107group presents a tragedy inspired by true events about a Russian father driven to revenge after losing his family in a plane crash. Part of 59E59's annual Brits Off Broadway festival.
Read more Show lessSee it if The characterization was confusing but overall it was absorbing though uneven
Don't see it if you're not interested in a dark true revenge story
See it if While the actors clearly gave their all, it was a letdown as the main character hadn't truly grown or changed by the end.
Don't see it if With one actor playing multiple characters (no prop or costume changes) the cues for character change and the timeline itself were confusing
See it if You appreciate seeing actors jump in and out of various characters and time frames with skill and full commitment.
Don't see it if Watching someone go through personal tragedy is not your thing.
See it if Strong performances don't making this confusing, disjointed show work. Very heavy work about trgedy and loss.
Don't see it if You are looking for a clean narrative or have trouble keeping track of switching roles and time periods.
See it if you like intimate 2 person shows
Don't see it if you want a fuller cast
See it if The victim has a hard time forgiving if the perpetrator doesn't acknowledge their responsibility.
Don't see it if You are not up for an dark, intense story with a lot of grief and anger. Read more
See it if You can watch 2 actors take multiple roles as story unfolds... Revenge for the loss of a family in an airplane accident is underlying thread
Don't see it if You aren't interested in the consequences of action taken in revenge. Guilty before innocent...
See it if psychological dramas about tragedy and loss
Don't see it if plays that primarily involve dialog between two characters.
"The staging...effectively guides the play through hopscotching shifts in setting and time. Too often, however, the script jumps face first into scenes, then flounders as the exposition-laden dialogue tries to pick up the slack...Ms. Jayasundera moves deftly from role to role...Mr. Conlon’s Koslov is an unfinished sketch, barely shaded beyond his revenge...The peak emotional moments verge on the melodramatic...'My Eyes Went Dark' at once presents us with too little and broadcasts too much."
Read more
“Wilkinson's precise ear for dialogue makes his succession of brief scenes convincing, and ‘My Eyes Went Dark’ has power as a high-intensity acting showcase. But there's too little analysis of the mechanisms of revenge and forgiveness. Instead, the play offers intense, histrionic moments that we thrill to as voyeurs, not as thinkers. Actual grief and actual murder are repurposed for our dark entertainment, and there's something ugly in that."
Read more
"The two-hander features the extraordinary acting talents of Declan Conlon and Thusitha Jayasundera. Conlon's portrayal of Nikolai Koslov is an evocative, heartrending performance. Jayasundera plays multiple roles that fill out the entire story...'My Eyes Went Dark' is a very timely piece of theater that examines a tragedy from a rarely seen perspective. It is an intriguing play that will surely captivate metro area audiences."
Read more
"Conlon is especially brilliant at signaling submerged emotions, a skill that proves invaluable here...Given the fragmented nature of Matthew Wilkinson's script, the narrative is occasionally a little confusing...Still, under Wilkinson's direction, there are many passages of unsparing power, and Conlon and Jayasundera hold the play together through a potent combination of talent and nerve."
Read more
“Performed in a small, intimate space with only a pair of chairs onstage, the play's potency is not borne solely by the Lear-like power of Conlon's performance. He is equaled by co-star Jayasundera, an accomplished actress who portrays multiple other characters who cross Koslov's path…These two finely wrought performances are honed to a sharp edge by the playwright, who also directs…A most unsettling evening that raises at least as many questions as it addresses.”
Read more
“Written and directed with thoughtful precision by Matthew Wilkinson...The production is a performance tour de force around which soul tragedy, self-betrayal and vengeance combine to break open an enlightened revelation by the play’s conclusion…Wilkinson’s work and this production are an intriguing mental exercise…The play’s power and dynamism are trenchant. This is an exceptional achievement in a production that is stylized and expressionistic.”
Read more
"Mr. Conlon’s Koslov doesn’t quite ever succeed in making us feel much real sorrow. His emotive range tends to be professionally efficient, but veers dangerously towards the melodramatic…Mr. Wilkinson, as the director, shares some of the responsibility for this shortcoming. More dauntingly, the action takes place over a broad range of locales...and at a pace much more suited to film or television than to the stage...Jayasundera, however, acquits herself remarkably well."
Read more
"This beautifully told tale of utter grief and sadness is slowly parceled out to us over the 90 minutes we spend with these two souls that inhabit this perfectly crafted small space. Declan Conlon and Thusitha Jayasundera, the two very fine actors that have gifted us with their presence and talent, make it feel huge though...Although Wilkinson’s deep and layered drama has moments of disconnect, the play and the performances overcome those unfocused scenes as a whole."
Read more