A single mother discovers that her ten-year-old daughter is a tennis phenom. When a young, dedicated coach takes Carlin under his wing, her meteoric rise takes shape, and this threesome struggles over what is best when building up a champion.
Major support for this world premiere production provided by the Edgerton Foundation New Play Production Fund
Peet puts much on the stage, yet none of it feels crowded nor artificial. Her plot is well-shaped, with characters that are knowable yet somewhat enigmatic. Each wants something — though over the story, which spans seven years, those wants may change. Directed by Tyne Rafaeli with finesse to bring out the play's psychological depths, the evening feels authentic and engagingly purposeful, the actors fleshing but not over-ornamenting their characters, letting the subtext simmer.
Performances are strong. As Jay, the passionate man of honor, Tippett is perfectly cast as a strict but loving coach. Gummer, a tall, sinewy woman with the unmistakeable facial features of her mother, Meryl Streep, delivers a brilliant turn as the ultimate stage mom, willing to sacrifice all for the fame and glory of her kid but with the ever present desire for self-glorification.
Peet's writing blends family drama with comedic moments that humanize and add dimension to the characters. ...Overall, the plot's steady pace, its build-up to the unexpected changes in the second half and its final denouement make Our Very Own Carlin McCullough a compelling story even non-tennis fans can appreciate and enjoy. - RECOMMENDED
Edge-of-your-seat gripping from its instantly engrossing start to the poignancy of its stunningly unexpected finish, Our Very Own Carlin McCullough scores a grand slam for the Geffen, and coupled with the equally breathtaking Skeleton Crew at the adjoining Gil Cates Theater, makes for the most electrifying double bill in town.
Amanda Peet may be best known as an actress, having appeared in films such as "The Whole Nine Yards" and "Syriana" and in TV shows, including the Duplass brothers' family dramedy, "Togetherness." But she's also a serious writer, with her second play, OUR VERY OWN CARLIN McCULLOUGH, now making its world premiere at The Geffen Playhouse. Peet says that for the Geffen production, with a cast that includes Mamie Gummer, Abigail Dylan Harrison, Caroline Heffernan, Tyee Tilghman and Joe Tippett, she was most interested in examining the mother-daughter relationship and "the idea of how to parent and to what degree you can keep your narcissism in check."
Peet is an impressive playwright—her dialogue is natural and conversational, and the adult characters are smartly seen through the lens of Carlin. Cyn's transformation is interesting to watch, and nicely played by Gummer in her Los Angeles stage debut.
...the depth and detail of the mother-daughter relationship needs to be more developed in Act I so that the dramatic payoff in Act 2 carries the weight the playwright intended.
Set in cheap hotel rooms, the family kitchen and out back behind the tennis courts, the play is well staged by director Tyne Rafaeli, never feeling at all hemmed in by the limitations of mounting a tennis story in a tiny theater. Incidental music and sound design by Lindsay Jones are also a plus.
The two young actors who play Carlin — first as a pre-teen (Abigail Dylan Harrison) and later at high school age (Caroline Heffernan) — are both superb, displaying just the right sense of smarts and indifference. And terrific Tyee Tilghman as Salif, an elite coach with troubles of his own, rounds out this taut, four-character study.
What does actress Amanda Peet know about playwriting? Actually a lot. In her new world premiere play at the Geffen Playhouse, she tells quite a good story with director Tyne Rafaeli and a talented cast. ...If you are a parent of a child involved in sports, this is a play you will not want to miss.
Peet puts much on the stage, yet none of it feels crowded nor artificial. Her plot is well-shaped, with characters that are knowable yet somewhat enigmatic. Each wants something — though over the story, which spans seven years, those wants may change. Directed by Tyne Rafaeli with finesse to bring out the play's psychological depths, the evening feels authentic and engagingly purposeful, the actors fleshing but not over-ornamenting their characters, letting the subtext simmer.
Performances are strong. As Jay, the passionate man of honor, Tippett is perfectly cast as a strict but loving coach. Gummer, a tall, sinewy woman with the unmistakeable facial features of her mother, Meryl Streep, delivers a brilliant turn as the ultimate stage mom, willing to sacrifice all for the fame and glory of her kid but with the ever present desire for self-glorification.
Peet's writing blends family drama with comedic moments that humanize and add dimension to the characters. ...Overall, the plot's steady pace, its build-up to the unexpected changes in the second half and its final denouement make Our Very Own Carlin McCullough a compelling story even non-tennis fans can appreciate and enjoy. - RECOMMENDED
Edge-of-your-seat gripping from its instantly engrossing start to the poignancy of its stunningly unexpected finish, Our Very Own Carlin McCullough scores a grand slam for the Geffen, and coupled with the equally breathtaking Skeleton Crew at the adjoining Gil Cates Theater, makes for the most electrifying double bill in town.
Amanda Peet may be best known as an actress, having appeared in films such as "The Whole Nine Yards" and "Syriana" and in TV shows, including the Duplass brothers' family dramedy, "Togetherness." But she's also a serious writer, with her second play, OUR VERY OWN CARLIN McCULLOUGH, now making its world premiere at The Geffen Playhouse. Peet says that for the Geffen production, with a cast that includes Mamie Gummer, Abigail Dylan Harrison, Caroline Heffernan, Tyee Tilghman and Joe Tippett, she was most interested in examining the mother-daughter relationship and "the idea of how to parent and to what degree you can keep your narcissism in check."
Peet is an impressive playwright—her dialogue is natural and conversational, and the adult characters are smartly seen through the lens of Carlin. Cyn's transformation is interesting to watch, and nicely played by Gummer in her Los Angeles stage debut.
...the depth and detail of the mother-daughter relationship needs to be more developed in Act I so that the dramatic payoff in Act 2 carries the weight the playwright intended.
Set in cheap hotel rooms, the family kitchen and out back behind the tennis courts, the play is well staged by director Tyne Rafaeli, never feeling at all hemmed in by the limitations of mounting a tennis story in a tiny theater. Incidental music and sound design by Lindsay Jones are also a plus.
The two young actors who play Carlin — first as a pre-teen (Abigail Dylan Harrison) and later at high school age (Caroline Heffernan) — are both superb, displaying just the right sense of smarts and indifference. And terrific Tyee Tilghman as Salif, an elite coach with troubles of his own, rounds out this taut, four-character study.
What does actress Amanda Peet know about playwriting? Actually a lot. In her new world premiere play at the Geffen Playhouse, she tells quite a good story with director Tyne Rafaeli and a talented cast. ...If you are a parent of a child involved in sports, this is a play you will not want to miss.
