Hunters Gathers @ Theatre Exile

I’d like to recommend, from the very bottom of my heart, that everyone get out to see Theatre Exile’s Hunter Gathers by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb and directed by Deborah Block. This is easily the best show I’ve seen this season, and although I was did not attend to review the show, I felt obligated to mention how great it was.

It was, quite literally, insane. But in the best way possible. And, in all honesty, I’m not sure that any review I could write would do it justice.

So listen to me and go see it before it closes on the 22nd.

http://www.theatreexile.org/ or 215-218-4022 for tickets and information.

Like I said, go see it! Or you’ll definitely regret it.

American Buffalo by David Mamet

Business is business. Friends are friends. If nothing else, that becomes overwhelmingly clear during Theatre Exile’s performance of American Buffalo by David Mamet, directed by Matt Pfeiffer . Don (Joe Canuso) owns an antique shop, if you want to call it that. Old glasses spread across tables, milk crates full of who knows what and piles of National Geographic tied up in twine lay on the floor – most everything in the store is junk. Everything, expect maybe that buffalo head nickel he sold last week. With being ripped off in the back of his mind, Don wants that nickel back and, almost unfortunately, enlists friends to help him.

And as Teach (Pete Pryor) mentions over and over again, don’t mix business with friendship. He doesn’t necessarily stick to this rule, but all the same, he brings it up several times. Don, a caring and sympathetic guy, has taken Bob (Robert DaPonte), under his wing. Questionably an addict, Bob does anything Don tells him. This father-son relationship between the two is obvious and well portrayed by both actors. With that said, Don mixes friendship with business, creating a downward spiral involving all three men.

Photo by Cory Frisco.

Joe Canuso and Pete Pryor give fabulous performances, both doing justice to the intense and often difficult language of Mamet. Robert DaPonte gives a commendable performance, one that shows his versatility as an actor in comparison to past roles.

In addition to the elaborate and almost overwhelming set, the subtle use of lighting within the show was phenomenal. Everything that was on stage was, obviously, very skillfully placed and created the right balance of comfort the audience expects from an antiques show with the fear and eeriness we feel later on in the shop. 

Overall, a good performance of an American classic. Theatre Exile’s dedication to dark, rebellious theatre stands out with this portrayal of American Buffalo.

Theatre Exile presents American Buffalo written by David Mamet and directed by Matt Pfeiffer, April 9 – May 3, 2009 at Plays and Players Theater, 1714 Delancey Street. Tickets $15-$40. 215-218-4022, www.theatreexile.org.

Coming This Month – April

I’ve got a couple of shows lined up for April that I’m really excited about. There are so many shows going on lately, that it’s almost hard to keep up. Here are a few that look great and I can’t wait to see.

Azuka Theatre’s Whisky Neat by Bruce Walsh, directed by Kevin Glaccum, April 2 – 26, 2009.

InterAct’s Jihad Jones & The Kalashnikov Babes by Yussef El Guindi, directed by Seth Rozin, April 10 – May 10, 2009.

Theatre Exile’s American Buffalo by David Mamet, directed by Matt Pfeiffer, April 9 – May 3, 2009.

Arden Theatre Company’s Something Intangible by Bruce Graham, directed by Terrence J. Nolen, April 9 – June 7, 2009.

BCKSEET Productions’ Raised in Captivity by Nicky Silver, directed by Greg DeCandia, April 15 – May 9, 2009.

It’s going to be a busy month. I’ll  be seeing, and talking about, the above shows in the order that they’re listed. I’ve been looking forward to a couple of these shows for awhile.

The following are two shows I hope to be able to see, but I’m not sure that I’ll be have time to fit them in. Either way, they look good, so I thought I’d mention them.

Luna Theater Company’s Hot ‘n’ Throbbing by Paula Vogel, directed by Gregory Scott Campbell, April 4 – May 3, 2009.

New City Stage Company’s Chicken by Mike Batistick, directed by Neill Hartley, April 9 – April 26, 2009.

Keep your eyes out for information and reviews for these shows, as I’ll have them up soon after the performances!