Fish In the Dark is the new comedy written by Larry David, the creator and star of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and co-creator of "Seinfeld." Fish In the Dark is directed by Anna D. Shapiro and marks Tony-winner Jason Alexander's Broadway return and features Jayne Houdyshell, Jake Cannavale, Jonny Orsini, Rosie Perez, and Jerry Adler.
From a brother-in-law determined to get his hands on the deceased's Rolex watch to a loud, tactless uncle, Fish In the Dark swims in clichés. Until a preposterous second act subplot involving the maid's son, Diego, and Gloria, the comedy stays true to life without ever saying anything significant about life. There are a few choice Larry David-isms sprinkled into the play...But it's hard to avoid the conclusion that if Fish In the Dark had been penned by a first-time 'civilian' playwright...it would have been fortunate to receive a reading. The unknown writer would be told his characters are depthless stereotypes...and that his eye for detail...is firmly shut. Director Anna D Shapiro stages proceedings in a lively fashion...David projects his voice too moderately and adopts a wry, detached presence that would make sense if the material were more sophisticated. Yet credit must go to most of the 18-strong cast who infuse the play with a madcap spirit that makes the performance zip along faster than it would otherwise do.
'Fish in the Dark,' the new Broadway comedy written by and starring Larry David, might as well be called 'Curb Your Enthusiasm: Live' or 'Larry David and Friends'...the bespectacled, balding David is playing the same sort of socially awkward, extremely inappropriate, befuddled, self-centered smartass. Hardly a great work of dramatic literature, 'Fish in the Dark' hearkens back to the silly and insubstantial Broadway comedies of the 1960s, full of one-dimensional characters and nonsensical farce...'Fish in the Dark' is essentially just a showcase for David, with the other characters serving as stick figures for him to play off. Without him, there would be no point to the play. It would be casting someone else to play him on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.' David's abilities as a stage actor are limited (especially his vocal projection), but he is nevertheless idiosyncratic, relatable and sort of endearing. You may not want to see him do Shakespeare, but you do leave the theater wanting to hang out with the guy.
2015 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
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