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| Jonathan Louis Dent, Dan McCabe, Kelsey Kurz, and Yusef Bulos in Sons of the Prophet |
What do you think happens to each of the characters after the curtain comes down?
Did you attend a post show conversation? What comments surprised you or made you think differently about the play? Would you attend a post show conversation again? What were you thinking about on the way home from the theatre?
Leave your comments here.
Learn more about Sons of the Prophet.
The Huntington Theatre Company production of Sons of the Prophet by Stephen Karam plays now through May 1, 2011 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont Street, Boston. Get tickets and information or call our Box Office at 617 266-0800.
13 comments:
I am a gay Lebanese American whose 4 Grandparents were all Maronite immigrants in the early part of the last century. As you can imagine, I was very interested in attending this new play. I mean, come on, how could it not relate to my experience? I was not disappointed.
The first act was particularly effective in eliciting laughs and gasps as the plot twisted and turned. The acting and production values were typically high as one expects in Huntington productions.
My criticism comes w/ the 2nd act , particularly the final scene. While I wasn't looking for all the themes and plots to resolve in a neat package, I was left feeling disappointed that what resolution there was involved a new character with whom we had no investment. Ambiguity is great I just wish that it had involved any of the first act characters who were so intimately involved with the main character
Joe Shadroui
absolutely loved it. Wonderful character development. Engaging from the first minute. Do more of this sort of thing. Theatre perfect size for this intimate jewel.
As a college student, this play was especially engaging. It really felt as though it was written for my generation - it's the style new plays really need to start following if a young audience will continue to be invested in theatre. The dialogue was all very real, seemed entirely natural, nothing was contrived. The playwright leavened the emotionally wrenching moments with just enough bits of humor to make the show enjoyable, while still retaining the thematic statements it had about the simple man's struggle. The story wasn't one-dimensional either; it had connectability for restless youth, mid-life basketcases, and older folk reaching the end of their time. The ending scene was particularly strong because of the introduction of the new character, a blank slate who you watched with the understanding that she didn't know the whole story like you did, but was just as sympathetic. I think it lent a lot of power to Joseph's breakdown. Seeing it again on Friday, and recommending it to everyone.
Kevin Parker
Wow! I really enjoyed Sons of the Prophet. I don't know where to begin, other than to say that the acting was incredibly strong, and the script was very believable and a fair amount of humor amidst the pathos. And I'm a white 50+ married Jewish guy.
Wow! This is a fabulous play. It addresses a whole bunch of important serious issues while also being funny and entertaining. The acting and casting are perfect. Joseph, Charles, Bill, and Gloria are especially magnificant. The set and the whole production are amazing.
Having said all that, it does need a little editing. (1) The Vin character comes off flat. The critical point he made in his discussion in the family's living room, i.e. that football was his key to a college education, should have been elaboarated and repeated in his speech at the School Board meeting. In general that speech was weak and made him look like a fool. (2) there are some extraneous elements that don't add to the story -- probably what the Globe review was referring to when it said the play was overly complicated. For example, Gloria's son bursting into the school board meeting to accuse her of being crazy and on drugs. Also, Charles and Vin smoking pot. And (3) I would have liked to see a little more depth in Joseph's worries about his odd symptoms and his poignant line at the end that he misses his father (e.g. perhaps a coming together of the brothers around that sadness).
But BRAVO and thanks for a really wonderful play!
Ellen Perrin
I love this play, and appreciate the central theme.... coping with multiple life issues. And how random (or not-so-random) encounters, plus or minus family legacy, can provide a measure of support....or at least a momentary distraction.
I don't find the play overly complicated. It rings true on a number of levels. Life can be messy and unbalanced, and what sustains us is unique to each individual.
Love the humor here, the conflicts aren't presented with a heavy hand, and while there's warmth, it's not of the sentimental, maudlin variety.
I think this play is brilliant. As is.
Barbara Truscello
I, too loved the characters, the situations and the dialog, but I was also a little let down at the end - it's like the play needed a third act, not necessarily to tie up all the loose ends, but at least some of them.
Three theater-loving friends and I all enjoyed "Sons of the Prophet". I found the characters sympathetic and became engaged in the twists and turns of the plot. The pace of the play was also satisfying. The fact that some issues were unresolved at the end of the play didn't seem to matter; life's like that.
I absolutely loved the writing..loved the "normalacy" of the disfunctionality of the family, both primary and extended (meaning friends). Real life is messy and confusing. I thought all the actors were amazing, the character development was so deep and true.
And I, for one, loved the final scene - like life it surprised. Recognition, connectedness and resolution are all around us, we
just need to be open to them in even small ways and they often come from unexpected events and people.
As for what happens "after" I think the author has shown us the issues each character has to confront and deal with, shown us the beginnings of awareness about that in each one and left a few juicy hints about what the next steps will be. But in life the future is unknowable and so it will develop in step with each persons ability to look within and without absent the blinders we all usually wear.
Thank you so very, very much for
bringing such a human, humane, wonderfully humorous and painful experience to the stage. I was entertained, educated, moved and connected for a couple of hours in a busy and sometimes painful life and I took so much home with me. Lana R
Loved the show!! The storyline was great taking on several different themes relevant to all generations without losing the audience. Very well acted. Nice Job!!
I liked the play, found it witty, but certainly did not relate to any of my issues as an older patron of your theater. I understand your wish to attract a younger audience, but so is everyone else trying to attract that generation, while no one seems to appreciate that us older folks pay for seats also and are more capable of donating extra. The portrayal the the uncle was very unflattering and perpetuates the young adult's stereotype of my generation.
Structurally it had a very weak ending. While it's OK to leave some issues unresolved, this play had too many themes left dangling at the end. In particular I would have liked to see how the main character resolved the moral issue of forgiving Vin, or not for his disastrous adolescent prank.
I agree with the Globe critic that the play is too "busy", opens too many issues, while addressing too few satisfactorily
Overall the play offered a pleasant but easily forgettable and unfulfilling evening.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play, especially the first act which was very strong. The end was somewhat disappointing, I felt. Somehow I didn't like having the outcome summed up so neatly.
I left the play feeling out of sorts. Too many unresolved conflicts. I did however enjoy the many witty lines of the play. I felt I was waiting the whole 2nd half for closure and then a new character is introduced. I love the plays at the Huntington, but this was my most disappointing one.
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