Angry Alan is an earthquake of a production. It will lift you out of your lives, the way only extraordinary theatre can, and return you to them filled to the brim with the experience of this play.I am reminded of what Liv Ullman wrote in the program notes for “A Streetcar Named Desire,” which was produced at BAM in 2009.The way I see it, Tennessee Williams wished to pull us out of our own angry darkness by allowing us to see, to recognize the hurt, vulnerability, and fear disguised as violence, rudeness, carelessness, or what may look like madness.Though when the light fades and it is all over, great writers return what they have borrowed, miraculously enabling you to see yourself in a new and clearer perspective. They transfer the extravagant gift of their achievement to you, forever.What she said.“Angry Alan” begins with a brilliant and sensitive script by Penelope Skinner that is both seductive and raw. Then we have John Krasinski – you know that sweet guy with the bowl cut from “The Office” 2005-2013. (Yes, THAT long ago, so just take a moment and swallow.) THAT guy gives a performance that is startling in its precision and depth. Who knew? Top it off with direction by Sam Gold, who has pulled every ounce of nuance out of this even and released it to the four winds. This is a theatrical trifecta: brilliant writing, exquisite acting, and insightful direction.Roger (Krasinski) is here to tell us a story. His story. He is easy on the eyes and ears, and the story starts off like one of those tales you might hear from a skilled storyteller at your local bar. He is the kind of guy to whom everyone listens because he knows how to spin a yarn, no matter how trivial the story may be. So we listen.Through one of those jaunts down a random rabbit hole on the Internet, Roger has ended up at the doorway to the world of Angry Alan, and the timing could not be more perfect. Roger has suffered a few losses recently: job, marriage, and the verdict is out on his son. He is living with his current lady friend, who is, frankly, a mystery. As a matter of fact, the whole world is a mystery, because Roger, in his 40s, and life had not gone the way he intended.Before we know it, we have climbed into the rumble seat, fastened our seat belts, and settled in for wherever this man wants to take us. The thing is, where he wants to take us is not where we want to go, but by the time we realize that, we are already committed.The only person who seems to get Roger in a visceral way is Angry Alan. Angry Alan preaches the gospel of MEN ARE GOOD, and the world has stacked the deck against them. Women are walking contradictions. Men have not been given a fair shake, and it is time to stand up and be counted.The spoon-feeding is so gentle that we hardly notice what is happening. Until we do. Krasinski rides the train into the station with a gentle hand on the throttle. He has let us see how the sausage was made. We are no longer standing on the sidelines. We are complicit. Whether we want to admit it is another story for another day.Treat yourself to this one. This is an experience of the highest order. Yes your cage will get rattled. That is what good theatre does. This, my friends, is theatre at its very, very best.ANGRY ALAN, by Penelope Skinner and directed by Sam Gold.WITH John KrasinskiScenic design by Dots, costume design by Qween Jean, lighting design by Isabella Byrd, sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman, video design by Lucy MacKinnon, properties by Addison Heeren, with Niamh Jones as associate directorThrough August 3 at Studio Seaview (305 West 43rd Street). TICKETS HERE RELATED https://youtu.be/wGMZ4yFOfe8?si=w-nTy_8NidoWihYs Read the full article