"This is not a novel subject – show folk who are privately miserable and use stage illusions to mask life’s ugly realities. But Eisenberg marries his sardonic portrait to an immigrant’s story to give it an extra layer of suspense and relevance...Scott Elliott’s production deftly layers well-crafted cringe comedy with moments of pathos...At one hour and 45 minutes, the play could lose 15 minutes (as practically everything could), and as noted, Sarandon can’t stick the landing."
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“Eisenberg has a knack for compelling dialogue — it's believable (often more believable than the characters who speak it), funny at times...But, where characterization of his protagonists is concerned, Eisenberg tends to disclose all his cards very early, leaving little for the audience to discover...Elliott wrings maximal horror from what the playwright has written...The production's cast is admirable, but three of the members are severely underutilized."
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"The combination of Mr. Eisenberg’s smug sensibility, inane contrivances, shtick-ridden dialogue, condescended-to characters, and slack construction all make it a tiresome one hour and 45 minutes...Sarandon is onstage for virtually the entire play, giving a spirited performance that is as faithful as possible to Eisenberg’s pop psychology conception...Despite the talent and craft on display, 'Happy Talk' is a joyless, hollow and minor exercise."
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"Luckily, Sarandon manages to fill out her portrayal of Lorraine to make her a woman we’d like to at least spend an hour or so with. Ireland is wonderful opposite Sarandon... Eisenberg’s script is often hilarious, and full of great one-liners. The writing is witty, and the story is well told...Ellis’ production is well-paced, and excellent supporting performances...make this play a truly enjoyable two hours. But on closer examination, it doesn’t add up to much more than, well…talk."
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"Sarandon takes on this juicy role giving it all the exquisite touches it deserves as does Ireland who both compete for the laughs. Sometimes the comedy lands as it should and other times it stings and gets in the way. But, alas, as good as the cast is, you leave feeling unfulfilled knowing that something is missing. Scott Elliott directs this uniformly well-chosen cast."
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“’Happy Talk’...plays tricks with our perception - and it takes a long, long time to get where it is going...The performances are all quite fine. Some are more rounded than others, but this is due to the writing that often feels tentative. No one person dominates the story...The result is that this play travels along its sad path until it reaches the climax, where a touch of dastardly is thrown in...Nothing is really resolved. The play just ends...We all leave...wondering what we just watched.”
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"'Happy Talk' is filled with unhappy characters, yet Eisenberg’s play leaves you unsatisfied with no one to root for or care about. At moments Lorraine reminded me of Blanche DuBois, who was out of touch with reality. Yet Lorraine is creating her reality, no matter who she hurts and that’s even worse. Like 'Blood Mary,' Lorraine is a ‘broken woman,’ but at least we care about Mary."
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"The plotting of ‘Happy Talk’ is convoluted and abstract...Ireland is the star here...But the trap she finds herself in isn’t dramatically engaging enough to hold our heart, our attention, and this play together...As a full theatrical experience, it doesn’t satisfy, leaving us cringing at the shallowness of the comedy, unfulfilled, disheartened, and embarrassed."
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