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Three-Hour Play Deemed 'Reading Disguised as Theater'
6 Mar
Summary
- Wallace Shawn's three-act play runs for three hours, relying heavily on monologues.
- The play features four characters discussing death, affairs, and mundane freedoms.
- Performances include sly impersonations of playwright Wallace Shawn and director André Gregory.
Wallace Shawn's latest theatrical work, "Moth Days," is a three-act, three-hour production that critics have characterized as a lengthy reading rather than a traditional play. The Greenwich House Theater hosted its world premiere on Thursday, directed by André Gregory and produced by Scott Rudin and Barry Diller. The narrative centers on four characters who engage in extensive monologues, primarily discussing themes of death, extramarital affairs, and the perceived limitations of personal freedom.
One of the play's notable features is its reliance on the actors directly addressing the audience to recount their characters' stories. The script, penned by Shawn, also incorporates nuanced performances where actors Josh Hamilton and John Early offer subtle impersonations of Shawn and Gregory, respectively. This meta-theatrical element adds a layer of intrigue to the otherwise monologue-driven content, which also includes ample consumption of hot beverages on stage.
