Nothing Earth Shattering, But Still Worth Writing About

Sometimes when I read a new play I want it to be Earth shatteringly different than anything I've ever read before. I want a new situation, certainly one my brain could not have come up with, and I want to be surprised. But sometimes it's nice to read a play that surprises you with it's simplicity. I just finished reading The Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker. (I'm auditioning for it on Tuesday afternoon.) It's a simply written play, with a simple message: even though we "grow up" into adulthood, life comes in stages and you never know where one will end and the next will begin. It wasn't a play that forced me to think, "Now what IS the symbolism in this character's name?" Or, "What what the purpose of the last two scenes in the play?" I read it, enjoyed it, was surprised by it, and now I'm telling you about it. It was refreshing to read a play where I finished thinking, "Yes, those are real people, and yes I understand what this was about, and yes life is about moments that seem insignificant - but nothing that happens in life is insignificant." (I'm aware that's a run-on sentence, but it's how I think! Deal with it!) The point is, not all theatre has to be stereotypically groundbreaking. A play can simply show you a snippet of real life with characters you can relate to and remind you that life never gets "figured out," it can only be added to. It's possible that this thought is my "Earth Shattering Thought of the Day." So maybe the play does more than I originally thought? What do you think? Read it for yourselves OR you can see it at the Huntington this fall as part of their 2010-2011 season.

- E

P.S. Any other plays get you thinking like this? I'm always up for suggestions!