There’s one big reason why you might want to see All New People at the Duke of York’s Theatre – and that’s Zach Braff, he stars in it. Actually, not only does he star in it, he has also written this play. Impressive, right?
But be prepared friends, this isn’t like watching an episode of Scrubs or getting seriously emotional over a horrible break up in The Last Kiss. Although Zach's knack of dropping in sarcasm into the most strange situation still prevails.
The story
The stage is set in a beach house on Long Beach Island. Zach plays a sad and frustrated New Yorker called Charlie who has taken to this beach house – his rich friend’s beach house – to end his own life.
So the play starts with Charlie, on a stool, with a noose around his neck. As he is about to jump, in-walks a dowdy Brit-born estate agent - who proceeds to try and talk him out of ending his life.
And this is where the story really kicks off. Alongside the above mentioned dowdy Brit estate agent, are two other characters. One a drug-dealing fireman; the other a seriously dim escort girl with a big heart. The three join together to make Zach feel like his life is worth living.
Things to note
There is a lot of swearing, there is a lot of booze and narcotics being taken (nnot one for the kids) - and as previously noted, there’s a whole load of sarcasm too peppered across the performance.
Of course the story unravels to reveal the different trials each character has faced. And that’s when the drama really begins. In fact, things get very interesting when the characters finally get heated and let rip about their various issues. The mood changed completely and it has to be applauded that they manage this without changing the set once.
Verdict
There’s absolutely no doubt Zach Braff is a talented man. He doesn’t fail to bring the stage alive with a very simple set and just four characters. His writing is clearly great. But on this occasion it was just very predictable. There were no surprises.
That’s not to say All New People isn't worth seeing. In fact, I laughed the whole way through and although my Zach-loving friend piped up a few times, he laughed heartily on those occasions. Citics have labelled the play “an over-strenuous desire to please the Facebook generation”. Well consider the Facebook generation – and let’s face it, that covers a LOT of people – pleased, because that theatre was not short of laughs on the night. In fact, as we left, a young man behind me whispered to his pal, “It was all right, I chuckled the whole way through” – and that exactly sums it up.
It really was all right, and some of the one liners were fantastic - in fact, it was those deliveries that really made the play. I laughed, I got a bit emotional and I looked up at the stage in awe as Zach loosened his tie and took off his shirt to reveal a tight t-shirt. I didn’t leave unhappy. I just didn’t talk about it non-stop for hours after.
Star rating: * * *
