Your Reviews of the GOING SOLO Festival
The GOING SOLO Festival began performances at The Indiana Repertory Theatre on February 21, 2010. Reviews are closed on this production.
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The GOING SOLO Festival began performances at The Indiana Repertory Theatre on February 21, 2010. Reviews are closed on this production.
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There are 30 Comments to "Your Reviews of the GOING SOLO Festival"
I saw “After Paul McCartney” on March 13th. I thought it was an outstanding performance. The solo actor Rob Johansen never missed a beat. That it was a solo performance, in itself, was a huge accomplishment. I was spellbound for the entire 90 minutes. It didn’t hurt that I am a long-time Paul and Beatles fan, but I believe that it would be a great experience for anyone. Thanks, IRT, for bringing this play to the audience.
The “Going Solo” project was a great idea and should become a standing tradition at IRT. We saw all three plays. “Pretty Fire” was by far the most outstanding. In fact, near perfect. It created the magic that we are in the habit of expecting from IRT productions, with both top-notch material and brilliant acting. We want to see more of Millicent Wright. She was fantastic!!
As for the others, the match between the material and the actor was more uneven. Rob Johansen’s performance in “After Paul McCartney” was superb but the material was rather lightweight–not what we generally expect from IRT productions. “A Year of Magical Thinking” is profound material, exploring some of the most difficult terrain of human experience. Unfortunately, Fontaine Syer’s performance did not rise to the level of the material, which left the performance flat and tedious. We think that might be what caused patrons to walk out or find themselves unable to be engaged by the play. Even if a play strikes a deep emotional chord of grief, great acting can transform that grief; and, like the catharsis in a Greek tragedy, make it possible for an audience to bear the unbearable and walk away uplifted.
After Paul McCartney was a weak play. The actor was good but the play was weak.
“After Paul McCartney” was not only excellently performed, but being a kid growing up in the 60′s, and learning to play guitar to the new rock music of the day, this show really hit a nerve with me. I could see that younger people today would have a hard time relating, but, Man, to an oldie like me….it was spellbinding. Again….great acting. And IRT, great job as usual.
I saw “After Paul McCartney” on Friday night. I thought Rob Johansen was very good, but the play was very weak.
I ALWAYS love seeing Rob Johansen in anything! His work in ‘After Paul McCartney’ was great!
Just saw “After Paul McCartney” this evening and it was amazing!!! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We have been season ticket holders for several years and I think this was one of the best plays I have seen on the Upperstage. Rob Johansen was truly outstanding in this production! The talk back tonight was also very interesting and well worth staying after for it. We also highly recommend that this is a MUST SEE show!
Last night we saw “After Paul McCartney.” We felt that Rob Johansen did a wonderful job with meager material. He salvaged what is a weak play. The premise of the play was challenging to say the least. We wonder if the playwright was attempting to spoof or mimic “Oh Brother Where art Thou?” or carry us back to the days of “On The Road.” Solo performances can be exciting or deadly. Mr Johansen’s interpretation of the material saved this play from being the latter. We cannot recommend this play to our friends.
I am disappointed that I can not find the name of the actor in “After Paul McCartney” anywhere on your website. I thought he was exceptional. I have seen him in previous shows at IRT and this is the first opportunity to showcase the extent of his ability. I wonder how well-recognized actors would perform in a 90-minute one man show. My admiration for all actors increases after shows like this. I would highly recommend this play.
I saw After Paul McCartney on March 11th and Rob Johansen is phenomenal!!! It was a great experience!!! The play and the performance are artistic and entertaining. We are so lucky to have Rob as a local actor and David as a local playwright. It makes me proud to be a Hoosier
It’s so cool they got to take this to Edinburgh! Rob’s definitely mastered the role(s) and the Upper Stage is a great theater for it!
My wife and I are long-time season-ticket holders who make the trip up from Bedford for the IRT productions. We saw “After Paul McCartney” with Rob Johansen during the matinee performance on March 7th.
We have seen Rob many times at the IRT, but, in this play he was really stupendous. The play was quirky but entertaining and – did I say this already – Rob Johansen was great. I don’t know how Indy keeps him.
We both highly recommend that anyone who has not seen this to see it before it leaves.
Just came from a performance of “The Year of Magical Thinking” and I’m sorry to say it is probably the worst experience I have had at IRT in almost 20 years of attendance. The subject matter was unrelentingly depressing. I have experienced enough grief in my life — I don’t need to sit through 2 LONG hours of a self-indulgent recounting of someone else’s grief. While the actress deserves kudos for plowing through the material, I can’t imagine audience members will leave feeling glad they came. Two thumbs down on this one, IRT!
We saw “After Paul McCartney” last night. It was wonderful, funny and engaging. I agree that the time flew by. Rob Johansen was at his utmost best. Our experience was that the audience seemed to recede and the story was being told to us by a good friend over a shared bottle of wine. Bravo Rob for making all those characters come to life!
My husband and I have been season ticket holders at IRT for many, many years and have loved every minute of most every play, However, neither one of us liked The Year Of Magical Thinking. The play was boring and non-thought-provoking. A lot of the diaglogue was mere ramblings which we didn’t care about. It was almost as though Ms. Didion thought that, because she and her husband were wealthy and hung out with the “in crowd,” she shouldn’t have had to experience these tragic losses. While we applaud the actress for her memorizing skills, it seemed to us that the she did not connect with her character and was merely reciting her lines. It was a very long 90 minutes!
I definitely did not like Magical Thinking. After Romeo and Juliet also depressing, this play just wasn’t the type I want to see. Definitely a waste of $29.00 for entertainment. Too low for this drab winter, bad economy, etc. I want something uplifting. The following day I had to attend a funeral. This was not good. Would not recommend to others. Of course, nothing against the actress. She did a good job.
We enjoyed “The Year After Paul McCartney”. The lead actor was believable and earnest. Some of the plotline required just a little too much verisimilitude. Overall, though, we very much enjoyed it.
I saw The Year of Magical Thinking in NYC with Vanessa Redgrave and adored every minute of it. Certainly the topic is dark, but I saw much hope in the sheer ability of Joan Didion to articulate the pain and Vanessa Redgrave to channel her with complete grace. I was at last evening’s performance (Thursday, March 4) at the IRT. Unfortunately, the actress at the IRT was just not up to the enormity of the work. She did not seem to be thinking the thoughts of Joan Didion, but instead, seemed to simply recite. The play only works if the performance is authentic–certainly this actress was working hard–but maybe that was the biggest problem. We saw her working at trying to become Joan Didion. I was also surprised at her articulation issues, particularly with the “S” sound–a seemingly correctable impediment with a good speech therapist.
I appreciate the efforts of the IRT to tackle such an important, thoughtful script. This production just fell short. On a side note, the use of the music and sound effects was distracting and did not support the script.
We saw Year of Magical Thinking last night, I think it is probably the worst play I have every seen, I too should have left after first act, slow moving, repetitive just awful!!!
Fontaine Syed brought Joan to life and let her anguish visibly hang out. When I read Joan’s book during my own parents’ journey into their passing a few months ago, I was an observer, unemotional. When Fontaine became Joan, witness fell away and became identification – the difference being Joan’s angst came from wanting to keep her husband and daughter. Mine came from wanting to help my parents move on. Joan seemed to get her strength from denying her husband’s death (magical thinking), determined he would come back and ‘would need his shoes’. My strength came from beautiful moments with my parents and feeling/knowing that our true relationship, our spiritual beings would never be separated. Joan is right: The material touches all of us in different ways, at different times in our lives. I applaud Fontaine’s courage in taking this touching role and offering the gift of one person’s journey, however like or unlike we respond personally.
We saw Pretty Fire yesterday – it was phenomenal. Millicent Wright’s performance was completely engaging. We especially loved her “voice work” – it was as if you could hear Charlayne’s mother, sister, grandparents, etc. We thought we were seeing the final performance – so glad to hear that the show has been extended. Now we can enthusiastically recommend it to others!! We’ve been subscribers for several years, and without question would place “Pretty Fire” on our top ten list of favorite IRT productions. It was just exceptional!!
I agree with Loreetta.
We attended the Feb 27th showing, and also left at intermission. The topic was incredibly dark and depressing – and S L O W. After 20 minutes, I was checking my wrist-watch, begging time to move faster, waiting for intermission so I could flee to a happier place.
I would not recommend this play. As far as subject matter, this play goes down as the worst I’ve seen at IRT.
Sorry.
I have seen all 3 of the ‘Going Solo’ performances. “Pretty Fire” was amazing, and I had a hard time believing that it was not Millicent who had experienced these stories. “The Year of Magical Thinking” was very emotional, and would be very hard to watch if anyone has experienced the loss of a spouse or a child, but the acting was phenomenal. “The Year After Paul McCartney” was great…very enagaging, funny, 90 minutes goes by without knowing. As a new theater visitor, I have such a new appreciation for these wonderful actors who do not have the luxury of ‘outtakes’.
I saw the Year of Magical Thinking and I hated it. It is a complete downer. I do not want to relive the death of my husband. There were four women sitting next to us. The left after the first act. I wish I had to. I do no recommend it.
The subject matter of “The Year of Magical Thinking” is very grim, especially if you have lost a husband or child. Not only is it depressing, but the descriptions of pooling blood and autopsy techniques make for an even more unpleasant experience. My friends and I left at intermission and would have left sooner if we would not have made a disturbance for the audience in doing so. Understanding that this was based on the author’s experience, I still do not believe most IRT audiences will enjoy it.
We saw ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’ yesterday and were in awe of the perfermance and the play. It was very, very well done. Thank You!
I got to see “The Year of Magical Thinking” and was moved by how earnest the actress as she played her role. You could see her passion for the subject and the script.
Millicent was fantastic! So much energy! It really seemed as though there were many characters on the stage, not just one, as she took on different voices of her mother, father, grandmother, sister, et al. What a great start to the Festival. I am looking forward to seeing all 3 (as Stephen and Janet suggested).
Run─don’t walk─to see “Pretty Fire” at the IRT. Milicent Wright is luminous; the direction by Richard J Roberts is brilliant; each technical element is superb. It is a magical night of theatre; we were honored to be part of such a fortunate audience. This is theatre that teaches us who we have been, who we are, and who we can become. It is the IRT at its very best. Kudos to Janet Allen for creating such an amazing series. Be sure to catch the remaining two productions in the Going Solo Series: “The Year of Magical Thinking” and “After Paul McCartney”─they will be just as special!
Katie and Richard Norton
Pretty Fire is a wonderful story and the actress telling the story is a great story teller. The play held my interest the entire time and the time flew by. I recommend this play to everyone.
“Pretty Fire” was excellent! The storytelling was so well done it kept me interested the entire time. And for the actress to tell someone elses story with such belief was fantastic! During intermission I was anxiously awaiting to hear the rest of the stories. I’m not always fond of the single actor shows but this one was so good!!!