I didn't read your review until my lunch break just now as I only went to see PP yesterday afternoon.
One of the blurbs that seems to be getting used alot in the publicity (it was on the poster at the NAC too) is "“Full of wit, humour and humanity, Penny Plain is virtually flawless.” – Calgary Herald"
I will agree that it was full of wit, contained some humour (although much of the humour I found unfunny as I generally don't give a crap for scatalogical humour), and almost no humanity.
That was about the coldest plays I have ever seen. The marionettes may have been technically marvelous, but the characters and story were so utterly empty. They were all doomed, and we the audience were supposed to just yawn and say 'that's nice dear, pass the paper when you're done'.
"For it's the end of the world and we know it" done well, I recommend DOn McKellar's Last Night. It still has dark (often grisly and grim humour), but it also has more soul, and characters worth caring about.
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dancing_serpent
Some wit, some humour, but missing the humanity
Date: 2012-03-26 05:01 pm (UTC)I didn't read your review until my lunch break just now as I only went to see PP yesterday afternoon.
One of the blurbs that seems to be getting used alot in the publicity (it was on the poster at the NAC too) is "“Full of wit, humour and humanity, Penny Plain is virtually flawless.” – Calgary Herald"
I will agree that it was full of wit, contained some humour (although much of the humour I found unfunny as I generally don't give a crap for scatalogical humour), and almost no humanity.
That was about the coldest plays I have ever seen. The marionettes may have been technically marvelous, but the characters and story were so utterly empty. They were all doomed, and we the audience were supposed to just yawn and say 'that's nice dear, pass the paper when you're done'.
"For it's the end of the world and we know it" done well, I recommend DOn McKellar's Last Night. It still has dark (often grisly and grim humour), but it also has more soul, and characters worth caring about.