They should have named this production "Exit to Hades". We in the audience are the damned being forced to endure inexplicable torment. The music, at the beginning, was interesting although stiffly performed; presumably an attempt to presage a tragedy to come. Instead we got more and more self indulgent prose (presented as dialog). The young actor who took the lead should leave the gym for a couple of hours a week to take acting lessons. His clumsy pauses and irritating habit of raising his vocal tone at the end of every sentence only emphasized the lack of content in the script. A kid with a tough background wanders and becomes an adult who cheats and lies and uses people and who is dazzled with cool cars and clothes, yawn. We decided to stay for the second act in hopes that the three actors, who did not appear in act 1, might improve things. After the intermission, we got a few meaningless minutes in the Act 1 set, and then got to sit there while the valiant stage crew dawdled through a puzzling change of scenery. We found ourselves across the street from the garage in the diner (certainly a lovely set). Sure enough, as forewarned, there sat the drooling old tire man whose head had been sliced through in an explosion. He drooled and babbled competently, though his presence was as grossly unnecessary as was the entirety of act 2. The aging waitress delivered her tired lines with some skill, suggesting that, with the proper script, she might be a talented actress. The younger love interest psychology graduate was horrible. She delivered her lines in a painfully melodramatic presentation that made her appear as though it was her who had had her brain addled. A high school actress selected at random would have given a more convincing performance. But what was worse was the writing. The two women whined on and on talking about how beautiful the author was, both as a "bad boy" dandy and as a nude adonis. I am glad to know that the author thinks himself so magnificent, but for me it is narcissistic self indulgence. Let us conclude: Bad script, bad acting, unlikeable characters (characterizations), bad lighting, bad directing, bad bad bad. You should not go see this show when there are so many great offerings available (e.g. The Sunset Limited; Venice; Bernstein; Hoboken to Hollywood, etc.). If you are forced to go, don't say that I didn't warn you. At the very least, don't look for exit 10; there is only one exit from the theater and you should sit very near it and might want to use it early on in the production....It won't get any better, believe me.

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Wow! Those are some tough member reviews! Unfortunately, I can't argue with most of the points. I did think Darst, as the "Older Mike", had a lot to offer, though. His performance makes even more sense in retrospect, once you get to the end -- assuming you can bear to stay that long. To be honest, it wasn't easy, but I was glad I did. Something of a pay-off did occur for me. As for the rest, Jean St James, as Madaline, was more than competent, and a pleasure to watch. I even preferred to follow her silent business when it was her turn to be background, rather than the main action. Sets were terrific too. It seems the play has now been shut down (a month early). So I feel no obligation to warn readers off by going on about the negatives. I feel badly for all those involved -- It just didn't work.

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Did not stay for second act and almost fell asleep during the first act!!!

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This performance was nothing short of awful. I left after the first act. I would write more but I want put it out of my mind and forget that I was there.

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