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Two, daring Off-Broadway shows provide a welcome diversion from a recent season of bland commercialism on the Great White Way.
Julia Masli: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
You got a problem?!!? Native New Yorkers have been defensively and sarcastically asking that question of one another from time immemorial. Sometimes, it takes an outside guest to get a sincere answer.
In this case, the visitor is Julia Masli, an Estonian-born, London-based actor/clown who has arrived at the Soho Playhouse wearing a unique Victorian steampunk helmet, a blue dress, and a gold-covered leg affixed to herself with a microphone taped to the end of in. In the other limb, a bell.
Weird? Absolutely. But stick with it and revel in 60 minutes of humor, thoughtfulness, and a heavy dose of profundity.
Masli, carefully inspects her audience, approaches her chosen patron, holds the microphone to their face, and utters one word: “Problem?” They obligingly spill their guts.
At the performance I attended, concerns ranged from finding a boyfriend, climate change, a sore foot, and worrying about what others think. Also, music legend David Byrne was in attendance and was one of Masli’s chosen ones. His problem? Not enough time to read the books he wants to read. Masli probed and wondered if this was just a superficial issue hiding a greater problem. But Byrne took it in stride and proceeded to participate throughout the show.
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Although it is hugely entertaining and often hilarious, Masli is nothing short of a great therapist. With an inquisitive stare that is equal parts childlike and mystifying, one is left with the feeling that she truly wants to know what is ailing her audience—and is even more keen to help them figure it out.
While there may not be any solid answers, Masli exposes the fact that we are all worried about the same issues. Somehow, giving voice to them in a room full of strangers exposes our vulnerabilities but creates empathy and a strong sense of community. It’s a beautiful, creative work that no written review can capture. Instead, it must be experienced in person. If one of your problems is finding a date, fret not. The giddy and hopeful energy of fellow theatergoers will surpass your solitude.
Masli’s work was a breakout hit at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After that, it played London and Melbourne. Fortunately, she has graced New York with her presence through June 8th.
Skip the next appointment with your shrink and instead book a session with Ms. Masli. After June 8th, your only problem will be having missed one of the best plays New York City has offered in quite some time.
Julia Masli: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha is currently running at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street NYC through June 8th. For tickets and information, click here .
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Three Houses
Susan (Margo Seibert) has just separated from her husband. Now she has retreated to Latvia with her grandparents to smoke inordinate amounts of weed, drink gallons of red currant wine, talk to a dragon named Pookie, and reconnect with her kin.
Sadie (Mia Pak) just broke up with her girlfriend. Her generous aunt in New Mexico has given Sadie free reign of her tricked out house in New Mexico. She spends her days recreating her grandparents’ house in Ohio through a life-simulation video game (that actually comes to life with other cast members) and drowning her sorrows in a discovered stash of mezcal in her aunt’s home.
Beckett (J.D. Mollison), like Susan and Sadie, is also experiencing heartbreak. He has split from his wife and is isolating himself in a Brooklyn apartment, reminiscing about his recently deceased grandparents in Ireland and chatting with an enormous spider.
Welcome to Dave Malloy’s Three Houses, a bizarre yet fascinating musical set against the backdrop of the 2020 lockdown. Malloy frames his work around Grimm’s fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, and although some of the similarities are evident, other references seem completely random and out in left field.
Just lean into it.
Once again, composer, lyricist, and book writer Malloy has delivered a dense but hugely imaginative work offering several elements of relatability. Malloy is best known for his work, Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. With that, there was an assumption that the audience had familiarity with Tolstoy’s War and Peace, upon which the piece was based.
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With Three Houses, the assumption is that we’ve lived through the pandemic, a relatively lower bar that will likely resonate with more people. Apparently, Malloy used his time during and after lockdown to think on existential matters and here, he taps into the roller coaster of emotions we all felt and the vices we relied on.
Three Houses is not for everyone, especially those who may feel triggered by recent memories. Still, there are dollops of amusement to balance the heavy content. Director Annie Trippe ensures that these three journeys keep their focus and offer some levity.
Most of Malloy’s score is haunting and intriguing although it sometimes veers into highbrow pretension. Still, this cast is doing some major heavy lifting with this score and each of them is delivering the goods with sensitivity, humor, and heart.
dots design team, which has been making waves in the New York theater scene, makes great use of the malleable Signature Theater space. Here, our story unfolds in a pub that might remind many of a local haunt that hasn’t changed décor since the seventies. It is dark and cozy set that creates the ideal setting for an open-mic story night.
Three Houses is currently running at Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd St. NYC) through June 16th. For tickets and information, click here.
Both pieces feel like David Lynch or Tim Burton has inspired them, but how refreshing and creative-for creativity is not sparked by convention but rather by a sense of wonder, intrigue, and a curious mind.