This Is Our Youth

This Is Our Youth is playing at the Cort Theatre located at 135 West 48th Street. It runs two hours fifteen minutes with one intermission. The play closes on January 4, 2015.

In 1993 the original title was “Betrayal by Everyone”

It was originally produced at the Intar Theatre in New York City in October 1996. The cast was Josh Hamilton, Mark Ruffalo and Missy Yager.

Michael Cera and Kieran Culkin were in the March 2012 production at the Sydney Opera House.

Michael Cera was nominated for a Screen Actors Award in 2014 for “Arrested Development”.

Kieran Culkin first movie role was a small part in “Home Alone” with his brother Macaulay.

Anna Shapiro is the director. She was nominated for a Tony Award in 2011 for “Mother f**ker With the Hat” and in 2008 for a Tony Award, Outer Circle Critics Award and Drama Desk Award for “August: Osage County”.

Todd Rosenthal did the scenic design. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 2011 for “Motherf**ker With the Hat” and won a Tony Award in 2008 for “August: Osage County”.

The play takes place in Dennis Ziegler apartment on the upper West side in Manhattan in late March 1982.

Act One takes place after midnight and Act Two is noon the following day.

Warren Straub (Michael Cera) visits his friend Dennis Ziegler (Kieran Culkin) apartment with the intent staying there a few days. His father has kicked out of the apartment for smoking pot all the time. Warren has no other place to go. He is so hyper. Dennis is not to thrilled having him stay there but gives in when Warren pays him back what he owes him. The deal is he can stay two days.

Dennis freaks out when he finds out Warren stole $15,000.00 from his father. Afraid of what might happen, he tells him to return the money. But some of the money has already been spent. Dennis comes up with the idea since he deals in drugs, he’ll use some of the money to get some coke. Warren’s profit can replace the money spent.

Warren wants to party. Dennis leaves to meet his girlfriend and get the coke. Her friend Jessica Goldman (Tavi Gevinson) comes up to visit the apartment. Warren has a crush on her. Jessica is opposite of Warren.

You don’t find out things about Warren until near the end of the second act. This information gives you an insight as to why he acts the way he does. But by then who cares. There is no depth to the characters. They are shallow. I felt it was poorly put together.

Sometimes I could not hear Michael.

I’ve read this play is a great comedy. What’s funny about someone being on drugs, selling drugs or not getting laid? These are among the things the audience was laughing at.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich

Photos by Annazor

To read an interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click on recent photos for this and other shows.