Theater Re-view: SRT's American Buffalo is a MUST-SEE 'Dirty' Classic!

SRT

by MK Scott 

American Buffalo is a modern Day Classic, and as Part of its 50th Anniversary season now being performed on the Seattle Repertory Theater stage. 

American Buffalo is a 1975 play by American playwright David Mamet which had its premiere in a showcase production at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago. After two more showcase productions, it opened on Broadway on February 16, 1977. Critic Frank Rich called it "one of the best American plays of the last decade." In 1996, I saw the Film on cable starring Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Franz, and Sean Nelson.

THEATER RE-view: SRT's Updated, 'Inspecting Carol', MORE Parody than CLASSIC!

Budget cuts leads to this!

by MK Scott

I had heard some good things about Daniel Sullivan's Inspecting Carol, written and produced on the Seattle Rep's stage in 1991. If you recall at that time, Jesse Helms was going on the attack to cut funding from the NEA  (National Endowment for the Arts).  The Play tells the tale of how ARTS Organizations were (and still are) struggling and had to jump over the hoops to change from traditional to Experimental to Contemporary.

Now that 'Inspecting Carol' has returned to the SRT Stage, the play still had to change with the times. When I heard of the plot, I assumed it would be like the Classic Michael Frayn Farce, 'Noises Off'. However 'Carol' really isn't in the same league. It is clearly a Parody of 'A Christmas Carol' with a silly behind the scenes story thrown in.