Reviews for 'Buyer and Cellar'
MLive - Ann Arbor News - Don't miss Theatre Nova's hilarious 'Buyer and Cellar'
"It was hard to dismiss the overwhelming sense that something great may be in the process of being born again in the modest, multi-purpose, rough-around-the-edges Yellow Barn. Jonathan Tolin's one man comedy focuses primarily on Alex More (Sebastian Gerstner), a struggling actor who lands a job working in Barbara Streisand's personal mall of quaint shops, housed in the basement of a barn on her Malibu estate. Gerstner gives a nuanced, electric performance that's sure to be one of the year's best in local theater. To play the show's handful of roles distinctly and fluidly, he does little more than shift his voice and posture. Gerstner somehow makes this complicated bit of one-man-storytelling look nearly effortless - the toughest trick of all - and transports you so completely that you don't want Tolin's astute, sharp-tongued, bittersweet tale to end. But when it does, it does so gracefully, hitting just the right, Babs-worthy final note - and thus making me already look forward to what Theatre Nova will cook up next.
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ENCORE MICHIGAN - Hello Gawgeous: New Ann Arbor company rates a “buy”
"...One of the funniest scripts I’ve encountered in ages. Add the formidable talents of Daniel C. Walker, “Buyer and Cellar’s” designer and director, and the manic energy of Sebastian Gerstner, who makes playing four parts look as easy as playing one. The result is razor-sharp comedy, whether one is a fan of the divine Ms. S. or not. “Buyer and Cellar” is yet another example this theater season of the power of storytelling when entrusted to a top-notch tale spinner. Gerstner creates individual characters with just a slight change of inflection, but his use of posture and body language is exceptional. He does not try to ape Barbra Streisand; instead his subtle use of a Brooklyn accent and retiring, self-deprecating flinches define the character. With a new company, new venue and new plays; with seasoned professionals like Daniel C. Walker and artistic director Carla Milarch, that’s not the last new idea to expect out of Theatre Nova.
NEW MONITOR - Streisand's 'stuff' makes great theater
The character of Alex More is a creation of playwright Jonathan Tolins' imagination. The basement-full of Streisand's stuff is not. Tolins got the idea for his clever and witty play after reading Streisand's coffee table book "My Passion for Design," her self-penned homage to her home and her pricey collectibles. All of the characters in this absolutely lovely play are portrayed by Sebastian Gerstner. Through voice changes and posturing, Gerstner gives praiseworthy depictions of Alex, Streisand, her assistant Sharon, Streisand's husband, James Brolin, Alex's gay friend and lover Barry, and a few others. Nova is out of the gate with a flourish with their first production. The play is stylish, sophisticated and garnished with celebrity gossip both real and imagined. "Buyer & Cellar" is a smart play smartly done by Nova's seasoned old hands wearing new uniforms. See it for its rollicking entertainment value and, if the promise of success in Nova's first venture holds true, you'll be able to say you were there when it all began.
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