The Itch NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (28)
See it if you like shows about personal struggles and family discord. That have a dark sense of humor.
Don't see it if you like shows that are an escape from everyday life. Or prefer period pieces that are more whimsical.
See it if you enjoy watching the tension in dysfunctional families presented in a new way with technology sometimes enhancing, sometimes distracting.
Don't see it if you cannot tolerate loud disruptions, multiple media presentations, choking smoke from herbal cigarettes and interrupting mechanical sounds.
See it if You're a fan of new plays, exploration of drug abuse and sex in family dynamic, multimedia
Don't see it if Drug abuse and adoption themes are upsetting or uninteresting. Incongruent and unexplained plot points are a bother. Read more
See it if you like to view shows in an intimate space. (Great sight lines) Also, some credit must be given for effort.
Don't see it if You expect a fun musical comedy. I always wonder re:the same person being the writer and the actor in the same play. Yes the effort is there
See it if You want to see a show that is confusing and all over the place. You want to see a play about siblings and their struggles.
Don't see it if You want to see a play that is easy to follow. Read more
See it if you can tolerate the "poor little rich boy" narrative, you like inventive use of video, you are looking for a short, new play
Don't see it if you want something fully polished, you need characters with clear motivation, you are upset by notions of incest
See it if you appreciate challenging, creative, disturbing, dark, real drama of dysfunctional family, raw emotion, twins' sibling devotion and empathy
Don't see it if you prefer light comedy, musicals, clear plot, conflict resolution, and theme with all characters, not only Mills, live onstage. I was lost.
See it if I can't think of a reason and feel bad for the actors who put in their time and energy to make this work.... but it didn't.
Don't see it if that's what I would suggest.
Critic Reviews (7)
"'The Itch' is tedious, seemingly pointless and has patches of intrigue...Boredom or mild interest are the likely possibilities...The cast does their best by the material with their strong characterizations...Ms. Buchheister’s physical staging is efficient and adeptly melds all of the elements into a slowly paced yet endurable 90 minutes...Ultimately, if accepted on its own self-consciously unconventional terms, 'The Itch' is a fitfully engaging experience."
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"There are some loose ends protruding from the shocking surface, and that is the play’s main sin...This descent deep into the void of forbidden love could benefit from some clarification. But...writer Zelman-Doring seems to be more interested in separate stitches, not the whole picture. The direction by Buchheister mimics this approach with interestingly staged scenes cobbled together as if in a hurry...The play ends abruptly, leaving the siblings pretty much where they started."
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“A very nice new play…A smart and well-developed structure…Buchheister’s direction, a light touch with strong theatrical instincts, creates compelling moments as well…The play has some unhelpful unresolved questions, but the ambiguity of the core relationship gave the work an American honestly I appreciated. Awesome, another awesome, and super sad, American family play.”
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“The main problem lies in the disconnected writing that has no sequence of events, nor any cause and effect from moment to moment, and the direction that fails to make sense of it all…They blindly drive forward recklessly sprouting lines and scenarios void of realistic emotional engagement, sequential logic, nor any connection to the shabby world around them…It is basically dead on arrival.”
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"The confusingly odd story...has a decidedly downtown feel and makes use of film and video projections as well as loud original punk sounding music...The staging, however, lacks tension despite the smart dialogue. And neither the actors nor the direction infuse the evening with an emotion-filled conflict that is necessary to bring the meandering story to a final unresolved fade-out."
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“A work in progress...By populating the stage with live actors and music, video projections, voice-overs, and prerecorded soundscapes, writer Zelman-Doring and director Buchheister split audience focus with, at best, no discernibly useful outcome, and at worst, unnecessary distractions…It would be fascinating to see a stripped-down theatrical version of this play...There is the potential for deeply resonating drama in these characters, but it’s all shielded behind the frills of multimedia.”
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"This thought-provoking story takes the dysfunctional family to extremes...If it sounds like this isn't exactly the feel-good story of the summer, then you get the point: it's not the place to bring the kids for a taste of cutting-edge theater. But if you're looking for a play that isn't afraid to take what most people consider taboo and insist that you look the demon in its eyes, then this is a story for you."
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