DITCH: 33% Bitter – UPDATED

Nina Millin - Amber Hamilton. Photo Courtesy of Mutineer Theatre.

BITTER
But Coffman breaks our hearts by trying to be something he is not yet, and that is a playwright effectively dealing with searing emotional catharsis. Stories of Will’s best friend and Beth’s brother dying in a car crash or Will’s mother leaving him at an early age for no particular reason do not tonally fit the work, and what little goodwill the playwright builds with some of his funnier theatrical ideas goes right out the window.
Brad Schreiber – Backstage

SWEET
Mutineer Theatre Company has done it again. After a successful run of their inaugural 2009 production, “Lie With Me,” the young company presents Ditch, a hilarious and intelligent dissection of the self-destuctive psychology we inevitably espouse in romantic relationships. From the pre-show announcement to the play’s final punch, the refreshingly raw new piece breathes playful life into painful neuroses, proving new works can play an invigorating role within the theatrical canon.
K. Primeau – LA Theatre Review

BITTER
There are many funny situations which could be amplified, but there are more serious scenes that meander and don’t quite fill in the blanks. If there was a more laser like focus on either the comedy or the dramatic aspect this could be a stronger presentation. For now, the best we can offer is the well known phrase that Randy Jackson of American Idol has made infamous – “Sorry Dog – it just didn’t do it for me”.
Jose Ruiz – Reviewplays

BITTERSWEET
Still, the peril is that Beth and William come across as weaklings, and as director Jon Cohn has cast young and childlike actors as his romantic leads, we’re never convinced either that these two kids could or should work it out. For all its missteps into sitcom humor, this is a play with a grownup heart, and it would benefit from a staging with maturity.
Amy Nicholson – LA Weekly