Off-Broadway’s buzziest new play Jonah is “always fascinating—an experiment in disorientation that is never less than very absorbing thanks to writer Rachel Bonds’ extraordinary gift for language” (The Wrap). This New York Times Critic’s Pick “is the kind of play that reveals itself slowly but entirely, without undermining its own considerable power by wrapping anything up neatly.”
Ana is away at school, far from home and deeply alone. When she meets Jonah, everything she's longed for begins falling into place—except that Jonah is not all he seems. What begins as an exploration of thrilling desire shifts into more complex negotiations of intimacy and survival that will keep you guessing until its final twisting moments. Danya Taymor directs “an all-around excellent production” (The New York Times).
All of that can leave a theatergoer in a state of wariness — which, it turns out, is a great way to watch this play: trusting nothing, unsure where reality lies, guard firmly raised against any kind of charm. Mind you, “Jonah” will charm you anyway, and make you laugh. So will Jonah, the adorable day student (or is he?) whom Ana, our teenage heroine, meets at her boarding school (or does she?). Who and what is illusory here?
While on the level of character depiction “Jonah” holds our attention, its episodic nature, stretches of mundane dialogue and the disjointed narrative lead to a certain frustration: Where we are in Ana’s life is impossible to pin down, and the jumpy story is more confusing than illuminating.
2024 | Off-Broadway |
Roundabout Theatre Company Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Gabby Beans |
2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | Gabby Beans |
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