Happy in the Poorhouse GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS
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Happy in the Poorhouse
By Derek Ahonen
Theatre 80 St. Marks
80 St. Marks Place
212-388-0388
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IF YOUSE WANT A REAL SENSE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SIT THROUGH THE AMORALISTS ' HAPPY IN THE POORHOUSE , IMAGINE THAT I AM UP IN YOUR FACE, SHRIEKING THIS REVIEW AT THE TOP OF MY FRICKIN' LUNGS IN A BROOKLYN ACCENT! THIS PLAY IS LIKE SOME CHIT'LIN CIRCUIT CRAP, ONLY WITH ITALIAN-AMERICANS—LIKE, THE FRICKIN' PARMIGIANA PLAYERS! AND LIKE PARMIGIANA, PLAYWRIGHT DEREK AHONEN HAS COVERED THIS BABY IN A THICK LAYER OF CHEESE! OH BOY! IT'S ABOUT THIS BOXER GUY NAMED PAULIE, WHO CAN'T SCREW HIS WIFE MARY! HE MARRIED HER EIGHT MONTHS AGO WHEN HER BOYFRIEND WENT TO FIGHT IN IRAQ ! THE BOYFRIEND WAS PAULIE'S BEST FRIEND PETIE! OH MY FRICKIN' GAWD! PETIE'S COMING BACK FROM IRAQ THAT NIGHT AND THEY'RE HAVING A PARTY FOR HIM! PAULIE'S SISTER PENNY IS COMING BACK TOO! AND EVERYBODY'S BROKE AND NEEDS TO ASK EACH OTHER FOR MONEY! WHAT A MESS! AND MARY'S BROTHER, JOEY? HE'S A MALE-CHAUVINIST POSTMAN WHO SCREWS EVERY BROAD ON HIS ROUTE! JOEY'S IN LOVE WITH PENNY, BUT PENNY'S A DYKE! PETIE WANTS MARY BACK AND HE AND PAULIE HAVE A BIG RIDICULOUS FIGHT! PETIE PULLS OUT A STAPLE GUN AND FIRES IT INTO PAULIE'S SCALP! AAH-HAHAHASNORT!
Bob 04/28/2010 8:57:00 PM
Sorry, you guys, but I agreed 100% with the review and commend its author.He really had the guts to call a turd a turd. The script was offensive on so many levels that got in the way of the message - the joy, comedy and absurdity of our untidy lives. I was especially disppointed with how it exploited (apparently ignorant)blue collar types who denigrated women,gays, blacks, foreigners, ... I felt dirty and disappointed after sitting through 2 hours of this - a bit like one might feel going to a slum and laughing at the ignorance of those "beneith me socially". Thank you Mr. Hannaham for finding a funny style in which to pan a most unfunny drama.
Tuvya 04/26/2010 7:48:00 PM
This review is more a telling of how awful the voice has become and has nothing to do with the play. Hannaham clearly went to this wanting to hate it and didn't even pay attention to the in-depthness of it. Just because the characters don't speak in colloquial tongue doesn't mean it's a bad play, in fact the play is brilliant because it's able to make you laugh your ass off the whole time while covering totally serious issues.
Hannaham, based on this review I think you're just mad because you'll always be a jerk reviewer who has to write in all caps to get any response and Ahonen will continue to have successful plays. You clearly do not have the intellectual capacity to see being "Brooklyn' accent."
John Seville 03/27/2010 9:53:00 PM
Wow, I feel very sad for this reviewer (which I can't really call a critic), but sadder for the Village Voice who keeps people like these employed (or was this your unpaid intern?)
I guess the Voice is no longer the place to go for a fair, thoughtful, knowledgeable and critical review of a play (positive or negative). Snark invaded this place with no regard for the resulting loss of substance or meaningful viewpoint.
I am not a regular theater-goer, but saw this play and found a lot in it. Yes, it's screwball, a bit campy, but it stays with you and it actually says a lot. So today I went online to find reviews and see what critics thought, hoping for an interesting viewpoint, hoping to continue the conversation. I found thoughtful nuanced reviews on the websites of the NYT, of Backstage, even of the NYPost. I am sorry the piece above is all i found on the Village Voice's website. The play, the actors, the playwright all deserved much better than this.
Tim 03/22/2010 10:15:00 PM
Dear Village Voice-
For fuck's sake, you are better than this. You really are.
-T
Keecia Buster 03/19/2010 1:31:00 AM
Is this what passes for a professional play review these days? Apparently, we get no discourse on technical elements, or dialogue? This is just a reviewer making himself seem like a juvenile who lacks the ability to convey his ideas in an appropriate manner. Do you even possess knowledge of theatrical terminology? Do your editors have standards anymore. It would seem they do not. I've worked with Derek Ahonen, and I assure you, none of his plays are ever just a lot of screaming. Apparently, the reviewer lacks the ability to find any meaning that isn't spelled out for him, in caps, perhaps.
Thomas Gordon 03/18/2010 6:22:00 AM
This critic clearly doesn't have any respect for artists, theatre or his own paper. It just shows why no one respects the Village Voice anymore. Sloppy work like this. As the other person leaving feedback mentions, be sure to check out other reviews. The Times & TONY raved about this show. I missed Pied Pipers (a huge hit for this company last year), but LOVED this play when I saw it this week. I've been telling everyone I know to check it out.
Cynthia Leary 03/17/2010 9:55:00 PM
Unfortunately I think this critic didn't get the screwball comedy style of this production. Think All In The Family meets The Honeymooners in a modern day setting. Check out these great reviews of the show.
http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/theater/reviews/16happy.html
http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/theater/83755/happy-in-the-poorhouse-at-theatre-80-theater-review
http://blog.ctnews.com/meyers/2010/03/15/%E2%80%98poorhouse%E2%80%99-sexual-problems-viagra-can%E2%80%99t-solve/
http://flavorpill.com/newyork/events/2010/3/11/the-amoralists-present-happy-in-the-poorhouse
http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-ny-theatre-off-broadway/happy-in-the-poorhouse-1004075551.story
http://showshowdown.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-in-poorhouse.html
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