PISSING IN THE WIND
nytheatre.com review by Lee Ramsey
August 15, 2002
The aptly named Pissing in
the Wind, at an endless 55 minutes, is more an extended acting class
exercise than a play. It is in fact more an extended exercise in
self-indulgence. The two performers that make up the cast, Norwegian actress Anna Eline and Josh Bloch, who I assume is Canadian from his program bio, also co-wrote the play. As there is no director credited, I assume they also directed the piece. They might have benefited from bringing in some collaborators.
The play tells the story of Samantha and Alvin, a dysfunctional brother and sister each trying in his or her own way to escape the memories of their bizarre childhood in a broken home. In a play within the play, which is set at the end of World War I, we meet Simone, a French peasant girl, who is confronted by Jurgen, a wounded German soldier. To tell any more would give away the entire plot.
The best I can say about this production is that Eline gives us two interesting and distinct characterizations, displays a great deal of charm, and does excellent French and American accents. Bloch does not fare as well. He gives us one rather generic characterization, displays very little charm, and does an awful German accent.
