Saw Better Lateat the Northlight Theatre in Skokie.
Here’s the facts:
Better Late, by Larry Gelbart and Craig Wright.
Starring John Mahoney, Mike Nussbaum, Linda Kimbrough, and Steve Key.
World Premiere.
Here’s my recap (sorry, I’m playing staccato on my guitar and its making me form short sentences…):
One of John Mahoney’s finest performances. Never thought he was acting, he just was. The writing was fabulous. You can always tell great writing when you can take a line out of the play and plaster the words as quotes around your house. Linda Kimbrough started off ok, but ended up only being a one-dimensional character, and that really started to bother me. Steve Key, who played the distraught son, was acting too hard…and it showed when he paired with Mahoney or Nussbaum, since they are stage veterans, which really means they’ve been good enough to stick around the place. Mike Nussbaum was fabulous. There was only about one scene with just the two guys, Mahoney and Nussbaum, and I loved every minute of it. I wish there were more seasons like that. I enjoyed their performances, even when I didn’t get the half the jokes (who is Sid Caesar, anyway? J ) and even though I was the youngest person in the crowd, the storyline of the crazy and messy thing called life, and mortality, and how do you want to be remembered philosophy rang true, even in this 27-year-olds eyes.
But one thing stuck: It’s better late then never to start falling in love. (insert overly dramatic sigh here)
Thanks Aunt T for the tickets!
