“This Is Our Youth” is easily one of the most convincing plays I have ever seen. So good, in fact, that I actually saw it for the second time the other night. Granted the premise and concept may seem a bit painfully gen-X, but the dialogue and acting manage to so perfectly capture the essence of three very specific kinds of people that you can’t help but marvel at it. The play takes place in Dennis Ziegler’s Upper West Side bedroom, a sparsely decorated filthy studio paid for by his rich parents, who are most likely just happy to have him out of their own apartment. As Dennis struggles to figure out his life, bike messengering for drug money, the rest of the people from his privileged world are off at college and pursuing self-sufficient lives. Enter Dennis’ sloppy, shy and stoner friend Warren.
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I don’t really go to the theater that often. I guess it’s just too hit or miss for me. Musicals are usually too - well - musical. Dramas usually seem to be too - well - dramatic. Most people in their twenties only seem to go to plays starring movie stars which usually suck (Wait Until Dark- Quentin Tarantino, Marisa Tomei), instead of attempting to tap into the world of true stage actors, a place where “do-overs” don’t count. I have seen a few good plays lately though, and the more good ones that I see the greater the likelihood that I will go see more in the future.

I guess it took hundreds of reviews, a piece on CBS Sunday morning, a website, and some great marketing to catch my attention enough to actually get me to the theater three blocks from where I work to see John Leguizamo’s brilliant one man show “Freak.” Leguizamo, is far more talented than his sketchy filmography might indicate (To Wong Foo, The Pest, Spawn, Super Mario Brothers). In “Freak” he combines the extraordinary verbal dexterity of a Robin Williams, the range of perfect multicultural impressions of a Tracy Ullman, the weirdness of a John Belushi, and the physical comedy skills of a Jim Carrey. The resulting combination is a very talented and amusing guy.
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