Play Reading

Joined by three theatre peers, we sat at my living room table Sunday night and read Will Eno's The Realistic Joneses.

It pleased me to know that I am not alone in my desire to read new and engaging theatre. Sunday nights are the beginning of our 'weekend,' with most of us given one Monday off in a week. Many practitioners are like me, though, and understand the benefits of hearing these plays read aloud.

Joneses is a quirky four-hander that takes place mostly in the suburban back yard of Bob and Jennifer Jones. We meet their new neighbors, John and Pony, who happen to share their last name, and the lives of these for people intertwine.

I greatly appreciate experiencing a play with other people around. I don't have to imagine the voices of four different characters, but I can hear them instead. Eno's play features many lines with subtle comedic tones, many of which might have gone over my head if I had read this play alone.