Ethan Lipton's "The Seat of Our Pants" Puts Timely Spin on Thornton Wilder's Apocalyptic Classic

In the past three years, New York has seen three productions of Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth," a play that explores the resilience of the human race amid ongoing crises. The latest adaptation, Ethan Lipton's new musical "The Seat of Our Pants," is now premiering at the Public Theater.

Lipton's version of Wilder's genre-mashing epic drama features new songs and dances, as well as some adaptational changes. The play's central Antrobus family, whose name echoes "anthropos" and represents all of humanity, is once again at the center of the story. As they navigate a world of recessions, pandemics, and oligarchy, the family's maid, Sabina, breaks the fourth wall to question the show's relevance, lamenting, "Don't forget, we made it through the recession-pandemic-wildfire-oligarchy by the seat of our pants. One more crisis like that, and then where will we be?"

The production, directed by Leigh Silverman, struggles to fully capture the maximalism that Wilder's play demands, with the stage action feeling at times underpopulated. However, Lipton's songs, which blend elements of Cole Porter and They Might Be Giants, are a highlight, particularly in the poignant finale. As the Antrobus family and their freezing visitors huddle around a firepit, they sing the anthem "Into the Darkness," a Wilderean combination of bluntness, holiness, and dry humor.

Despite its challenges, "The Seat of Our Pants" remains a thought-provoking exploration of human resilience and failure, as relevant today as it was when Wilder's play premiered in 1942 during the dark wake of the United States' entry into the Second World War. As the world continues to face new crises, this production serves as a timely reminder of our ability to endure, even in the face of the most daunting challenges.