To Broadway’s Hayes Theatre comes the new play Job (like the word that means “work,” not the Biblical character). Tautly written by Max Wolf Friedlich and sharply directed by Michael Herwitz, it is a tight-paced thrill ride of a show.
The basic plot is simple. In San Francisco at the start of 2020, Jane (Sydney Lemmon), a late-20-something woman, seeks to reclaim her prior job. To attain that, she needs to get an assessment from over-60 therapist Loyd (Peter Friedman) that she is fit to return.
That’s it. But then, why is Jane first seen holding a gun on Loyd? Why do certain words and actions cause one or the other of them to go into a temporary fugue state? How can a professional give an honest evaluation when their subject is by turns evasive, expansive, reticent, hostile, apologetic?
Are there inherent generational perceptions blocking mutual understanding? Those questions are left for the audience to decide at play’s end. One is never certain if its two characters are speaking truthfully or hiding secrets — and if there are secrets, will those ever be revealed? And will any revelations not come with their own uncertainties and omissions?
The set, designed by Scott Penner, depicts Loyd’s office as a room without walls, physical doorways, or windows, with just an overhead frame to suggest a ceiling. The black expanse that is the back wall contains panels of multi-colored lights, the work of lighting designer Mextly Couzin, that emphasize words and actions during the course of the play — but are the emphases guiding the audience to come to incorrect conclusions? Cody Spencer’s sound design encompasses everything from sirens to bells, screams to blurry vocal echo effects.
Job was first produced at off-Broadway’s SoHo Playhouse in 2023, then transferred to the Connelly Theatre, another off-Broadway venue, in early 2024. It has now made its way to Broadway for a short engagement. For those who like thrillers where nothing is clearly spelled out, where emotional twists and turns come at you at breakneck speed, then I strongly recommend seeing Job during its strictly limited run. In fact, I strongly recommend it for all lovers of well-written, well-directed, and superbly-acted plays. Go see Job now!
Job is presented at the Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St., in New York, through September 29, 2024. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to jobtheplay.com.
