The LSU School of Theatre’s production of Will Eno’s “Middletown” premiered Tuesday night at the Claude L. Shaver Theatre. Directed by Kendall Krebsbach, the play proved to be just as hilarious as promised.
After hearing only exceptional reviews about the show, I was quite eager to see it. People tossed around phrases like “funny,” “entertaining” and “overall a great production” when describing “Middletown.” With a cast of talented peers, I figured the show would live up to the hype.
Centered around the eponymous small town, the play illustrates the everyday lives of a few different types of characters who live there and allows the audience to see the town through their eyes.
The comedy served as a strong point of the production as I found myself laughing throughout most of the performance. Characters who stood out included the librarian, played by Meg Walsh, and John Dodge, played by Austin Ventura. Both actors did an elegant job portraying the complex emotions driving their characters.
In the beginning, it was difficult to understand what was going on because there was so much happening simultaneously. At times, the performance moved too quickly, and I wish the pacing would have slowed down a bit. Because of this, I still don’t quite understand the play’s overarching theme.
Kinesiology freshman Chloe Pelitere said “Middletown” made her draw parallels between the play’s setting and her own hometown, especially considering the people and places. She was also pleased by the play’s surprise ending.
“It also allowed for plot twists that I honestly would have never expected,” Pelitere said. “The ending of the play was especially interesting
because it almost definitely wasn’t expected.”
Civil engineering sophomore Katie Ebrahim said she found the play “hilarious,” particularly praising Walsh’s portrayal of the librarian.
“The librarian was so good — I can definitely see her becoming really successful one day,” Ebrahim said.
“Middletown” airs until Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Despite a slightly confusing theme and speedy pacing, I would still recommend it to fellow students for its comedic value.