'Late: A Cowboy Song' is a play written by Sarah Ruhl, a now prize-winning playwright who also wrote 'In the Next Room, or the vibrator play', about the struggles of Mary, who is a lonely wife to Crick who is just dim-witted, who finds a long lost friend named Red, who is a cowgirl. This is aiming to write a critical review of three others reviews on this exact play with three unique takes on the play itself when it showed at the The Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia through January 19th, 2014.
Theater review: ‘Late: A Cowboy Song’ staged with bluesy whimsy.
In the first review, the author, Nelson Pressley, seemed quite enthused with the way the everything turned out. It seemed to me, Pressley liked the fact that it was whimsical and fantasy-like, calling it "blusey-whimsy"and raved about the plot. The only downside with this review though, is that the summary portion goes for nearly half the paper until you reach the opinions and the evidence that shows it. It starts with the directors method of pushing his actors towards the absurd and the author points out that this is what Ruhl wanted for her characters. Next, Pressley talks on every little key point on the way the play was set up, by touching on the music, lights, and set. Pressley really does compliment the writer of the play, Ruhl, for her ambition and how she "has a finger to her chin in poetic meditation, with the added attraction of a youthful yodel in her heart."
Theatre Review: ‘Late: a Cowboy Song’ by No Rules Theatre Company at Signature Theatre
When I read the second review, I got a little lost with what the opinion was, whether Roger Catlin was raving or panning the play. I read the beginning and it sounded like Catlin didn't like the way Ruhl wrote her plays saying that "as well acted as it is throughout, it lacks a kind of cohesive whole and strong dramatic shape." But, reading further Catlin summarizes the play just perfectly so I still get the sense of the play and what happens without giving too many spoilers. The next topic the author chooses, is to talk about the literary elements put into the play through acting. My favorite point Catlin talks about is the sound design in the beginning that is a 'vortex of noise', provided by the designer, Brandon Roe, which conveys a metaphor for modern life. However, I am a nerd for those types of things, the underlying message within a scene. Catlin goes into a little more detail with the lighting and the set, and ties it up at the end to say that Ruhl will have a rich career.
An eccentric play about eccentrics (and the Pittsburgh cowboy isn't even the most eccentric thing)
Notice the title. Two things, there isn't even the actual title of the play which we know is 'Late: A Cowboy Song'. and then just the wording is slightly scornful with eccentrics, eccentrics, eccentrics. We know now, just from he title that this is the pan review. Rebecca J. Ritzel, is another playwright, roughly the same age, same career, and intriguingly similar looking to Sarah Ruhl. With her review, Ritzel says almost everything about it was mediocre. The characters spoil the play and it was written with much effort but little outcome. Ritzel goes into summary but I feel she never stopped and I didn't appreciate the detail into the ending and spoiling it for me. Ritzel commented on the fact that the actor who played Red the cowgirl, Alyssa Wilmoth, played guitar and sang on stage, almost in a way as to say 'don't show off'. Ritzel continues her pan with talking about the sex scenes and saying they were too elaborate, which is a good thing to note on a review that it won't be appropriate for younger audience members, but it was a little elaborate in the detail department.
I would definitely rate this play 4/6 because it hits the mark on major issues in today's society. Some controversial and others not so much, but the fact that we are talking about a butch cowgirl and a naive housewife becoming 'friends' is something that could become controversial or been mistaken for something that it isn't. Firstly, the play is not about lesbian lovers and the wife leaves her husband etcetera... This play is much more centered on the fact that love has no center and it cant be clearly defined, just as sexuality is unclear. Just as you may have already read the play and the panning review, we have learned that Mary has a baby that is intersex and they try to decide what the sexuality of it will be and the name and anything that has to do with its gender that is also what Mary is feeling and she is confused right now; especially because she feels like time has never been on her side, hence the title, "Late".
Works Cited:
- Pressley, Nelson. "Theater Review: 'Late: A Cowboy Song' Staged with Bluesy Whimsy." Washington Post. The Washington Post. Web. 5 May 2015.
- Catlin, Roger. "Theatre Review: ‘Late: A Cowboy Song’ by No Rules Theatre Company at Signature Theatre." Maryland Theatre Guide. 7 Jan. 2014. Web. 5 May 2015.
- Ritzel, Rebecca J. "Late: A Cowboy Song, Reviewed: An Eccentric Play about Eccentrics (and the Pittsburgh Cowboy Isn't Even the Most Eccentric Thing) - Washington City Paper." Washington City Paper. Web. 5 May 2015.
- Chapman, Kamarie. "Theatre 228 Class." Western Washington University, . 30 Apr. 2015. Lecture.
- "Third Street Theatre." Calgarys Queer Theatre Company. 29 July 2012. Web. 5 May 2015.
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