The first batch of reviews are in, and its official- Josh Kornbluth’s accidentally academic exploration of the complications of Founding Fatherhood is a hit!
But NEVER take our word for it. The Oregonian says…
“Noticing that you’ve come to look like Benjamin Franklin might not be the greatest of epiphanies. But Kornbluth, who has taken up an eight-week residence in Portland Center Stage’s Ellyn Bye Studio, figures “maybe I can continue to do autobiography — only someone else’s.”
In his unlikely, but hilariously engaging, way, he does both, using a blow-by-blow account of his research on “the first American” to get at the heart of family dynamics in Franklin’s life and his own. At the same time, he makes an intriguing case that the way each of us views history is shaped by whatever narrative of the past resonates most with our own experiences and emotional themes.” – Marty Hughley, The Oregonian
Geoff Kleinman from ONPDX.com had this to share:
“Through out the piece we learn a tremendous amount about Benjamin Franklin as Kornbluth literally wrestles with the fact and fiction surrounding one of the most recognizable figures in American history. For fans of American history this show is a literal smorgasbord, an immense feast of knowledge and insight that will leave even the most ardent history buff spinning. But the piece doesn’t work because it’ll thrill history buffs, it works because it’ll thrill those who aren’t particularly enamored with history. Kornbluth manges to make the world of one of our founding fathers come alive and contextualizes it in a way that makes it exciting and entertaining. He literally dusts off the history books and shows the humanity contained within. Merging that narrative with his own he creates an evening that is extraordinarily entertaining.” -Geoff Kleinman
But wait! Here’s Ben Waterhouse from the Willamette Week:
“OK, I know what you’re thinking. Ben Franklin: Unplugged? When did PCS get into the historical impersonation business?
Don’t worry—this is no after-school special. Josh Kornbluth, a Bay Area monologuist who earns his bread with long, nebbishy rants, isn’t here to recite the highlights of Franklin’s life and interminable supply of pithy quips… Kornbluth finds himself struggling to sort through academic rivalries, popular myth and Franklin’s own self-aggrandizement in hopes of understanding the complicated relationship between the revolutionary father and Tory son. Along the way he meets a mildly crazy Franklin scholar, gallivants around Manhattan in a Franklin costume, gets revenge on Yale University and, of course, winds up thinking about his dad. Kornbluth’s persona is a schlemiel in the classic mold, but he—like all comedians feigning incompetence—is cannier than he looks, and his toying with the self-generated myth of Franklin is a blast to watch.” – Ben Waterhouse, Willamette Week.
And finally, we’ll leave you with some thoughts from Bob Hicks at Art Scatter:
“Like a lot of successful one-person shows, Ben Franklin: Unplugged takes its audience on a dual journey: one into the psyche and obsessions of the performer himself, the second into the performer’s discoveries about his external subject — in this case, Ben.
The link is fathers and sons: Kornbluth’s unresolved relationship with his own father, who died when Kornbluth was in college, and Franklin’s tortured relationship with his illegitimate but favored son William, who seemed the apple of his eye until the two took opposite sides on the issue of the Revolutionary War: the father the unrepentant radical, the son the extreme and sometimes ruthless loyalist.
Along the way Kornbluth creates a marvelous supporting character in the aged, accidental scholar Claude and unearths little pieces of fascinating biography in search of “my own Ben Franklin.” The wry blend of famous-man biography and obscure-entertainer autobiography makes for an engaging evening.” -Bob Hicks, Art Scatter.
more posts about Ben Franklin: Unplugged || Get the Details on the Show || Buy Tickets
Loading ...
