Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Review for Breeze Off the River

An issue packed fluid play

A review of my 2006 FringeNYC play: Breeze Off The River from Curtain up.com:

"Breeze Off the River 
While a more helpful title for this fluid and issue-packed play would be welcome, its penetrating and witty script and simple yet sharp production deserve considerable praise for putting a fresh spin on the familiar topic of the world's inability to deal with same-sex couples, or more particularly, parenting by such folks. Here we find an accidental odd couple who have nothing in common with Neil Simon's iconic Felix and Oscar other than a practical need to have a home in the absence of a former or hoped-for partner. Sean is a successful career waiter who at the gym finds a good sparring partner in Eric, a willing house-husband who sacrificed a lucrative career in finance for his wife's acting ambitions. While Sean's conservative manner makes his gay orientation a surprise for straight Eric, the two nevertheless quickly develop a strong platonic rapport; when Eric's wife selfishly and suddenly deserts both her husband and eight-year-old son, Eric turns to Sean in seeking a refuge for himself and especially for his troubled son E.J. Personality and lifestyle clashes predictably ensue, as well as a Thomas Hardy inspired deus ex machina plot twist which leads to soul searching and legal battles. The script is absolutely engrossing, and the performances are strong, particularly Kyle Baxter and Jon Crefeld as Sean and Eric respectively. Amazingly, the script is also by Mr. Baxter, whose authorship is barely detectable in the humble program notes. Added to the dramatic fodder is an examination of the classic Good Samaritan who believes "this is what I am supposed to be doing." The play is further helped by an excellent supporting cast and spot-on direction by Deloss Brown, although some of the actors were having projection trouble with dead spots in the challenging CSC stage which seats its audience on three sides. At Classic Stage Company. 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission. [Bradley] "

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