Handy Man

Went to see Martin McDonagh's "A Behanding in Spokane" on Broadway.  He is quite a prolific playwright who wrote "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" "The Pillowman" "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" and he wrote and directed the films "Six Shooter" and "In Bruges."  I loved "Six Shooter" and "In Bruges" grew on me after the second viewing.  I have heard him speak and I am generally a fan.

But... THIS PLAY made me not want to put my hand over my mouth or down my throat, but instead onto the handrest of my seat to prop myself up and walk out.  It was BAD. In my humble, well-educated, always right on the money opinion, of course.

I think one thing that cheeses me off from a frustrated, do nothing about it wanna be playwright perspective is shock for shock sake. And yelling as acting. And monologues showing off writing gymnastics.  All while saying nothing about story, character, etc. Arggghh.

There was even a Jerry Seinfeldesque "What's all this about shoes?"  kind of speech and then the hand thing.  (No spoiler.) And the black guy getting scared and being directed to be uber cliche black in the "I am a black man in a Star Trek episode where I have no name so I am the next to die" vein.  And fag jokes. Sigh.  I am all for a good fag joke, but this was just lame.

But I gotta hand it to him, he is on Broadway.