Seminar

Images-1Last night we went to see the play Seminar at the Golden Theater.  This is the second play we have seen recently where I am not so sure I loved the play as much as I loved the acting. 

The majority of the play takes place in a sprawling upper west side apartment that has been in the family for years, aka massive rent control.  Four friends put up money for a ten week course with a supposedly brilliant editor/writer to help each of them in their writing careers as novelists.  Alan Rickman plays the famous teacher and he is absolutely fantastic.

The students are played by Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater, Jerry O'Connell and Hettienne Park.  All excellent.  As the play unfolds we learn more about each of their writing ability as they have to share their stories with the teacher who in turn rips them to shreds. Each of these characters represent a stereotype.  Rabe is the wealthy white girl, Linklater is the brilliant dark writer who comes from nothing, O'Connell is wealthy and comes from a literary family that he can easily use as a stepping stone to success, Park is gorgeous and uses her body to shimmy up the ladder. 

There are many laugh out loud moments.  A small window into the literary world of NYC where the competition is rough and where the publishing industry has changed with the advent of the Ebook. 

Good theater, an enjoyable night.  90 minutes, no intermission and keep in mind that the seats in this theater as tiny!

Posted December 14, 2011 in theater  
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Joanne Wilson Joanne Wilson loves food, books, and music. She lives in New York City. Her husband Fred and children Jessica, Emily, and Josh are bloggers too. More »

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