Dead Man's Cell Phone
Last night, I went to see Sarah Ruhl's new play, Dead Man's Cell Phone, which is being premiered at Woolly Mammoth Theater in Washington, DC. I'd seen other Ruhl plays and enjoyed them (although - in this former stage manager's humble opinion - they've had flaws.)
I *truly* enjoyed Dead Man's Cell Phone. The plot is simple - a woman discovers that a man has passed away while sitting next to her in a cafe. When his cell phone rings, she takes it, and she begins to meet his family and colleagues, making up stories about her life, his life, and the world in general.
The play had an offbeat tone - it was surreal, and it was satirical, and it was ironic. The staging, which I thought was superb, emphasized the essential inhumanity of the characters, the fact that they were not real people. The laugh lines came fast, and they were generally very well delivered. (And, for once, most of the audience distinguished serious lines from humorous ones, and I didn't need to squirm with discomfort as people laughed at tragedy.)
Mark and I went, along with friends from our now-former ushering days. (Oh - did I update you all on that? After the Grand Debacle (read tags under "culture", go back about a year) at the end of the ushering season last year, I ushered all of this year and truly enjoyed some of the plays. I also, though, am having trouble juggling all of my schedule, so I'm Leave-of-Absence-ing for the coming year, giving my fellow ushers and me a chance to see if we miss the gig.
Other than that, this weekend has been about rest, recuperation, and laundry - about what you'd expect after a month on the road!
Mindy, enjoying being home for ten full days!
I *truly* enjoyed Dead Man's Cell Phone. The plot is simple - a woman discovers that a man has passed away while sitting next to her in a cafe. When his cell phone rings, she takes it, and she begins to meet his family and colleagues, making up stories about her life, his life, and the world in general.
The play had an offbeat tone - it was surreal, and it was satirical, and it was ironic. The staging, which I thought was superb, emphasized the essential inhumanity of the characters, the fact that they were not real people. The laugh lines came fast, and they were generally very well delivered. (And, for once, most of the audience distinguished serious lines from humorous ones, and I didn't need to squirm with discomfort as people laughed at tragedy.)
Mark and I went, along with friends from our now-former ushering days. (Oh - did I update you all on that? After the Grand Debacle (read tags under "culture", go back about a year) at the end of the ushering season last year, I ushered all of this year and truly enjoyed some of the plays. I also, though, am having trouble juggling all of my schedule, so I'm Leave-of-Absence-ing for the coming year, giving my fellow ushers and me a chance to see if we miss the gig.
Other than that, this weekend has been about rest, recuperation, and laundry - about what you'd expect after a month on the road!
Mindy, enjoying being home for ten full days!
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