The Itch Opens at New Ohio
Drama Desk nominated Throes Theater presents the premiere of a new play by Alexandra Zelman-Doring.
By: Patrick Christiano
September 6, 2017: The Itch playwright Alexandra Zelman-Doring plays Ana, and Gore Abrams plays Simon her 27-year-old twin brother in a tale about co-dependent siblings. The confusingly odd story directed by Theresa Buchheister, which opened at the New Ohio Theater on Christopher Street in the West Village, has a decidedly downtown feel and makes use of film and video projections as well as loud original punk sounding music by Throes Theater with The Petite Brunettes that marks the opening of the play and scene transitions.
Throes Theater is a Drama Desk nominated, Brooklyn-based company that has been working with music and film since 2012, and members have explored styles ranging from experimental gallery showings to street performances as well as more traditional two-act plays. The Itch is in the vein of a two-act play with realistic performances. The staging, however, lacks tension despite the smart dialogue. And neither the actors nor the direction infuse the evening with an emotion filled conflict that is necessary to bring the meandering story to a final unresolved fade-out.
THE ITCH stars Gore Abrams, Coco Conroy, Erik LaPointe, Alexandra Zelman-Doring, Dan Berkey, Ray C. Wright. The production team includes Matthew Dipple (set), George Gavin (video design), Alejandro Fajardo (lighting), Jose Cavazos (costumes), Darielle Shandler (stage manager), Throes Theater & The Petite Brunettes (music). The evening is produced by Throes Theater in association with Kate German.
THE ITCH plays through September 16 with the following schedule Tuesday – Friday & Sunday at 8pm and Saturday at 6 & 9pm with additional matinees on Wednesday at 2pm. New Ohio Theatre is located at 154 Christopher Street, between Greenwich and Washington Streets in the West Village — accessible from the 1/2 train at Christopher Street. Tickets are $20 for general admission / $15 for students, available at 212-352-3101 or www.newohiotheatre.org.
Photography: Walter Wlodarczyk
