The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: "Dickhead" by Gil Kofman at Theater for the New City

The title character of this show, a lawyer named Richard (Erza Barnes) definitely lives up to the name of this show. We learn this from the very first scene where he’s meeting with his therapist Dr. Adams (Frank Licato, who also plays the therapist's widow) out of protest. It seems Richard is a bit unhinged and the powers that be have decided he needs some mandated therapy to deal with his temperament as an unrepentant dick.

Dr. Adams (Frank Licato) and Richard (Ezra Barnes) are in therapy. Richard asks about hypnosis to recover his lost password. Photo by Francis Krow.

If you wanted some insight on the lawyer psyche, Richard is the ultimate case study. As a lawyer myself, I’ve definitely see some degree of Richard in many members of the legal community. He would be the type I and others fed up with the attorney stereotypes tend to heavily rail against and vow never to emulate.

Even Richard’s eternally optimistic and good spirited wife Ruth (Jodie Markell) straight up asks him “what is wrong with you?” One thought I had was “how in God’s name is she putting up with this guy?” We find out much later.

Richard (Ezra Barnes) still lost in the Metaverse as Ruth (Jodie Markell) makes her exit. Photo by Francis Krow.

Richard’s son Bobby (Glen Feinstein), an aspiring screenwriter and his wife Darcy (Kai An Chee), a school teacher turned Only Fans star along with their disengaged son Junior (Wyatt Fenner) also live with Richard as their finances have dictated they live in his home. This is yet another source of irritation for Richard along with the inability to access his cryptocurrency fortune due to being unable to remember his password to access his wallet.

Junior (Wyatt Fenner) is lost in the metaverse as Darcy, his mother, (Kai An Chee) and Bobby his father (Glen Feinstein) discuss his poor performance in school. Photo by Francis Krow.

Rounding out the cast is Richard’s friend Howard (Chuck Montgomery), a more easygoing and mellow lawyer who’s found satisfaction working as counsel to a startup company. Yet, Howard has his own very dark side we learn about later. Howard also serves as an irritant to Richard but perhaps life in general is an irritant to Richard.

Richard (Ezra Barnes) is taking Howard (Chuck Montgomery) to dinner to thank him for helping him find a job at his firm, when they happen to spot celebrities. Photo by Francis Krow.

While Bobby and Darcy seem to be a happy content creating couple, things definitely aren’t all peaches and cream there with Darcy having a stalker that grows more and more creepy as the show proceeds. Junior manages to stay detached and never, ever breaks from his world even when chaos and trouble are emerging all around him. You wonder if he will ever break from it but eventually he does when the darkness in this story hits close to home, literally.

Darcy (Kai An Chee) on her OnlyFans Site. Photo by Francis Krow.

One thing actress me has to note is how Mr. Barnes while portraying Richard holds a phone correctly. My high school drama teacher hated when actors held their hands using their thumb as the ear piece and their pinky as the receiver. She loudly proclaimed that nobody holds a telephone that way and would deduct points from a student’s grade if they did a scene and used that particular hand gesture to symbolize being on the phone. A little detail but one that my high school drama teacher would notice and approve of.

I liked how the show explained what the meta verse is about. That explanation was accessible and made sense even to the non-techies and perhaps even to the older generation. There was a lot of profanity and things got very dark around intermission and later in the show so I wouldn’t take the kids to see it unless you want them to have nightmares.

Richard (Ezra Barnes) takes his grandson Junior (Wyatt Fenner) hunting and tells him a scary story. Photo by Francis Krow.

The 60s modern retro décor is also cool though this show is as modern as it gets in its storyline. There are certainly twists and turns though Richard manages to remain a dick to the very end though he becomes more tech savvy thanks to Junior. The relationship between Richard and Junior as well as the relationship between Bobby and Ruth are touching and I felt the familial warmth in them.

Richard (Ezra Barnes) is lost in the Metaverse as his grandson Junior (Wyatt Fenner) says goodbye. Photo by Francis Krow.

Despite the cold subject of technology, this show blended horror with humor and warmth quite seamlessly.

In the end, I suppose the lesson to be gained here is don’t use virtual reality near open windows. So not only will technology cause psychological damage and distance in relationships, it can also literally kill you. Use it with caution.

Richard (Ezra Barnes) confronts his shrink’s Widow (Frank Licato) at his shrink’s funeral. Photo by Francis Krow.

The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: "Issue #9" by Briana Bartenieff at Theater for the New City

This show takes us smack into the 90s. Before the show even started, I heard Britney Spears’s “Oops, I Did it Again.” My sister would have loved this show’s soundtrack. In fact as I’m writing this review, the song “Supermodel” by Jill Sobule comes to mind (literally playing it as I type this). If you’re into 90s nostalgia and remembering your teen years, this show could well be your vehicle.

But...underneath the gloss and pop of the era is a very dark and dirty tale. I suppose these days that would sum up much of the 90s if various documentaries and behind the scenes tales are any indication. If you dealt with body shaming and weight issues as a teen in those days, you may find a kindred spirit in Lexi (Ada Victoria) a young girl who moves with her mother Natalie (Sandy Melissa Garcia) to a small NY town called Germantown. The year is 1995, THE era of the teen magazine.

Sandy Melissa Garcia and Ada Victoria. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Lexi comes to town at 12 years old, presumably someone a little miserable having just lost her father and with money being tight at home. We learn that Natalie is working in her friend Sandy’s (Sarah Boess) gas station. Sandy’s younger sister Candy (Grace Bradley) is dealing with her own demons but more on that later.

Not long after getting to Germantown, Lexi meets Taylor (Amy Herzberg) and Ashley (Audrey Latt) who are obsessed with fashion, teen magazines and everything that flows from them. They are also obsessed with getting the perfect weight by starvation and embody the phrase “frenemies.” Lexi soon trades in her baggy Nirvana T-shirt for a yellow dress straight out of the fashion pages. Her birthday becomes an exercise in misery since she can’t even have a bite of her birthday cupcake though she really wants to. She doesn’t feel she can talk to her mother about her conflicts and Lexi later takes her own life, understandably devastating Natalie.

Audrey Latt, Ada Victoria and Amy Herzberg. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Audrey Latt, Ada Victoria and Amy Herzberg. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Sandy Melissa Garcia and Ada Victoria. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

We learn that Natalie went through her own body image struggles and downplays that in her daughter since she apparently got over that later on. Presumably she sees it as a teenage phase Lexi will eventually grow out of and overcome just fine.

After Lexi’s death, Natalie gets angry at the fashion mob and one frenemie’s attacks on suicide in the midst of Natalie’s grief definitely don’t help.

Sandy Melissa Garcia, Sarah Boess. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

You wonder exactly what revenge Natalie is going to enact. Is she going to confront the magazine publishers? Confront the fashion designers directly? Lash out at the media? No, not quite.

Sandy Melissa Garcia. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Natalie takes more local action but it does lead to the death of that disrespectful frenemy. It also leads to the unintentional passing of Candy, a young woman facing a battle with drugs that turns very nasty as the years progress. The show ends with Natalie serving a jail sentence with Stage 4 brain cancer.

Grace Bradley. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Sandy Melissa Garcia. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

The set design and costuming are great, the musical numbers and dancing are very much on point and I like that a larger lady was in this cast and killing it in the dance sequences. More people should see that sort of representation on the stage, especially in dance where weight pressures are a very real thing.

Ada Victoria, Audrey Latt. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

The presentation of death and how that was crafted in the story was respectfully done and not overly depressing though make no mistake, this show was quite dark.

Audrey Latt, Ada Victoria and Amy Herzberg. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

The show poses some interesting and provocative questions about the influence of teen magazines and their legacy (as presumably that era is dead or simply changed into quests for Instagram or TikTok fame). For one thing, which came first? Mass societal pressure to be thin or body image issues? Would people still have those issues if the media template changed? I suppose we’ll find the answer to that second question in a few years when today’s teenagers and those who lived in the era of Lizzo and body positivity are older.

Amy Herzberg and Audrey Latt. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

I actually recognized a few of those Kamikaze covers as issues I had since I was working in those days and had my own spending money. One thing I bought was magazine subscriptions to Seventeen and YM.

In 8th grade, the resident horndog in my class would offer me money to get a read of my magazines when I brought them to school to read during break times and lunch. He probably liked looking at the pretty girls. I was there for the fashion, the essays and the column on embarrassing stories.

No body shaming or weight issues with me; people thought I was TOO skinny and if I hadn’t been a quiet, smart, “nice girl” with bright red hair who came from zero and couldn’t tan to save her life, I probably would have been a popular girl. Or maybe the boys were just too intimated by me since I was laser focused on getting out of NC but I definitely got hate from a lot of girls and couldn’t get interest from the guys I crushed on. Think of me as someone with the body of Quinn Morgendorfer and the brain of Daria Morgendorfer if you recall that MTV show from the 90s “Daria”.

No eating disorders or unhealthy diets on my end; I’m just a naturally thin person lots of people hate and resent for it (probably even to this day). The difference between me and others is that I never went around body shaming people or calling them fat despite being asked directly if I was anorexic or constantly being told to eat the last of some food or to finish what someone else couldn’t since “you need it.” My tale would dive into the flip side of the coin.

Overall, despite this play dealing with very dark subjects and ending with a bleak outlook it was a good show and even had the infamous Hanson song in a scene change.

The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: "Aftershocks" at Theater for the New City

This show’s description caught my eye right away. When I walked in, the set design told you exactly where we were and what show to expect. It’s not something for the kiddies so this is definitely not kid friendly. In fact, I’d say leave your teens at home as well unless you are a very modern and progressive parent who’s totally cool discussing dark subjects in the sexual realm with your kids or you take your kids to strip clubs. From my estimation, that’s not many of you. You have officially been warned.

Photo by Matthew Schechtman

Now, that being said this show managed to integrate the pace and sentiment of “Friends” with some very dark subject matter that most of us would say “how can you possibly make THAT funny?” Somehow, Rori Nogee does it and doesn’t leave you feeling guilty for laughing while also giving you a powerful illustration of trauma from childhood sexual assault.

She also manages to make her protagonist, Kat/Angie (Rori Nogee) sympathetic despite Kat’s being an unrepentant stripper who confidently asserts that she’s not having a committed relationship with anyone. Just ask Ben (Andrew Ricci), the computer tech guy she’s stumbled into a FWB relationship with who’d really like to get more serious and make an honest woman out of her.

Credit should also go to the direction of Lissa Moira as the characters flow easily in this world and you can believe in the connection Kat finds with Elliott (Cameron Cave), a super nervous newcomer to the back room who’s only there on the guidance of his therapist. He’s content to just talking to Kat and gets her to violate the basic stripper rule against taking off the performer mask and mentioning her real name (which is Angie). A sweetness develops between these two and it feels like Angie loses her hardness and cynicism built up as the result of her own sexual trauma. It felt a bit reminiscent of “Leaving Las Vegas” and some of the darkness has parallels to it but this show actually goes further.

I’m totally on board with Kat’s philosophy on sex when she notes it’s importance to life and living though my own statement on it is a bit different and I’m more private about such things. Despite the fact that Elliott is a guy who can not do such things due to childhood sexual trauma that he’s trying to work out, he and Kat/Angie develop a fondness that later turns into an exclusive relationship. He’s aware that she’s got her needs but she makes a grand effort to try and be respectful of his limits and boundaries though does push at times with mixed results. The relationship definitely goes through its ups and downs and when temptation enters in the form of Kyle (Jon McHatton), the very definition of a bad guy not suited for anyone who doesn’t want to be a side chick whom Angie previously had an involvement with, things do not turn out well for Angie.

The dynamic between Angie and Elliott actually reminded me a bit of this guy I shall call the Model Flake. He knows who he is. His problem, however, is social trauma and becoming more agoraphobic as well as reluctant to leave home (which isn’t that close to me) despite being a former model who had connections and backing I’ve never had in that space. He also has separate issues that are a massive paradox to my own world and my own boundaries yet for some reason I still care about the guy in spite of myself. Damn heart!!

My underlying thought is “if he got his mess together and found his passion in life, he’d be a really great guy.” This guy has been in and out of my life over the course of years.

I remember him saying he was intimidated by me, the girl who was called ugly throughout her childhood and couldn’t buy a date with guys she liked in her hometown. I still find that hysterical since if I saw him at random someplace and didn’t know him, I’d never approach him since I’d fear rejection. The conceited hot guy who cheats on women is a trope and while the Model Flake apparently views his not being that way as a defect, I find it refreshing and endearing.

Like Angie with Elliott, I’ve tried to have some patience and latitude with this guy but definitely have my limits as well.

Eventually, Elliott leaves the scene and in the meantime both he and Angie find love elsewhere with Angie getting engaged to Ben. However, when the two meet again for Angie’s birthday outing as he’s accompanied by his new girlfriend Bethany (Zoe Laiz) the train wreck you expected very much happens and then gets darker as you’re thinking a conflict is resolved and things are look bright for Elliott and Angie.

The final question in my mind as I saw the end of the show was “How do you kill the demon?” I haven’t lived childhood sexual trauma so I have no clue how one would do it but apparently a demon does exist when you lived it. The psych major in me and I’m sure countless others who’ve had that experience would probably like to know the answer to that question. Does anyone have an answer to that one?

The comedy in this show reminded me a lot of “Love Quirks” a show I reviewed in August 2022 thanks to a connection with the show’s composer. Unbeknownst to me, Ms. Nogee was apparently in that show (though not the performance I saw) as well as a show that may have been the last one I saw with my long since ex-husband called “Showgirls! The Musical” which was a hilarious parody of the movie “Showgirls”. If you didn’t see it, you missed out—my ex and I shared an interest in media that pushed back against US puritanical norms.

Photo by Matthew Schechtman

Despite the very dark ending and our main characters not doing right by Ben or Bethany, the show was actually very good since the characters had heart, honesty, sincerity, accessibility and depth and the story had the universal appeal that I look for that made me care. I’d definitely recommend it for the adults, even the ones who hate everything strippers and strip clubs stand for though my conservative mother would probably be a tough sell.

The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: "Killin' Republicans", a Rock Opera at Theater for the New City

If you knew me, you might wonder “why would she go to a show called this?” Isn’t she from a conservative atmosphere and not a big fan of leftists? Hi, I’ve lived in NYC for over 15 years and never said I was a devotee to one team or the other. I’m the one who’s been saying BOTH of them are the problem and remain a registered Independent who thinks the only way to fix these issues is to get money out of politics. Also, I have a sense of humor and appreciate humor based in some honesty.

The setup of this show is very cool since you literally got checked in by the dedicated flight attendants, got a very cool ticket stub and the airplane set was great. Careful attention was paid to getting it right and it definitely took me to my experience riding first class recently with the comfy seating. For some reason, the subway was packed on my way to this show and more like what you’d expect during weekday rush hour vs. a Saturday evening. Fortunately, I hadn’t missed anything and we were treated to a live band playing as the show got started.

Abby Gumpper, Gabriel Wilkler, Ava Jones. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Right before the show started (thankfully I had time to settle and find a good seat), we were told there’d been tech issues. Sadly, I wasn’t able to hear as much of the show because of difficulties hearing most of the actors as the music played but I did catch the gist of the show. However, the actress playing Goodness Gracious (Queen Koleurz) was not someone I had trouble hearing and her character was awesome. She's also got a fun and entertaining mate in BillyBob from Biloix (Edwin Vazquez).

Queen Kolurez and Edwin Vazquez. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Our flight attendants/ticket takers (Ava Jones and Gabriel Winker) also deserve recognition as they definitely played those parts well and when I came in, I wasn’t aware they were going to be performing in the show complete with great dance moves. I’d simply thought someone had put in far more detail to the audience experience than I’ve seen in my years of acting in or attending theater shows; it’s a simple detail that probably should happen more often since it was memorable and definitely helped set the tone and feel of the show.

Ava Jones, Gabriel Winkler. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

The attention to detail continued in the prop design. One prop that I thought was cool was the Abe Lincoln hat that when it opened, had a brain pop out in bits. This particular piece was the work of Erin Mathewson.

Queen Koleurz Koluchi as Abe Lincoln. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Now I’m curious if real life Jodie Foster has heard about this show or had any comment about John Hinkley Jr. If she did, I’m pretty sure the song she sings proclaiming “Why Me” wouldn’t be off base. This show’s Jodie Foster (Abby Grumpper) also knows how to rock and definitely had moves that belied her image. If real life Jodie Foster has the moves, I’m sure she’d be happy that someone has acknowledged them in this show.

Abby Gumpper as Jodie Foster. Behind: Ava Jones. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

If you read the title and think this show is only about bashing Republicans, you’d be off the mark. This show does offer historical accuracy though I wonder if the airplane and general flight experience is a commentary on today’s Republican party. After all, the announcements are how many would describe a lot of their experiences and perceptions of the far right element (such as the plane arriving nowhere near where anyone needs to go and the general passengers being lucky they even get oxygen to breathe while on the flight). Maybe it’s a case of “the more things change…” and how history repeats itself? Nonetheless, I think the last song “Don’t Kill Republicans” is the best support for showing anyone of any party could find enjoyment in this show.

The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: “Misconceptions” at 122CC Theater by Blessed Unrest

My interest in seeing this show came about for a few reasons. There’s the obvious, my being a childfree person and having recently seen a documentary called “My So-Called Selfish Life” for the second time. As some may or may not know, I got a tubal ligation at 26 years old after a major battle with trying to find someone willing to do it. I made that choice since I’ve always been career oriented and working in 2 fields that aren’t known for being child friendly; I’m not even sure law or entertainment have become more child friendly since that time but my story didn’t even happen in the 20th century or further back in time. I’d hoped a woman in 2023 trying to get voluntary sterilization would have an easier time of it now but apparently, that’s not happening.

Photo by Maria Baranova

So this brings us to “Misconceptions,” the story of a young artist named Harriet (Hilary Dennis) who finds herself pregnant and having to decide what she’s going to do. She has a daughter named Alicia already and the father of this pregnancy, Jorge (Sean Mana) is a guy who seems to mean well but his track record hasn’t been ideal. Harriet also has reservations about forsaking her artistic career as she is gaining more public prominence while Jorge decides he wants to step up and be a full time father, ready to embrace the suburban narrative of the white picket fence, 2.3 kids and so forth.

Darcelle (Celli Pitt), Harriet’s agent and close friend has to school Harriet on a few facts related to abortion and the historical experiences of women of color as Harriet decides to explore this topic in an effort to decide what she’s going to do about her own pregnancy. If you’ve read Toni Morrison’s book “Beloved” (like I did in undergrad and college), you may be surprised to know that there was a real life Sethe though that story didn’t go into details as to what that woman’s motivation was; she was simply arrested & confessed. I will not disclose the details of Sethe’s story since you can read “Beloved” for yourself but it presents a very pertinent idea and notion that’s very true for the time of slavery. Harriet presumes Darcelle being a lesbian will never encounter unwanted pregnancy and hasn’t thus far. However, the truth is far harsher than Harriet even knows.

Photo by Maria Baranova

The staging for this show was very cool since it was a 360 view. The director, Jessica Burr, introduced the show and did the most humorous money ask I’ve ever seen. Writer Steve Wangh also puts some elements of humor into the show aside from the seriousness of the topic and I feel like he covered the perspectives of both sides quite well with a conversational style though both this and “My So-Called Selfish Life” don’t examine my specific take on this subject or how I argue it with people. There were even a couple meta moments like Harriet exploring writing a stage play based on her project with abortion as she’s talking to people on all sides of the spectrum.

This also marks the first time I ever saw an actor (Perri Yaniv) come out from underneath the audience seating to get onstage. He does this to play the fetus. In one segment, a pro-life attorney (Rich Brown) tries to get the fetus’s take on whether it would like to be born or not. The pro-life attorney goes into the arguments you typically hear from the pro-life crowd and asks about existence, a concept far over the head of this fetus who’s simply hanging out. This imagining also marks a first and is probably accurate to what would happen in real life since how would a fetus be able to contemplate living independently and outside a womb?

Rich Brown (Pro-Life Attorney), Hilary Denis (Harriet) and Peri Yaniv (Fetus). Photo by Maria Baranova

Overall, I feel like this show covered the spectrum of views on the subject and wouldn’t totally alienate conservative types. After all, Harriet’s own mother (Ethelyn Friend) even showed empathy for her even though she was said to be a conservative pro-life type. However, it would not be the show to take young children and would be more appropriate for adults or older teenagers you’ve had the abortion conversation with.

The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: "Bliss Street" at Theater for the New City in association with Sound Dog Properties

* As an FYI, apparently Blogger has gone woke and is engaging in censorship. Eventually, I may move to another platform that's not endorsing corporate censorship and has no concept of humor or artistic context to make a point. Not to mention there's no protected category for stupidity not related to a clinical diagnosis of mental illness or hypocrisy (which has no mental illness diagnosis to mitigate it unless we're talking about being brainwashed & that's not really a mental illness per se). Oh, and it's not a LAWYER'S job to co-opt woke narratives or march in lockstep with the PC police; we're the people who care about the laws as written and applied to all, not specific groups leftists have decided to give passes to (which simply furthers discrimination and problems those groups experience). That being said, let's begin the review:

This show caught my attention based on its setting. The location has a personal significance to me but you only get to know what it is if you actually know me in real life. I will say it represents a clean slate and a new beginning away from some bad stuff. Which I suppose is where we can begin this review.

The Sub patriarch, Paul (Jeff Canter), is a man just trying to catch a break in the world of entrepreneurship while taking care of his devoted family in the Upper East Side. He goes through a couple failed businesses before we get to Coventry, the club where many of the greats got their start. If you’re familiar with the history, I’m not going to give you that here. That particular task is for our guide through it all Ethyl who enlightens us at her own spot (Ethyl’s) where the show is rocking and the story is brought to life.

Photo by Jonathan Slaff

A special shout out to Sarah MacDonnell who sets the scene and presents this tale with wit, humor and accessibility to the TikTok and social media set who often can’t be drawn away from that world so easily. This particular performance had a wait list and that may have been specifically to see Sarah if the conversations I heard were an indication of her appeal to the audience. Seating was quite a challenge, an event I haven’t seen so much in my reviewing tenure. I’m also not sure if Theater for the New City no longer reserves seats for press though I prefer to slip in unnoticed on general principle.

Abra Bigham’s script is informative while also humorous. I definitely saw places where I laughed such as the reference to Paul as the “big boss man” (which made me think of the movie “Office Space” which some may know is one of my favorite movies of all time as well as influential on how I structured my career). The costuming was awesome as well as the scenery and usage of the projector screen set up where you didn’t feel like things were cut off or confusing.

Various cast members. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Posters for The Coventry. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Louie (Milo Longenecker), the guy who came with the Coventry’s previous previous incarnation and never spoke but definitely needed his time off was great. He didn’t have to speak but simply provided comic relief with his mere movements and presence in the scenes. This was even more presence at Charlie’s (Blaize Alder-Ivanbroo) birthday party where I kept wondering if he was going to hit the birthday cake or lose his balance. Physical comedy is an underappreciated skill that really deserves more credit. On his birthday (his 25th), Charlie’s family gifts him with a burial plot. Talk about a mix of practicality and maybe a morbid sense of humor.

L-R: Alyson Reim, Blaize Adler-Ivanbrook, Milo Longenecker, Jef Canter. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Charlie (Blaize Adler-Ivanbrook) is presented a deed to his burial plot. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

It reminded me of when my sister’s first husband died and we were going to his funeral. My mom joked that when my father died, she’d have to make sure the casket didn’t come out until about 15 minutes after the funeral started and he’d have to have his pants unzipped while holding a Burger King bag. She didn’t actually do this when my father passed about 10 years later but we got a good laugh out of that imagery.

The characters in this show were quite interesting: there’s Charlie of course the son trying so hard to make his band “Cliff and the Pits” happen but life just was not helping him as his front man Cliff (Thomas Deen Baker) had a nervous breakdown, his father was not about to give them stage time and in the wake of the nervous breakdown the other band members felt it was time to move on, his mother Mina (Alyson Reim) who kept everything together and Mandy (Alisa Ermolaev), the California girlfriend with more sunlight aversion than even yours truly (and you know most natural redheads go from pale to lobster in 20 minutes or less without sunblock).

Thomas Dean Baker. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Blaize Adler-Ivanbrook, Alyson Reim. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Blaize Adler-Ivanbrook, Alisa Ermolaev. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

After the show, I was happy to meet the real life Charlie Sub who was in attendance and whose life was being portrayed onstage. He struck me as a relatable, good guy whose family raised him well and would appreciate how they were portrayed in this show.

Jeff Canter, Alyson Reim. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

Overall, this was an entertaining, engaging and educational show that I enjoyed seeing especially with the +1 I selected who it turned out had more connection and interest with this show than I knew about when I initially invited him. He’s also a bit of a Lower East Side celebrity in his own right so that experience made the night even better for me. I wouldn’t bring little kids but I think teens on up and especially people who know this era would get a kick out of it.

The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: “Love Quirks” by Love Quirks LLC

If you want to get insight on the NYC cynic, go see this show ASAP. Get the soundtrack and definitely listen to the songs. After all, our heroes reside in NYC.

This is a show about quite literally the “quirks” of love: the good, the bad and the ugly. Chris (Matthew Schatz) has been recently cheated on by his fiancée so their engagement is off. Ryan (Erin Lamar) is his gay pal who harbors a maybe not so secret crush that everyone except Chris has picked up on while suffering his own relationship troubles. Lili (Maggie McDowell) is the militant anti-man feminist who had her heart shattered by Ryan’s homosexuality and Stephanie (Lauren Testerman) is a woman going through a divorce and consulting with a therapist while having to deal with the unwelcome arrival of Chris. This group, who has a history but we only hear bits and pieces about it, is trying to sort out their lives in the wake of breakups and heartache against the backdrop of NYC, where the romance atheists and agnostics far outweigh the romance faithful.

Lauren Testerman, Erin Lamar, Matthew Schatz and Maggie McDowell. Photo by Mark Childers

When you step into the AMT Theater, it’s a mix of the modern and the underground. You get the air conditioning and wonderful seating as the modern while the side walls indicate the underground. The blend works very well here and I encourage those of you putting on shows to consider this venue since your audience hates sweltering in the summer (certainly if they’re Southern natives like yours truly).

The opening song alone is worth the price of admission and the music gets even better from there. A special shoutout has to go to Seth Bisen-Hersh for that. If he doesn’t have some stories relating to this show, I’d be shocked since some of these lyrics feel like things you have to have lived in order to come up with them.

Credit also must go to writer Mark Childers and director Brian Childers since this show reminded me of both “Friends” and “Reality Bites” but unlike those projects, this one had diversity in Ryan (a black gay man). In fact, Ryan kind of reminded me of one of my roommates who’s very similar but to my knowledge didn’t date any women who’d had marriage designs on him before he came out or live as roommates with them in the years following that declaration.

I also loved hearing someone else use the term “cater waiter” since the only person I’ve heard use it was the Model Flake, who told me he was tired of being a “cater waiter.” Chris reminded me of a more functional version of the Model Flake though Chris was apparently a college jock, not a male model. One scene in particular definitely reminded me of what Vickie in “Reality Bites” says to the leads who are flirting with “will they, won’t they” and bugging everyone around them with it.

I also wonder if the writers read a particular Cosmopolitan magazine article I heard about many years back concerning a particular sex position my sorority sisters spent a lot of time debating on whether it was actually possible to execute. Is “pinwheel” code for “passion propeller”??? I actually discussed this tale with the gentleman I brought with me to the show since that scene brought back the memory (my verdict was it’s not possible and if it were, the guy would be injured in a very uncomfortable way).

Lauren Testerman and Matthew Schatz. Photo by Mark Childers.

However, this show had a slide show presentation that probably should have been planned a little better with the screen set up. It was a little distracting to have a large black line in the center as this was showing background in telling the story. I also hope our actors weren’t consuming actual alcohol during this show; I’m still not certain since there was a scene where one character is opening a bottle and it looks like she’s opening a fresh bottle. I’d have hated to be them doing so many shows and rehearsals where drinking is called for since eventually someone would have gotten sick or maybe developed alcohol poisoning. I didn’t see anyone have ill effects but a true professional never lets the audience see them sweat or will seamlessly integrate whatever mishap occurs into the action so the audience is none the wiser. The use of the balcony in this show was also new and I think added to the story, perhaps even making the action a bit more inclusive for those who didn’t have front row seating. Supposedly this theater has second floor seating but I wasn’t sitting there. If anyone was, it’s nice that the staging took that into account.

This show is tailormade for any of us who didn’t meet our soulmate in childhood and are still with them to this day (by the way, we all hate you) so that covers a huge group: divorced people, cynical NYC dwellers, the “nice guy” who never gets out of the friendzone, the woman who can’t find a non-sleazy attractive guy to save her life or is dismissed for being too fat, a less popular ethnic minority, too old, too pretty, too interesting, too smart, whatever. Those of you who’ve been through a horrific breakup, especially if was recent, will really love this show and definitely want the soundtrack since the songs are fabulous. They have the cheeky irreverence of “Avenue Q,” a show that I hope hasn’t been ruined by the woke mob.

Lauren Testerman, Maggie McDowell, Matthew Schatz and Erin Lamar. Photo by Mark Childers

I came here with a guy that I’m still not quite sure is really interested in being exclusive with me or seeing me again after a subsequent travel excursion. I guess I’ll know in about a week when I lay down the law but for a moment there, I thought maybe there was hope after the devastation wrought on my heart by the Energizer Bunny. Maybe there still is since he said he did like the show and hasn’t seemed to attack me for being a cynical, jaded New Yorker since he grew up here himself….

In short, you could let your cynical teens see this one but don’t bring your babies and toddlers. Otherwise, if you’ve ever been dumped, felt rejected by someone you adored or you’re suffering from a broken heart you should see this show at once since you’ll instantly feel better afterwards.

The Surreal Adventures of The Angry Redheaded Lawyer: "The Winter's Tale" -- Shakespeare in the Parking Lot Presented by The Drilling Company and The Clemente

You might have thought the Surreal Adventures series was dead or even going to performances would be dead after the crazy 2+ years we’ve had.

Well, life can surprise you sometimes. The pandemic, being out of NYC for most of 2020, an intense relationship with a guy who brought back feelings I thought died with my divorce and who continues to confuse me months after discarding me, learning that I indeed am not suited to work in the average law firm, finding my dream job and trying to get my own apartment once and for all….those are their own surreal adventures.

I’d heard about shows starting again and knew I should get back out there but I suppose inertia, apartment hunting, emotional pain and general feelings of frustration and disconnection had been holding me back until I personally got an invite to see this one. This isn’t a show I had read or was familiar with despite being a Drama kid in high school and having an acting background so I had to read up on it to see if I might be able to review it properly. I could so off I went and here we are.

First off, great move on the organizers to do this at 7 pm vs. prime time sunburn hours. This super pale natural redhead who burns in 2 seconds thanks you kindly. The parking lot at The Clemente also happened to have a shady area where seating was set up and where I sat so no worries I’d burn. This one is also an actual parking lot; I would never notice it was there if I hadn’t had the street address to look for. The entrance was quite subtle but the venue itself definitely had that Lower East Side city feel if you’re looking for that.

When it got dark outside, the lights came on very gradually and I didn’t even notice the change so someone paid very good attention to this.

Second, they had comfy chairs. This might have been because I was attending on a Thursday night but I had no issues with seating and kept some distance since I’d do that under normal circumstances.

I read of this going into the modern age and I saw that in wardrobe and some of the staging. For example, this show starts with 2 characters in an arm wrestling match.

Bradford Frost (Polixines) arm wrestles with Hamilton Clancy (Lenotes) . Behind: Jaan Rothschild, (Mammilius). Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innnovation

Tell me that doesn’t still happen in real life when you get guys involved in some kind of conflict. I suppose guys I dated never really did that but I know some might have straight up gone for throwing punches if they had to or told me they’d run away in the face of conflict. The doomed prince is also shown completely consumed on his smart phone while the interactions between his parents and his father’s suspicions of the pregnant Hermione’s fidelity grow as they interact with Polixines.

L-R; Jaan Rothschild, Hamilton Clancy, Jane Bradley. Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation

Hamilton Clancy, Bradford Frost, Jane Bradley. Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation

I’m also not sure if “my wife’s a hobby horse” is a line from the original Shakespeare but if it is, it only shows that Shakespeare’s work is just as relevant in the modern age as it was in the past. We certainly still have false accusations ruining people’s lives, people getting stuck in the middle of someone else's conflicts as Camillo was, people trying in vain to convince someone to see reason and have compassion for others, class conflicts in relationships, kids being blamed for things they had nothing to do with and people sticking to their stories even when contrary information no longer supporting them is presented in their faces.

Hamilton Clancy and Jane Bradley. Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation

Jack Sochet, Bradford Frost. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

L-R: Bob Arcaro, Lisbeth Allen, Hamilton Clancy, Una Clancy. Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation

Contrary to some who say this play is “problematic” for Shakespeare’s work, I feel that maybe Shakespeare came to some heavy realizations later on in life that informed his final works (as this one is part of). I, for example, thought I had more of a goth sensibility until both my father and my ex-husband’s sister died within 1.5 months of each other and I had to go to the funerals almost back to back. I’ve also come to bigger realizations in my own life such as having far more maturity and restraint that I did when I was younger, being far less tolerant of roommate situations these days than I was in years past, not putting up with treatment from guys I’d have been okay with in the past, that sort of thing.

Perhaps Shakespeare felt at the time he wrote this that life was a balance of tragedy and comedy and that both can exist in the universe of some play. Maybe he didn’t want to deal with all sadness all the time and wanted to give the audience some hope after you’ve had everything taken and you feel contrition for your bad behavior. Just my two cents.

Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation

The costuming was definitely on point. I love the “I (heart symbol) (sheep symbol)” shirt the shepherd’s son was wearing. He and his father got the laughs along with the salesman at the festival and the pickpocket who later becomes something of a “good guy” in this tale.

Matthew Krob. Photo by Jonathan Slaff

David Marantz, Matthew Krob. Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation

Overall, definitely worth seeing even if you’re not a Shakespeare scholar though you’re probably not going to sneak some of the dialogue or context past young kids. I instantly knew what the “hobby horse” line meant so I’m pretty sure most kids will as well or you’ll be the parent being asked about it. I’d say this show is fine for your teens and maybe your tween as long as you’re the sort of parent who’s okay with questions and explaining complicated adult stuff to your kids.