by Wyatt Tiller
I saw Appropriate on Broadway a few months ago, and my life has since was changed –actually, completed. Yes, because the play was incredible in all aspects, but also because it stars Sarah Paulson, and I got to see the goddess that she is performing her craft live from the third row. You’ll find this article jumping back and forth from Sarah Paulson stan’s perspective to a play review so, bear with me.
Written by American playwright Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins, Appropriate is a revival of a darkly comic family drama originally premiering off-broadway in 2014. The play revolves around siblings who reconnect to deal with their father’s estate after he dies. Each sibling arrives with different intentions. Twists happen, including an estranged sibling’s arrival, as well as many many secrets that come to light and ultimately force the family to face the skeletons in their closet. It’s very August: Osage County coded, another incredible family drama play.
Sarah Paulson is center stage as the older sister and now the center of her family –Lord have mercy. I have tried hard not to make this article smutty. I’ve never even used that word but that’s the type of way Sarah Paulson gets you (that was way too personal, but anywho).
The play is easily enjoyable but also very deep. The actors display the compedic aspect of the play perfectly. Some scenes are light and funny. They explore family and sibling dynamics, relationships, and different life choices and types of people. But there is a serious message and heavy topic the play centers on. This mainly deals with racism and how to deal with dark family lineages. I feel the author uses comedy and melodrama in the right places for such a sensitive topic to help the story become achievable on a stage while still making room to show the uncomfortable and dark roots of this family.
Back to Sarah for a minute, her performance in the play was like no other. Her rage, range, comedy, and wit. She had such a complex character in a play with such a complex story and message to portray. If she doesn’t receive a Tony for this performance, is God even real? The actors of this play were terrific: Corey Stoll, Elle Fanning, Natalie Gold, and Michael Esper, but Sarah was obviously the best.
I kept this review short because I didn’t want to spoil anything or over-explain while still giving you enough details to make you want to see it. Seriously, you have to. Appropriate will be talked about for a long time, and it’s an experience you cannot miss. It recently moved to the Belasco Theater and will be running until this summer. It’s worth every single penny you spend!! Really, I think I should be getting paid for all this advertising.
This is also your chance to possibly meet Sarah Paulson. I met her at the stage door afterwards and that’s simply when I died and ascended to heaven –bye!
the paper 