Written by John Belluso
Directed by Lisa Peterson
Synopsis: In the play, Ian must come to terms with who he has become, after coming back from the war in Iraq without the use of his legs and suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The play was featured in The Public's 2005 New Work Now Festival and was further developed in subsequent workshops prior to Belluso's tragic death in February 2006. To continue shepherding Belluso's final play, The Public staged three different workshops with Director Lisa Peterson and the same company of actors, who will all be appearing in this LAB production.
NEW YORK TIMES:
"But despite the admirable and intelligent work put into it, both before and after the playwright’s death, “The Poor Itch” remains an unachieved play. Mr. Belluso had not resolved central questions of structure, plot and style when he died, and definitive choices have not been made for him. "
Read the whole review HERE.
NEW YORK POST:
"Although at times unfocused in theme and structure, "The Poor Itch" displays enormous empathy for its troubled characters. Bursting with raw emotion and unsettling humor, it's an impressive work, even though it's clearly unfinished. "
Read the whole review HERE.
THEATERMANIA:
"The end result, now on display at The Public Theater, is a stunning theatrical work bursting with emotional power that seems more "complete" than a large number of other plays I've seen this season. "
Read the whole review HERE.
VARIETY:
" An engrossing metafiction of branching plot paths, the play treats its unfinished status as an advantage rather than a handicap, much the way Belluso was said to have treated his own confinement to a wheelchair. "Nothing's going like I thought it was gonna go," muses the main character, but maybe that's the point. "
Read the whole review HERE.
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