From rom-com parody to meta-theatrical mischief, this play is a wild ride

  • Abe Koogler’s play ‘Staff Meal’ at Playwrights Horizons is a deliciously deranged head-scratcher
  • The play moves from a rom-com parody to a sendup of haute cuisine to a moment of meta-theatrical mischief
  • The cast delivers uniformly excellent performances
  • The play confounds expectations and flouts theatrical conventions
  • It pokes fun at audiences’ desire for easily digestible meaning and linear narrative

Abe Koogler’s play ‘Staff Meal’ at Playwrights Horizons is a deliciously deranged head-scratcher. The play starts off in tame territory, with two characters edging towards intimacy in a coffee bar. But as the play progresses, it takes unexpected turns, moving from a rom-com parody to a sendup of haute cuisine to a moment of meta-theatrical mischief. The cast delivers uniformly excellent performances, with Greg Keller and Susannah Flood giving warm, subdued performances as the main characters. The play confounds expectations and flouts theatrical conventions, poking fun at audiences’ desire for easily digestible meaning and linear narrative. It’s a wild ride that will leave you questioning what it all means.

Factuality Level: 2
Factuality Justification: The article is focused on reviewing a play called ‘Staff Meal’ at Playwrights Horizons in New York. It provides a detailed description of the play’s plot, characters, and themes, but it lacks factual information and contains a lot of subjective opinions and interpretations. The article includes unnecessary details, tangential information, and exaggerated language, which lowers its factuality level.
Criteria1: 2
Criteria2: 2
Criteria3: 8
Criteria4: 7
Criteria5: 7
Criteria6: 8
Criteria7: 3
Criteria8: 6
Criteria9: 5
Noise Level: 4
Noise Justification: The article provides a detailed analysis of the play ‘Staff Meal’ and its themes, characters, and structure. It explores the absurdist elements and the playwright’s intentions, offering insights into the performance and the reactions it may evoke from audiences. While the article may contain some irrelevant details and tangents, overall, it offers a thoughtful examination of the play’s complexities.
Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Rating Justification: The article is a theater review and does not pertain to financial topics or describe any extreme events.
Private Companies: Playwrights Horizons
Key People: Abe Koogler (Playwright), Daniel Boulud (Famous Chef (fictional in the play)), Greg Keller (Actor (portraying Ben)), Susannah Flood (Actress (portraying Mina)), Erin Markey (Actress (portraying the Vagrant)), Hampton Fluker (Actor (portraying the Waiter)), Jess Barbagallo (Actor), Carmen M. Herlihy (Actress), Stephanie Berry (Actress), Morgan Green (Director), Mr. Isherwood (Theater Critic)

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