Last week, I sent Weekender fan Karina Kacala (marketing director of the First Person Arts organization) to see 1812 Theatre Company’s production of An Evening Without Woody Allen, which is based on some of his early articles and essays. After the show at Rittenhouse’s Plays & Players Theater, she accosted a bunch of theatergoers to find out what they thought:

Jerry, mid-60s, Jenkintown: I thought it had its moments but I don’t have enough smart friends to tell to come see this. My friends are a little more pedestrian and I don’t think they’d get it.

Susan, mid-60s, Jenkintown: There were moments that were very cute… But unfortunately,  I fell asleep for a little bit. That’s the truth.

Woody (“it’s a fake name, I don’t want to be quoted”), 36, Center City: I hated it. Sorry. I just didn’t find… there were no redeeming qualities. I thought that the cast was bad. I see a lot of theater and I just didn’t like it. How’s that for candid?

Katie, 45, Narberth: I thought it was very, very good. Very entertaining and funny. Witty. I was laughing throughout the whole show.

Jackie, 50, Philly: I was fairly familiar with most of the pieces and I thought their interpretation was amazing. It really brought it to life. The three actors were just incredible. They switched between the different parts effortlessly, and it was just really amazing. Anyone who’s read any of these pieces – they can be a little difficult to get through. Very humorous if you understand what’s going on. But they really made it very very – they made it come alive.

Mitchell, 60, West Mount Airy: It was great fun. It was exactly what I expected having read all the works in the past. It was pleasantly performed. Very entertaining. Some of the material was quite dated. I knew it was going to be exactly as it appeared in print, but even so, quite effective and humorous. My only negative comment would be that the material, there is repetition thematically and also linguistically. The language is very similar. A good fun night. But only 72 minutes instead of the 90 that was promised.

Jacob, 33, Italian Market: I was really happy to have come. I like the fact that it’s a small, community theater. I felt like a lot of people were from the neighborhood and walked here. I haven’t been to any theater this small in the city. It’s intimate. Feels very established. And I really liked the performance.

Liza, 25, South Philly: I semi enjoyed it. Wasn’t terrible. Wasn’t great. It was funny. I think it was just like pretty good, pretty standard. Like, good. I just sometimes didn’t like the essays as much as other essays. Charlotte Ford was great. She’s hilarious. And it was packed! Old ladies…. Youngest person there.

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