Total Rating: 
***
Opened: 
June 6, 2008
Ended: 
June 28, 2008
Country: 
USA
State: 
New York
City: 
New York
Company/Producers: 
Ensemble Studio Theater
Theater Type: 
off-Broadway
Theater: 
Ensemble Studio Theater
Theater Address: 
549 West 52 Street
Phone: 
212-352-3101
Genre: 
One-Acts
Author: 
various
Review: 

Some brief notes on Ensemble Studio Theater's Marathon 2008 Series C:

Piscary by Frank D. Gilroy, crisply directed by Janet Zarish. A squabble including fish. Good acting by Mark Alhadeff and Diane Davis. Good writing, too.

In Between Songs by Lewis Black gives us the essence of stoned, as it really captures the idiotic brain trips of old stoners. As directed by Rebecca Nelson and performed by Jack Gilpin, David Wohl and Cecilia DeWolf, it's truly funny.

Flowers by Jose Rivera, imaginatively directed by Linsay Firman, gives us magical realism as a girl evolves into a plant. Raul Castillo is a good foil for the amazing, beautiful Flora Diaz who plays the evolving flowering tree with conviction and grace.

Japanoir by Michael Feingold is really two plays intermingled: a somewhat boring interview with an egotistical filmmaker, and the film itself- a satire on a Japanese film noir which is well done and is lots of fun.

A Very Very Short Play by Jacqueline Reingold, directed by Jonathan Bernstein, is a fun fantasy -- a romance between a one-inch-tall girl and a twelve-foot-eight guy. Nicely performed by Julie Fitzpatrick and Adam Dannheisser.

All in all, once again, EST gives us terrific acting in good plays in all three of its series.

Parental: 
adult themes
Cast: 
see review
Technical: 
see review
Critic: 
Richmond Shepard
Date Reviewed: 
June 2008