Review: Complete Success

It's been many years since I took a science class. I was never a science geek. Never really understood it and whenever I would hear science terminology being thrown around, I would close my ears. And then I had the great privilege of seeing Playwrights Horizons A+ production of Itamar Moses's Completeness. The play is a love story literally about two geeks. We watch them from first interaction through their growing relationship. So of course the two science geeks, Elliot and Molly, portrayed by the stellar Karl Miller and Aubrey Dollar, would exchange dialogue of mostly science mumbo jumbo. But what makes Moses's play so perfect is the fact that I had no idea what they were talking about, I knew EXACTLY what they were talking about. Why? Because beneath all of the science talk was the subtext of love. Moses, one of the most inspiring young playwrights of this generation, knows how to write characters so well, and Completeness is no exception. Watching the love unfold between Elliot and Molly was beautiful and real. As far as plot is concerned, Molly was conducted an experiment with yeast that Elliot was able to create an algorithm that would help her predict the results. Molly needed Elliot. Completeness.

David Zinn's set was brilliant. Walking into the theater, you see a basic college style computer cluster. And then all of a sudden, the set begins to transform. The walls revealed new locations. Desks disappeared into walls and into the floor. It was perfectly high tech and not in the least distracting. It served the play wonderfully. And then there was Pam MacKinnon's direction. It could be summed up in a single word. Flawless. I'm honored that I was able to work with her last year on Clybourne Park. I highly suggest seeing this show. I will be shocked if it doesn't extend and find further homes throughout the country. Completeness is quite possibly the best play I have EVER seen. Bravo to all.