A Martyr for the Cause, if Only He Could Pick One

It would be nice to have an actual review rather than a summary of plot and characters.

Have you read Robert Ross Parker's AMAZING adaptation of Erdman's The Suicide: "Goodbye Cruel World"-? comic genius.

Did Mr. Isherwood see the same play that my husband and I just saw? We thought it was a terrific, very funny evening of theatre. And believe me, I was nervous about Soviet comedy. A shame if readers pay attention to the review and miss this play.

I saw this last weekend and was surprised to learn that it wasn't a first or second preview. The whole show seemed wobbly and uneven (albeit quite beautiful to watch).

Sorry Mr. Isherwood didn't like this play more. I laughed my head off at these hapless Russians. And Joey Slotnick was terrific with his bug eyes. His trying to learn to play the tuba was priceless. It was all so deliciously ridiculous.

The Atlantic does well by Erdman's play. The production values are impressive and the cast is superior. The play was a bit slow in the beginning but soon developed a good rhythm. It's true that it's a one-joke play, but the actors are so entertaining to watch that we didn't mind. Amid the comedy you could see and feel these characters struggling with their desperate lives. The audience seemed to appreciate everyone's work, with sustained applause and a few standing ovations.

Altogether fair, as I saw the final preview. One has to wonder how early in the game the very talented and insightful crew at the Atlantic realized they had a stinker on their hands. Museums have other priorities beside "crowd pleasing," but theater is too precious (and fragile) to deny a fine American playwright - preferably one early in his/her career a spot/shot/slot ... just so someone's Master's thesis bores a few hundred people silly 50 times. The Atlantic is long overdue for a long hard look at what it chooses to produce.