sometimes sad, often hilarious and occasionally macabre journey. If you like your theater experimental and can get a ticket, don't miss this.... Read more Read less

See it if you’re into museum studies and how historians/researchers investigate historical accounts through primary sources; you like nonfiction

Don't see it if you aren’t interested in eavesdropping on 1950’s NY Jewish families; you don’t glean inferences from overheard conversations

Also SSB is like a cleverly edited presentation or seminar told with theatrical flourishes, rather than a play. Reminded me of the guided tours at the NYC Tenement Museum—the idea being that direct contact with artifacts & records induces a stronger connection to strangers of another time. Sometimes SSB takes you on a historical scavenger hunt from your seat; other times the topics are really mundane. I wouldn’t change a thing, though. Rating SSB by theater criteria doesn’t give the whole picture and would miss the point—you can’t rate an interactive exhibit by its plot or dialog.

Stay for the slideshow at the end—it gives an especially satisfying sense of closure. Also, if you’re worried about audience participation/immersion, don’t be deterred! You won’t be asked to speak or perform & there is zero risk of embarrassment.... Read more Read less

See it if multi-media story about people whose voices are on 1950's wire recordings, how their identities became known, their touching stories

Don't see it if uncomfortable with 4th wall broken - don't want multi-disciplinary performance art, want to sit in a standard theater and not around a table

Also If you are uncomfortable with 4th wall broken know that there is no awkward audience participation. While you sit around a table (some audience members are behind) with a transcript of the recording you don't read anything. But the actor does make you feel like one of the people whose voices are on the recording. It is a really unique, entertaining experience.... Read more Read less

See it if you like performance art. I loved the real history Kobayashi uncovered from sleuthing. The depth of detail and presentation were very orig.

Don't see it if you like short, & no reading. In the 2nd act, we skipped some pages, I felt like a kid at a Seder being allowed to skip ahead! Needs a trim.

See it if You delight in watching mysteries unfold right before your eyes. What a fascinating journey! Don't miss this - utterly original, delightful!

Don't see it if You want a traditional theater experience. Having said that, go see this show anyway! You'll be glad you did!

See it if You are up for something very non-playlike. The creator has been fixated on peculiar evidence, spent years researching, and presented it.

Don't see it if You are not open to work out of the normal parameters. But, hey, loosen up. You may not love it, but it is fascinating in its own way.

See it if you want to go on a compelling trip, orchestrated by the marvelous Alison Kabayashi.

Don't see it if your tastes don't allow for something extraordinary. This is not a play; it's an enveloping experience.

Also Because my age, ethnicity and geographical upbringing closely mirror that of the family depicted, perhaps this resonated even more deeply for me. However, these are universal themes relatable to all.... Read more Read less

See it if You appreciate experimental theater or performance art.

Don't see it if loud, screeching audio and rapid lighting shifts in an immersive environment will bother you.

Also Definitely original and the performer is joyful, but I couldn't share her obsession with these annoying, vapid audio recordings. Couldn't even get interested. Know before you go if you are the target audience for a show like this.... Read more Read less

See it if You love theatrical brilliance. It is truly a one of a kind experience done with such thought and caring - I was so impressed.

Don't see it if You like linear plays only

See it if you like unique and original theatrical experiences. You enjoy learning about ordinary people's lives.

Don't see it if you prefer more traditional theater. You don't like intimate and immersive experiences (although there is no audience participation).

Also It's really hard to describe this show. It's more than theater. I felt like a detective/historian/cultural anthropologist.... Read more Read less

See it if This show reached inside of me and grabbed ahold of my soul. Through her expert guidance, Kobayashi shows us that there is art, beauty, and

Don't see it if profundity to be found in everyday life. I found myself reflecting on my own life, seeing echoes of myself as a child, a young adult, and a

Also man. This piece is quiet in its beauty, allowing the audience to draw their own parallels to the source material. This is one of the more worthwhile theatrical experiences I've had in a while.... Read more Read less

See it if you want a truly unique experience, you are interested in research, you are a smart and patient person who doesn't require flashy shows.

Don't see it if you expect a normal theatre piece on a stage at which you are passive. Here you don't speak, but you are part of the show. But try it!

See it if You like "immersive" theater. Audience of 20 following transcript of an old found recording , conducted by the wonderful Alison Kobayashi.

Don't see it if It's not a play, it's an investigation into a "normal" family from the 50's. No plot but it gets you thinking.

Also Engrossing investigation into "family" starting with a recording found in a tag sale. Who knew the seemingly banal conversation of a middle-class Jewish family from Woodside in 1952 could reveal so many layers of hope and desire and career paths not taken. Fascinating.... Read more Read less