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STAGE REVIEW
Naivete is 'First Blush' blessing and curse
By Sandy MacDonald, Globe Correspondent | October 18, 2006
When writing instructors pass along the famous dictum, ``Write what you know," perhaps they should append a rider: Wait till you know a little
something. Amy Adler is a young playwright fresh out of Boston University's graduate program in playwriting, and her 80-minute ``First Blush,"
about a quartet of 20-somethings navigating the challenges of adult life, comes across like kids playing house.
Is this really the way the world works? Newbie college grad Paul heads to Africa (on his girlfriend's father's dime), writes a book on primates (``A
Barrel of Monkeys"), and boom, he's sitting in a bookstore, signing author's copies. If only the path to publication were that easy -- even with an
offstage power-broker as patron.
Paul's girlfriend, Emma (Meghan Bradley , who does a good job conveying a combination of money, ambition, and emotional neglect), parlays
that Africa trip into a marriage contract, which she lives to regret. Courtesy of Dad, she and Paul (a very young-looking Jared Craig : All the
players are senior acting majors at BU) enjoy a cushy nest, whose walls and screens, in Julia Noulin-Merat's handsome set, appear to have been
painted by Franz Kline .
He writes, she edits, and all is peachy till the reappearance of Amy's college roommate, Gwen (Katy Rubin ), once a lower-class shlub, now
stomach-stapled and smartened up, but still a needy mess.
Has she got the hots for Paul? Let's just say she seems willing to entertain the notion. Meanwhile, Paul's slick lawyer friend, Ian (Michael
Peterson , who alone seems relaxed and fully believable in an adult role), starts putting the moves on Emma.
It's all very telenovela-meets- ``Friends." And it's so serious -- especially a hospital scene in which Gwen is seen suffering the consequences of a
bodega binge. Our last vision of Emma has her sitting in the park, writing it all down. . .
You see, even as Emma's marriage foundered, she managed to realize her dreams of becoming a writer by turning a job interview at Modern
Marriage magazine into an unhinged rant about the mixed messages young women receive from the media. Instant assignment -- in this
universe, anyway.
© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.
Naivete is 'First Blush' blessing and curse
By Sandy MacDonald, Globe Correspondent | October 18, 2006
When writing instructors pass along the famous dictum, ``Write what you know," perhaps they should append a rider: Wait till you know a little
something. Amy Adler is a young playwright fresh out of Boston University's graduate program in playwriting, and her 80-minute ``First Blush,"
about a quartet of 20-somethings navigating the challenges of adult life, comes across like kids playing house.
Is this really the way the world works? Newbie college grad Paul heads to Africa (on his girlfriend's father's dime), writes a book on primates (``A
Barrel of Monkeys"), and boom, he's sitting in a bookstore, signing author's copies. If only the path to publication were that easy -- even with an
offstage power-broker as patron.
Paul's girlfriend, Emma (Meghan Bradley , who does a good job conveying a combination of money, ambition, and emotional neglect), parlays
that Africa trip into a marriage contract, which she lives to regret. Courtesy of Dad, she and Paul (a very young-looking Jared Craig : All the
players are senior acting majors at BU) enjoy a cushy nest, whose walls and screens, in Julia Noulin-Merat's handsome set, appear to have been
painted by Franz Kline .
He writes, she edits, and all is peachy till the reappearance of Amy's college roommate, Gwen (Katy Rubin ), once a lower-class shlub, now
stomach-stapled and smartened up, but still a needy mess.
Has she got the hots for Paul? Let's just say she seems willing to entertain the notion. Meanwhile, Paul's slick lawyer friend, Ian (Michael
Peterson , who alone seems relaxed and fully believable in an adult role), starts putting the moves on Emma.
It's all very telenovela-meets- ``Friends." And it's so serious -- especially a hospital scene in which Gwen is seen suffering the consequences of a
bodega binge. Our last vision of Emma has her sitting in the park, writing it all down. . .
You see, even as Emma's marriage foundered, she managed to realize her dreams of becoming a writer by turning a job interview at Modern
Marriage magazine into an unhinged rant about the mixed messages young women receive from the media. Instant assignment -- in this
universe, anyway.
© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.
FIRST BLUSH
Review by Norm Gross
The Boston Playwrights' Theatre is now presenting the premiere of "First Blush" a new play by Amy Adler. This one act, 80 minute drama
explores the interaction of a quartet of young contemporary adults. It begins with classmates Emma and her friend Gwen as they prepare for
their graduation from college. Gwen suffers greatly from a lack of confidence due to her anxiety about being somewhat overweight. She feels
very strongly that it's impeding her social life. Emma, young, attractive and self confident, on the other hand, feels no such drawbacks and easily
connects with Paul, who's involved in a major research project. Soon they're living together in her dad's vacant apartment. Paul, a budding writer,
is working on a study about monkeys. Their marriage prompts Emma's father (who's never seen) to fund a trip for Emma and Paul to Africa, to
further his scholarly investigation. After returning, Paul's African journey has resulted in the writing and publication of his book, which has made
him recognized as a successful author. However, this has also caused some irreconcilable differences with Emma. He had always felt that her
dad continually wanted him to fail. Now apart, Emma begins to show some romantic interest in Paul's friend Ian, a highly confident stockbroker.
As their relationship rises and falls, we also learn that Emma's friend Gwen has successfully lost the troublesome weight, albeit incurring some
other physical difficulties, and is now quite sexually active. Emma's split with Ian then leads her to an unexpected meeting with Paul and a
surprising discovery about her friend Gwen's latest romantic affair. Unfortunately, much of the interactions and corresponding motivations of this
foursome are never really adequately developed. We need to know much more about their inner feelings than the playwright has provided. Too
often, they and their problems are treated too abruptly, too superficially. Meghan Bradley and Katy Rubin are reasonably effective as Emma and
Gwen, while Jared Craig seemed a bit too youthful as the very auspicious author Paul. However, Michael Peterson was the most assured
member of the cast as Ian. Julia Noulin-Merat's simple set, consisting of two easy chairs, a small table, and a small elevated counter with
barstools was very creatively and impressively adapted for the play's several important scene changes by the striking use of large rear sliding
panels. Eve Muson's direction also kept the actors and the plot's action nicely moving forward. Now playing through October 22. (My Grade: 2)
Review by Norm Gross
The Boston Playwrights' Theatre is now presenting the premiere of "First Blush" a new play by Amy Adler. This one act, 80 minute drama
explores the interaction of a quartet of young contemporary adults. It begins with classmates Emma and her friend Gwen as they prepare for
their graduation from college. Gwen suffers greatly from a lack of confidence due to her anxiety about being somewhat overweight. She feels
very strongly that it's impeding her social life. Emma, young, attractive and self confident, on the other hand, feels no such drawbacks and easily
connects with Paul, who's involved in a major research project. Soon they're living together in her dad's vacant apartment. Paul, a budding writer,
is working on a study about monkeys. Their marriage prompts Emma's father (who's never seen) to fund a trip for Emma and Paul to Africa, to
further his scholarly investigation. After returning, Paul's African journey has resulted in the writing and publication of his book, which has made
him recognized as a successful author. However, this has also caused some irreconcilable differences with Emma. He had always felt that her
dad continually wanted him to fail. Now apart, Emma begins to show some romantic interest in Paul's friend Ian, a highly confident stockbroker.
As their relationship rises and falls, we also learn that Emma's friend Gwen has successfully lost the troublesome weight, albeit incurring some
other physical difficulties, and is now quite sexually active. Emma's split with Ian then leads her to an unexpected meeting with Paul and a
surprising discovery about her friend Gwen's latest romantic affair. Unfortunately, much of the interactions and corresponding motivations of this
foursome are never really adequately developed. We need to know much more about their inner feelings than the playwright has provided. Too
often, they and their problems are treated too abruptly, too superficially. Meghan Bradley and Katy Rubin are reasonably effective as Emma and
Gwen, while Jared Craig seemed a bit too youthful as the very auspicious author Paul. However, Michael Peterson was the most assured
member of the cast as Ian. Julia Noulin-Merat's simple set, consisting of two easy chairs, a small table, and a small elevated counter with
barstools was very creatively and impressively adapted for the play's several important scene changes by the striking use of large rear sliding
panels. Eve Muson's direction also kept the actors and the plot's action nicely moving forward. Now playing through October 22. (My Grade: 2)
From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com
Subject: Quicktake - "First Blush" by Amy Adler
Date:
Quicktake on FIRST BLUSH
BU 2006 graduate playwright Amy Adler's "First Blush", running at the BPT in preparation for another foray to the ACTF at the Kennedy Center,
is a contemporary drama of the 20 somethings, sort of a "Sex in the City" for two couples, with a hint of Margulies. It might be better served by a
slightly older, slightly more experienced cast though the student actors do well enough. The two women are better written and Meghan Bradley's
Emma is well-realized. Katy Rubin's Gwen grew up, to a point, in college and shows only traces of character beyond that period in her life.. But
their future as posited by playwright Adler is really more of the same "living in the city" fantasy. The two men, Katy's sometime husband Paul,
played by Jared Craig, and his feckless friend, Ian, played by Michael Peterson, are college-boy cliches, whose solution to life is to go back to
school.. The fact that none of these four really have last names is typical of this sort of rather superficial drama, sufficient to the times but not
very satisfying. At least the author hasn't tied her 80+ minute plus intermissionless work to any specific events, so should Adler decide to find
some more significant relevance for these characters, she could develop them into a full-length play. Faculty director Eve Muson, BU BFA/MFA
has given the current script a fair outing.
The several scenes are defined by ingenious sliding panels which with the current light plot give the stage hands a chance to appear in a
shadow show. The backdrop is a black and white abstract while the modern furniture is sufficiently nondescript to serve the unit set. which starts
as an apartment, but must serve as an office, a bar, etc. Downstage center is occupied by a coffee table as per usual. The background sound is
suggestive but not distinctive as are the contemporary costumes, which work well enough for the women, but don't help the men gain any
substance. Still, this show is probably good enough to bring home the bacon for BU once again.
"First Blush" by Amy Adler Oct.12 - 22
Playwrights' Theatre at B.U.
949 Comm. Ave. Allston, (866) 881 - 4111
Subject: Quicktake - "First Blush" by Amy Adler
Date:
Quicktake on FIRST BLUSH
BU 2006 graduate playwright Amy Adler's "First Blush", running at the BPT in preparation for another foray to the ACTF at the Kennedy Center,
is a contemporary drama of the 20 somethings, sort of a "Sex in the City" for two couples, with a hint of Margulies. It might be better served by a
slightly older, slightly more experienced cast though the student actors do well enough. The two women are better written and Meghan Bradley's
Emma is well-realized. Katy Rubin's Gwen grew up, to a point, in college and shows only traces of character beyond that period in her life.. But
their future as posited by playwright Adler is really more of the same "living in the city" fantasy. The two men, Katy's sometime husband Paul,
played by Jared Craig, and his feckless friend, Ian, played by Michael Peterson, are college-boy cliches, whose solution to life is to go back to
school.. The fact that none of these four really have last names is typical of this sort of rather superficial drama, sufficient to the times but not
very satisfying. At least the author hasn't tied her 80+ minute plus intermissionless work to any specific events, so should Adler decide to find
some more significant relevance for these characters, she could develop them into a full-length play. Faculty director Eve Muson, BU BFA/MFA
has given the current script a fair outing.
The several scenes are defined by ingenious sliding panels which with the current light plot give the stage hands a chance to appear in a
shadow show. The backdrop is a black and white abstract while the modern furniture is sufficiently nondescript to serve the unit set. which starts
as an apartment, but must serve as an office, a bar, etc. Downstage center is occupied by a coffee table as per usual. The background sound is
suggestive but not distinctive as are the contemporary costumes, which work well enough for the women, but don't help the men gain any
substance. Still, this show is probably good enough to bring home the bacon for BU once again.
"First Blush" by Amy Adler Oct.12 - 22
Playwrights' Theatre at B.U.
949 Comm. Ave. Allston, (866) 881 - 4111
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Boston Playwrights' Theatre |
| First Blush |
| by Amy Adler Directed by Eve Muson Lights Lance Hinrichs, Costumes Rachel Padula-Shufett *won Barbizon Award Region 1- Honorable Mention for scenery |
| julia noulin.mérat scenic design |