Under The Blue Sky @ Mind the Gap Theatre, through June 5

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Jonathan Tindle & Elizabth Jasicki in Under the Blue Sky. Photo by Joe Schultz

David Eldrige’s new three act six person play Under The Blue Sky takes place in one full-on 145 minutes, across what amounts to three different sets on one stage. Populated by a wonderful cast (some of whom I will get to below) the ideas and dialogue is top notch, the action sometimes quite touching and also funny, but overall each act is a bit too long.

I am of the ‘it-can-always-be-better-shorter’ school of theatre, and Under The Blue Sky could have done with some trimming. I understand the attempt to link the acts together-nebulous as it is-and even belaboring the poignant moments make sense, but at each act I was thinking…’great acting, cool writing, but I get the point already.’

Director Paula D’Alessandris does a masterful job with blocking and creating three separate spaces when we are really only ever on this one stage and notable stand-outs here, Jonathan Tindle’s Graham and Christine Rendel ‘s Anne bristle with an honesty you always hope to see in New York theatre but seldom do.

I can recommend Under The Blue Sky but I also recommend you be ready to wiggle and shift a bit at the long moments that could have been shorter.

Under The Blue Sky at the Mind the Gap Theatre at the Kraine Theater, (85 E. Fourth St., NYC) runs May 19–June 5. Thu.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., June 5, 3 p.m. (212) 352-3101 or www.ovationtix.com.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Thanks! Just want to point out the show is 1hour and 45 mins not 145 minutes. I don’t think I could even sit through a Harry Potter film for almost 3 hours. 🙂

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