This is a very good play. The dialogue is rock solid. Written and performed (in part) by Greg Siff, it is punctuated with a rolling rhythm usually stopped cold with the perfect non sequitur delivered with energizing nervousness from Jason Weissbrod as Marshall. In just a few minutes, these two actors had the audience wrapped up in their awkward guttural self reflections, guised as a nostalgic look back.

Set design is sufficiently minimal, and nicely detailed. It works well in this warm and welcoming 60-seat theatre. You can purchase a glass of wine and bring it in. As a front row lover, however, I was disappointed to find 4 excellent seats taped off for "late comers." I can certainly understand the desire to minimize disruptions during performances, but this shouldn't come at the expense of "early arrivers." Perhaps prop up a 5-foot bench along the entry wall, then during a scene change lead in tardy attendees.

No doubt this says something about the quality of the play, if my major grumblings center around seating. Fact is, I did enjoy my seating and this play. At 85-90 minutes, it left me wanting more. The two leads had me engaged on intellectual, entertainment and emotional levels.

(Possible spoiler: read at your own risk)
That said, I drove home with a smidgen of a question mark over my head regarding the theme. Based on the bulk, two imperfect individuals putting on their social masks seeking ways to find and hold onto happiness - I suspected the theme to be somewhat optimistic. Something like, "Figuring out your personal path to happiness is a major challenge and you can't measure your success against others, because there is almost no way to know if their happiness is real or fake. Nonetheless, encourage yourself on a daily basis."

But a climatic scene goes a tad darker than the thrust of whole. It left me questioning the optimism of my suspected theme. It may be that reworking this act, massaging it just a little, could elevate this script from very good to the realm of perfect. Greg Siff was gracious enough to send me the theme in his own words:

"I would say that if the audience and 'Gregory James' can walk away from this 'reunion' with the idea that time is real. To attend to the moments that are right in front of you. To listen. Be there. This thing called life is happening perfectly, even when you feel like you have nothing. The theme? If you are present, the rest will take care of itself. Dreams, love, the perfect ending to your own story called life."

-- Book Contest --