BY Richard Blakeley
April 28, 2008
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“The Four of Us” is a humorous look at the issues of sex and success, or what I like to call “sexcess”.

As the play begins, you’ll hear the noise of Indian music playing in the background — not the bow and arrow kind, the spicy food kind. Don’t worry though, you’re not going crazy and the theatre is not housed next to an Indian restaurant. It’s just supposed to be mood music for the scene, which happens to take place in an Indian restaurant. Trust me, my lady friend and I were wondering about it for a full ten minutes before we finally figured it out.

In keeping with current trends in plays, television, and films, “The Four of Us” breaks the traditional play format. For me, the breaking of the traditional format is beginning to be tiresome — but that’s probably because I’ve been going to more shows than I care to mention. Thankfully, in this particular play the breaking was done well and thoughtfully.

There are several Broadway in jokes about gay theatre directors and even the self deprecation of Broadway and the writing world itself, another trend in modern Broadway productions. This can sometimes be rather annoying when incorrectly or overdone, but once again it was light hearted and humorous throughout.

The Manhattan Theatre Club isn’t set up like a normal traditional over the top Broadway theatre. This allows for more leg room, but you’re stuck sitting on a chair that closely resembles something you would sit on during a time share presentation — though as a rather tall individual I’d take the legroom over an extremely cushy seat any day.

I highly recommend going on a Friday evening and finding a seat promptly when the doors open thirty minutes before show time. Do not hang out in the lobby drinking like we did or you’ll be stuck in the rafters. Though even if you are stuck in the rafters, the place is so small and intimate that you’ll still be in an amazing seat.

The lobby of the theatre looks more like a Day’s Inn than a fancy lounge, but with tickets at only $50, and student tickets selling for only $25, who’s complaining? Certainly not I.

In conclusion: “The Four of Us” is the perfect show for college writing majors looking for a low priced date that ends early enough in the evening to hit dinner and a party or two afterwards.