Brooklyn Laundry | 1hr 20mins. No intermission. | Manhattan Theatre Club | 131 West 55th St | 212-581-1212
Would it surprise you to learn that John Patrick Shanley has a new play about heartsore New Yorkers falling noisily in love? Probably not. Shanley is to feisty, love-starved Gothamites what David Mamet is to…well, assholes in suits. Forty years ago, his couples were violent, potty-mouthed outcasts, but they’ve aged into some measure of grace and wisdom—even if total honesty remains elusive. In Brooklyn Laundry, the veteran playwright-director tosses together two soiled souls, adds softener, and gives ’em a whirl.
True to its title, the first scene of this compact (but emotionally sprawling) tale takes place in a laundromat owned by Owen (David Zayas), an affable, middle-aged lug whose flirty demeanor masks a number of wounds. Fran (Cecily Strong) doesn’t bother with brave fronts; her boyfriend left her, she’s got a sister dying of cancer, and she doesn’t care if the world........