I had my first off-Broadway experience this weekend. The play was called "Roulette" by Paul Weitz, who wrote the screenplays for About a Boy and American Pie. The cast includes Anna Paquin ("X-Men") and Ana Gasteyer ("Saturday Night Live").
Roulette is a dark comedy, filled with the requisite funny moments. However, it is also very moving and heartfelt. The main character is a middle-aged man named "John." He lives in a suburban home with his wife and two kids. We soon find out that every member of the family is struggling with personal and professional issues. John is expected by the audience to do something to fix the problems within the family.
John makes up for the lack of excitement in his life by playing Russian roulette at the dinner table before he goes to work. I won't spoil the story, but one need not be a New York Times critic to realize that this will somehow bring the family closer together, albeit in a twisted kind of way.
I highly recommend this play. It is only playing for a month, (the show started 2/18,) and tickets are just $35, so get them while you still can. I managed to get seats close to the stage for a Saturday show only two days in advance. Seeing Anna Paquin and Ana Gasteyer just a few yards away from me was a memorable experience.
