UNUSUAL ACTS OF DEVOTION

There’s a lot of love, valour & compassion on stage in Terrence McNally’s new play 'Unusual Acts Of Devotion' at The La Jolla Playhouse. Amid a city and world in turmoil, it’s a slice-of-life play of people behaving kindly.

Set atop an apartment building rooftop in Greenwich Village, friends and neighbors come together to celebrate an anniversary. On this beautiful summer’s night, the sheer atmospheric beauty brings out their humanity. Lives and loves intermingle with love, understanding & compassion. They share and enjoy food, sex & music but mostly just each other.

A stellar cast including Doris Roberts, Richard Thomas & Harriet Harris are a pleasure to watch. The standout performance is by Joe Manganiello as a kind, gentle, loving Stanley Kowalski type.

Reminiscent of the stylistic beauty of 'Frankie & Johnny', although it may not be considered one of McNally’s best plays, it is a beautiful work of art. It’s the way the world could or should work. In our turbulent world, we very much need to be reminded of the forgotten trait called empathy.