Saturday, February 25, 2017

"Significant Others" on Broadway is Borscht Belt Material for Millennials & Jewish Grandparents

"Significant Others" by playwright Joshua Harmon (b Amer 1971) also wrote "Bad Jews" (2015.)  Both play seek humor in millenials behaving badly with Jewish schmaltz added to the brew, hah. Hardly funny or clever, "Significant Others" was simply annoying.  Jordan Berman is the gay protagonist, the odd-man out of a foursome of friends from college all self-absorbed with Peter Pan syndrome.  Jordan Berman (a not too subtle nom de plume for Joshua Harmon.  Gideon Glick (Broadway: "Spring Awakening" & "Spider Man,") role was absurdist in an annoying & cloying frenzy.  His 3 gal pals are all getting married and moving into adulthood leaving him in no man's land without every having found love.   Jordan is at times, both kindhearted & cruel; especially when he undermine's other's happiness.  There are several long supercillious soliquies which sent me over the edge with irritation.  Jordan's best attributes are seen in his connection with his widowed grandma, Helen (the imperial Tony/Emmy winning Barbara Barrie.)  Barrie's brief vignettes were welcome relief from the self-indulgent grief of Jordan & his friends.  The other convincing & touching moments were of the friends as they watched their other friend's have their bridal.  This play has its niche in millennial's old age grandparents.  Seniors in the audience saw the best there was, they were lifted up at times.   For the truth is I couldn't see the love or humor in this cliched, overplayed "Significant Others."  The play is meant to be seen by others; especially Jewish grandmothers.

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