Fish Men begins on a hot summer's day at the chess tables in Washington Square Park in New York. A group of chess hustlers dream of easier times and more vulnerable opponents, aka "fish men". They get their wish when Rey Reyes (Raul Castillo) splashes into their pit.
Rey seems to be just what the hustlers ordered--young, naive and with enough disposable income to play into the hustlers hands. But as the story evolves with seamless dialogue and understated wit, Rey reveals his true reasons for coming to the chess tables. And Rey isn't the only character with a painful past and uncertain future.
Please go and see Fish Men, playing at the Goodman Theater until May 6th. It will captivate you and keep you thinking long after the show is over. Late on a Wednesday night, the show I attended received a standing ovation from a nearly full house.
Tickets are still available.
Showing posts with label Goodman Theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goodman Theater. Show all posts
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Wednesday night at the Goodman
My friend Nicole and I have a very limited subscription to the Goodman Theater. Recently, we had the privilege of seeing "The Convert" in the Owen Theater.
The play takes place in colonial Zimbabwe around the turn of the 19th century in the home of Chilford, a native Zimbabwean man, with aspirations of becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic church. Chilford employs Mai Tamba and later Jakesai, who comes to be known as Ester As the title of the play would suggest, Chilford works tirelessly to convert the natives in his town. His efforts have varying degrees of success. But no convert seems as pure or as righteous as Ester.
And that is the crux of the play. Throughout "The Convert", Ester struggles with fully adopting her new way of life, while feeling a sense of duty to her family and her culture.
The first act of the play was slow and full of context-setting dialog. On a Wednesday night, it's difficult for me to sit through a performance that doesn't immediately grab my attention. But I persevered and the acts improved. The third act was by far the best. Suspenseful, dramatic and compelling, I was disappointed when the play was over.
"The Convert" plays at the Goodman Theater until Sunday, March 25th.
The play takes place in colonial Zimbabwe around the turn of the 19th century in the home of Chilford, a native Zimbabwean man, with aspirations of becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic church. Chilford employs Mai Tamba and later Jakesai, who comes to be known as Ester As the title of the play would suggest, Chilford works tirelessly to convert the natives in his town. His efforts have varying degrees of success. But no convert seems as pure or as righteous as Ester.
And that is the crux of the play. Throughout "The Convert", Ester struggles with fully adopting her new way of life, while feeling a sense of duty to her family and her culture.
The first act of the play was slow and full of context-setting dialog. On a Wednesday night, it's difficult for me to sit through a performance that doesn't immediately grab my attention. But I persevered and the acts improved. The third act was by far the best. Suspenseful, dramatic and compelling, I was disappointed when the play was over.
"The Convert" plays at the Goodman Theater until Sunday, March 25th.
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