Smokefall

56/100

Photo by Joan Marcus
Written by Noah Haidle; Directed by Anne Kauffman. At the Lucille Lortel Theatre through March 20.

What's it About? "Magical realism collides with manic vaudeville in a family drama unlike any you've ever seen. The Twins swap philosophy while awaiting their birth, Beauty eats dirt and doesn't speak, Father is about to drive away and never return, and a man named Footnote acts as our guide. Whipping from astonishing tenderness to profound humor and back again, this wholly original play uncovers the extraordinary family connections we all stretch and warp across the years but can never quite break."

Consensus: Baffling or brilliant? The main thing that critics disagree with in this production is whether everything glues together or falls apart completely. Every critic, however, was quick to mention a sequence in which two unborn fetuses perform a sort of miniature postmodern Waiting for Godot as told by way of vaudeville number as a highlight. If that sounds like something that might be in your wheelhouse, then there is a possibility that the show might connect with you. And those that connected with it seem to recommend it unequivocally, so it's all a matter of personal taste. Reactions to performances and the physical production seem to correlate directly with a critic's assessment of the play, but most are fairly respectful of Zachary Quinto. Divisive is certainly what this is, and if it still seems interesting to you, it's possible you may love it. 


The Daily Beast 100/100
(Tim Teeman)"If, as it should, Smokefall goes to Broadway, like The Humans did, it may take on a bigger set, a bigger house—but that sizing up one hopes would only maximize, rather than lessen, its profound impact."

NBC New York 80/100
(Robert Kahn) "A recurring theme is that there is no escape from your origins … but you’re likely to discover that what you "need" can be found there, anyway. Is this Buddhism? Some hazy, marijuana-fueled reimagining of “The Lion King”? I’m not sure, but it’s quite obvious that Haidle believes some things can keep growing, maturing, evolving and improving, even if they’re diseased."

ABC News (The Associated Press) 70/100
(Jennifer Farrar) "But thanks to witty, mostly credible plotting and excellent acting, this particular family will still, in the words of Eliot's poetry, 'Be remembered; involved with past and future.'"

The New York Times 50/100
(Charles Isherwood) "Mr. Haidle doesn’t wear his eloquence and erudition lightly. When you have a fetus quoting Michel Foucault, you are moving beyond absurdity and treading dangerously close to plain old pretentiousness."

New York Daily News 40/100
(Joe Dziemianowicz) "In the end, the show’s takeaways are pretty obvious. We lose people. Life comes full circle. To love is “the greatest act of courage,” so someone says. That may well be. But it’s hard to love this “Smokefall.”"

The Hollywood Reporter 30/100
(Frank Scheck) "But for all their considerable efforts, the performers are hobbled by characters who feel less like flesh-and-blood figures than creative conceits. There's tragedy aplenty in Smokefall, but it's doubtful you'll find your eyes tearing. "

Vulture 20/100
(Jesse Green) "It’s as dark as you please...but so cute in its approach and so heavy-handed in its symbolism that it ends up belittling the very ideas it wants to advance."