Reviews: 5
Reviews: 4
The Roaring 20’s come roaring back to life as Hollywood’s trendy Three Clubs is transformed into New York’s legendary Algonquin Hotel to host smarty-pants wise-crackers Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, and their Round Table pals in a literal – and literate – battle of the wits in the new comedy from award-winning playwright Steven Vlasak and director Dig Wayne.
Vlasak properly glosses over the self-serving antics of the group, offering enough of their jibes, wisecracks, jokes, and epiphanies to solidify the general tone of the round table gab fests without turning it into a tedious historical recounting of their brilliance.
Long 'Nights' For Noirish Comedy at Hollywood Fringe: Because the Three Clubs lends the perfect intimate speakeasy atmosphere for a show like “Nights at the Algonquin Round Table” it would have been fairly safe to assume that such a show would fit well, at least in style and cast. Unfortunately, there is a lot that didn't make it through the double doors.
...this sweet and amusing production is well acted and realistically conveys the times and flavor of that era. The setting in the nightclub Three Clubs on Vine Street was perfectly suited to the production. The actress playing Dorothy Parker was particularly impressive, but all the acting was good.
Vlasak serves up the larger-than-life personalities here with great skill and aplomb, while at the same time managing to succeed in penning original characters who can hold their own within this circle...it's a wonderfully crafted and excellently performed comedy that earns all involved a GOLD MEDAL.
This play so amazingly recreates the style I was unsure if it was a new play. Some of the best casting I have seen at a Fringe show as well. The cast recreates the style of the period without seeming stagy or disconnected to reality. One of the best written and acted theater pieces I have seen in Hollywood.
Congrats on the gold medal review it was inevitable although they didn't say they were flappergasted anyway here's my review to post as you wish cheers... It was a real pleasure and treat to be present at the Nights at Algonquin Roundtable performance. The cast and story swept me away into the world of the people and place of that time. A time when words meant a lot for when they were printed they drew much attention and when spoken served as armor and a resume ... and the words of Stephen Vlasak also draw much attention for they are clever, witty and compelling ... activating a comedic drama for an audience to witness with shenanigans and hilarious antics promulgated by grown men and one Dorothy Parker egging each other on . When you attend I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and may it take you to a place where plays are supposed to take you ... to make you feel ... be happy and make you care about the people in it. You'll be Flappergasted! Bravo!
“Nights At The Algonquin Round Table” was a fabulous way to be introduced to the Hollywood Fringe Festival. The actors all very solid; the three main actors playing Dorothy Parker, Jack Beck and Sally Ardath are perfect for their roles and the tension and attraction between them was very palpable. The writing is very tight and fast paced; one can certainly feel for young Jack Beck as he tries desperately to impress the members of the Round Table enough to become part of their group. The best part of the show is when Sally teaches Jack how to dance The Black Bottom and steals the show with her singing talents! The music provide by Piano Man Richard E.Harris is amazing.
Since I am an expert on the subject of the Roaring Twenties and the Algonquin Round Table, I can truly say that I was very pleased, even tickled, with both the script and the actors, regarding the communicating of the time and place of New York City in the 1920s. I had a smile on my face for the whole show, as I did indeed pick up on every period reference dropped by each character. It was nice to "see" the live versions of the now-iconic Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley talking as the real Mrs. Parker and Mr. Benchley did in the 1920s. The play even incorporated a scene of the famous weekly poker games, with the usual manly banter peppering the conversation. For such a limited 80-minute one-act format, I was happy with the overall Jazz Age look-and-feel of this production. Bottom line, I will say this: A live recording of the 1920s Algonquin Round Table would have been my "Holy Grail" for Roaring Twenties memorabilia. -- So, a 2017 live re-enactment, if not a Holy Grail, is definitely "The Chalice with a Malice" (a reference to a Danny Kaye patter riff in the 1955 film "The Court Jester").
The long drawn out narrative ends in a confusing poker game when Beck bets the family farm and an even more confusing coda the morning after. There are too many scenes in Vlasak's storytelling and director Dig Wayne's pacing needs a jolt of electricity.
Vlasak properly glosses over the self-serving antics of the group, offering enough of their jibes, wisecracks, jokes, and epiphanies to solidify the general tone of the round table gab fests without turning it into a tedious historical recounting of their brilliance.
Long 'Nights' For Noirish Comedy at Hollywood Fringe: Because the Three Clubs lends the perfect intimate speakeasy atmosphere for a show like “Nights at the Algonquin Round Table” it would have been fairly safe to assume that such a show would fit well, at least in style and cast. Unfortunately, there is a lot that didn't make it through the double doors.
...this sweet and amusing production is well acted and realistically conveys the times and flavor of that era. The setting in the nightclub Three Clubs on Vine Street was perfectly suited to the production. The actress playing Dorothy Parker was particularly impressive, but all the acting was good.
Vlasak serves up the larger-than-life personalities here with great skill and aplomb, while at the same time managing to succeed in penning original characters who can hold their own within this circle...it's a wonderfully crafted and excellently performed comedy that earns all involved a GOLD MEDAL.
The long drawn out narrative ends in a confusing poker game when Beck bets the family farm and an even more confusing coda the morning after. There are too many scenes in Vlasak's storytelling and director Dig Wayne's pacing needs a jolt of electricity.
This play so amazingly recreates the style I was unsure if it was a new play. Some of the best casting I have seen at a Fringe show as well. The cast recreates the style of the period without seeming stagy or disconnected to reality. One of the best written and acted theater pieces I have seen in Hollywood.
Congrats on the gold medal review it was inevitable although they didn't say they were flappergasted anyway here's my review to post as you wish cheers... It was a real pleasure and treat to be present at the Nights at Algonquin Roundtable performance. The cast and story swept me away into the world of the people and place of that time. A time when words meant a lot for when they were printed they drew much attention and when spoken served as armor and a resume ... and the words of Stephen Vlasak also draw much attention for they are clever, witty and compelling ... activating a comedic drama for an audience to witness with shenanigans and hilarious antics promulgated by grown men and one Dorothy Parker egging each other on . When you attend I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and may it take you to a place where plays are supposed to take you ... to make you feel ... be happy and make you care about the people in it. You'll be Flappergasted! Bravo!
“Nights At The Algonquin Round Table” was a fabulous way to be introduced to the Hollywood Fringe Festival. The actors all very solid; the three main actors playing Dorothy Parker, Jack Beck and Sally Ardath are perfect for their roles and the tension and attraction between them was very palpable. The writing is very tight and fast paced; one can certainly feel for young Jack Beck as he tries desperately to impress the members of the Round Table enough to become part of their group. The best part of the show is when Sally teaches Jack how to dance The Black Bottom and steals the show with her singing talents! The music provide by Piano Man Richard E.Harris is amazing.
Since I am an expert on the subject of the Roaring Twenties and the Algonquin Round Table, I can truly say that I was very pleased, even tickled, with both the script and the actors, regarding the communicating of the time and place of New York City in the 1920s. I had a smile on my face for the whole show, as I did indeed pick up on every period reference dropped by each character. It was nice to "see" the live versions of the now-iconic Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley talking as the real Mrs. Parker and Mr. Benchley did in the 1920s. The play even incorporated a scene of the famous weekly poker games, with the usual manly banter peppering the conversation. For such a limited 80-minute one-act format, I was happy with the overall Jazz Age look-and-feel of this production. Bottom line, I will say this: A live recording of the 1920s Algonquin Round Table would have been my "Holy Grail" for Roaring Twenties memorabilia. -- So, a 2017 live re-enactment, if not a Holy Grail, is definitely "The Chalice with a Malice" (a reference to a Danny Kaye patter riff in the 1955 film "The Court Jester").
