The thin line between waking and dreaming, the conscious and subconscious, is exposed in playwright John O’Keefe’s outrageously funny, surreal sit-com about 18 hours in the life of an all-American nuclear family. Sept. 14 through Oct. 21: Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:p.m., and Sundays at 7 p.m. (dark Oct. 6). Open Fist Theatre Company at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039; Sept. 8-13 (previews): Pay-What-You-Want; Sept. 14 – Oct. 21 (performances): $25 with advance purchase, $30 at the door; (323) 882-6912; www.openfist.org.
All Night Long
Reviews
Just roll with it, enjoy it for the absurdity it is, plenty to laugh at, a clever two-level set to behold (enhanced by Ellen Monocroussos' strategic lighting and Tim Labor's sound design), and much 50's style and subject matter to observe and enjoy. A crazy, wild-eyed ride.
...“All Night Long” is riotously funny in a dark, twisted way, it's also deeply moving and profound.... The art of the production, led by director Jan Munroe and a brilliant ensemble of actors, is that they manage to keep this bizarre world profoundly grounded... While this cast fully embodies the comedy of the piece, they also manage to give it a deep soul that makes “All Night Long” heartbreaking.
Alina Phelan's performance as Jill, the stereotypical sitcom mom, is layered and multifacted, turning on a dime to bring out something savage underneath. When she lashes out, it is cruel and wounding. And that's one of the biggest problems with All Night Long. While the cleverness of the dialogue was at times amusing, much of the humor was mean-spirited, full of long simmering resentment and achingly hard to watch.
Veteran helmer Jan Munroe deftly directs his excellent ensemble and also created a superb set. The clever play includes some special effects and sight gags—keep yer peepers peeled. Insomniacs and those who enjoy their comedy to be bittersweet and full of sometimes venomous fun as it debunks shibboleths and phoniness are likely to love this piece of subversively radical theatre. Most of the opening night audience, including moi, laughed throughout this strange, bizarre two-acter full of twists and turns. For fans of genre-busting, it's all in the family in All Night Long, as America's conventional family gets whacked in Open Fist Theatre Company's revival of O'Keefe's wacky whirlwind.
Director Jan Munroe serves this difficult piece well, switching styles and moods in a trice and guiding his game ensemble through the thematic acrobatics of the script. His bi-level set is skillfully wrought — sprinkled with surprises and creatively lit by Ellen Monocroussos. Tim Labor's sound design is impressive, whether it's generating background noise or ominous bass thumpings that rumble the theatre. O'Keefe's writing is literate, funny, dark and absurdist, and I often enjoyed his intellectual playfulness. Perhaps it's deliberate that this work has no real plot or definable meaning, and that the characters feel more like symbols than people for an audience to connect with. That's fine. People who are more interested in wild creativity and the flow of ideas than in traditional dramatic works may well love this play. I found it somewhat frustrating, but I also appreciated it — and I think that Open Fist is to be commended for a terrific production of a tricky work. That said, the play is also probably too long, a bit self-indulgent and I imagine might be too flamboyantly odd for a general theatre audience. If it sounds like your cup of tea, however, I encourage you to check it out.
This is some serious stuff served up as wild comedy. Mr. Munroe has wrung brilliant work out of a cast that goes for broke with broad, hyper-charged playing that is rendered with extraordinary precision.
Peggy Dobreer quoted in this review: "(ALL NIGHT LONG is...) a piece of poetic brilliance you won't want to miss. This play will cause your head to tilt and spin. As ribald and zany as poignant and sad, this look deep into the soul of the ‘nuclear' family, will have you laughing out loud and running home to hug your children. Jan Munroe's execution of O'Keefe's language is some of the best I've seen. With a real old-fashioned and utterly brilliant verve for set and prop design (which Munroe executed himself,) commedia style action on the set, and a clear respect and energy for O'KEEFE's vision, Munroe delivers a rare and authentic telling of this timeless and timely play. Bravo!!!"
The acting, in all cases, is exceptional, and the company expresses in this revival of the San Francisco Magic Theater production the freshness of this 38-year-old play.
Just roll with it, enjoy it for the absurdity it is, plenty to laugh at, a clever two-level set to behold (enhanced by Ellen Monocroussos' strategic lighting and Tim Labor's sound design), and much 50's style and subject matter to observe and enjoy. A crazy, wild-eyed ride.
...“All Night Long” is riotously funny in a dark, twisted way, it's also deeply moving and profound.... The art of the production, led by director Jan Munroe and a brilliant ensemble of actors, is that they manage to keep this bizarre world profoundly grounded... While this cast fully embodies the comedy of the piece, they also manage to give it a deep soul that makes “All Night Long” heartbreaking.
Alina Phelan's performance as Jill, the stereotypical sitcom mom, is layered and multifacted, turning on a dime to bring out something savage underneath. When she lashes out, it is cruel and wounding. And that's one of the biggest problems with All Night Long. While the cleverness of the dialogue was at times amusing, much of the humor was mean-spirited, full of long simmering resentment and achingly hard to watch.
Veteran helmer Jan Munroe deftly directs his excellent ensemble and also created a superb set. The clever play includes some special effects and sight gags—keep yer peepers peeled. Insomniacs and those who enjoy their comedy to be bittersweet and full of sometimes venomous fun as it debunks shibboleths and phoniness are likely to love this piece of subversively radical theatre. Most of the opening night audience, including moi, laughed throughout this strange, bizarre two-acter full of twists and turns. For fans of genre-busting, it's all in the family in All Night Long, as America's conventional family gets whacked in Open Fist Theatre Company's revival of O'Keefe's wacky whirlwind.
Director Jan Munroe serves this difficult piece well, switching styles and moods in a trice and guiding his game ensemble through the thematic acrobatics of the script. His bi-level set is skillfully wrought — sprinkled with surprises and creatively lit by Ellen Monocroussos. Tim Labor's sound design is impressive, whether it's generating background noise or ominous bass thumpings that rumble the theatre. O'Keefe's writing is literate, funny, dark and absurdist, and I often enjoyed his intellectual playfulness. Perhaps it's deliberate that this work has no real plot or definable meaning, and that the characters feel more like symbols than people for an audience to connect with. That's fine. People who are more interested in wild creativity and the flow of ideas than in traditional dramatic works may well love this play. I found it somewhat frustrating, but I also appreciated it — and I think that Open Fist is to be commended for a terrific production of a tricky work. That said, the play is also probably too long, a bit self-indulgent and I imagine might be too flamboyantly odd for a general theatre audience. If it sounds like your cup of tea, however, I encourage you to check it out.
This is some serious stuff served up as wild comedy. Mr. Munroe has wrung brilliant work out of a cast that goes for broke with broad, hyper-charged playing that is rendered with extraordinary precision.
Peggy Dobreer quoted in this review: "(ALL NIGHT LONG is...) a piece of poetic brilliance you won't want to miss. This play will cause your head to tilt and spin. As ribald and zany as poignant and sad, this look deep into the soul of the ‘nuclear' family, will have you laughing out loud and running home to hug your children. Jan Munroe's execution of O'Keefe's language is some of the best I've seen. With a real old-fashioned and utterly brilliant verve for set and prop design (which Munroe executed himself,) commedia style action on the set, and a clear respect and energy for O'KEEFE's vision, Munroe delivers a rare and authentic telling of this timeless and timely play. Bravo!!!"
The acting, in all cases, is exceptional, and the company expresses in this revival of the San Francisco Magic Theater production the freshness of this 38-year-old play.