Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Martin Moran revives his thoughtful solo show ALL THE RAGE, and it’s a much-needed balm

• By drediman
• September 18, 2019
• No Comments

Martin Moran in “All the Rage” at the Barrow Group Mainstage Theatre. Photo by Edward T. Morris.

This week, Martin Moran brought back his 2013 theatrical memoir All the Rage, courtesy of Off-Broadway’s the Barrow Group. Mr. Moran’s solo show first premiered at Playwrights Horizons’ Peter Jay Sharp, where it was well-received. I had missed the show then, so I’m happy to have the opportunity to assess it in its return engagement. The piece is a sort of a sequel – but really, more of a companion piece – to his exquisitely layered The Tricky Part, which recounts Mr. Moran’s sexual abuse as a 12-year-old at the hands of a much older camp counselor.

All the Rage depicts Mr. Moran’s adult life as it unfolds upon the aftermath of The Tricky Part. Using overlapping autobiographical narratives across time and space – one of which revisits a scene from the previous play – Mr. Moran assembles a vital but yearning tapestry which ultimately leads to a place of grace (the same place where The Tricky Part landed), which is somewhat surprising given his traumatic childhood. Not to say that there’s no rage in the work – there is, it’s just so beautifully and thoughtfully articulated that it hardly seems as such. We can all learn from Mr. Moran’s advanced emotional processing skills.

As with The Tricky Part – which last year also opened the Barrow Group’s season – Mr. Moran continues to be a most inviting and charming host. Even though it’s just as thoughtful, All the Rage is less somber than that earlier show, and director Seth Barrish has given the production a complimentary dynamic (albeit refreshingly low-tech) staging, which has Mr. Moran scurrying about the stage more than your typical solo show. When all is said and done, All the Rage is a much-needed balm in our angry, troubled times – as was All the Rage last year. Lucky for us that Mr. Moran has returned to these gems to help teach us how to constructively make sense of this confounding thing called life.

RECOMMENDED

ALL THE RAGE
Off-Broadway, Play
The Barrow Group / Mainstage Theatre
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Through October 5