Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA
through July 3, 2026
by Shera Cohen
What happens when the members of a well-to-do Jewish family spend vacation time together at a posh resort? No surprise that all is not a happy reunion.
The story of the Rosenberg family focuses on two menacing and simultaneous storms; one indoors and the other outdoors. The storm of dialogue between various family members escalates from conversations to accusations to outright fights. The storm outdoors, which the audience can see through the set's windows, is just as intense growing into a full-on hurricane.
Which storm is worse, more unsettling, fierce, and enough to change the dynamics of the roles and outcome of the play? The answer is up to the audience, but each violent predicament is profound.
The story is time-sensitive and the time is now. Playwright S. Asher Gelman, a Jew entrenched in the contemporary status of Israel, states in Barrington Stage's playbook, "[It is] my most personal play, coming from a rich history of Jews arguing about, well, everything." Gelman's mantra is that many things can be true at once, "especially when they are in direct conflict."
The cast of eight create an ensemble piece; although Coby Getzug (Aaron) and Gregg Weiner (David), who depict brothers, are at the core of the bitter arguments. This is not sibling rivalry; but on a much higher and moral level. In fact, their conflict is on a global scale.
Their war of increasingly passionate and sharp words becomes the crux of the second part of Act I and into Act II. Zionists vs. Palestinians -- whose atrocities are worse, is one evil equal to another? The brothers' sister Bex (Dani Stoller) soon becomes a third player, not defending either brother, but defending herself and her own beliefs.
Toss into the storm is the issue of money -- lots of it. Again, brother vs. brother with dollars spent to support each side of the cause doesn't sit well with all assembled.
To the actors' credit, what appears on stage is real. Yet, the dialogue is oftentimes so fast and overlaps that the arguments are not verbally clear to the audience. Yes, this occurs in real-life fights when one person doesn't or doesn't want to hear the other well enough to understand. Sometimes slower is better. Sometimes fewer words are better.
Scenic design by Adam Koch, lighting design by Solomon Weisbard, and sound design by Salomon Lerner and Andy Evan Cohen deserve kudos. To offer specific examples would be spoilers. The fictional rain, hail, thunder, lighting, crashes, and swooshes of 100+ mph winds is enough for many in the audience to be a bit fearful to take a breath of the cool Pittsfield air during intermission.
Director Chloe Treat places her characters in specific locations, using center stage only when the entire family gathers, stage right as Bex's apartment in Israel, stage left as Aaron's home in the US. Then sections switch again, developing wise use of space. Each sibling has a partner. The brothers' fight is, at first, a match of words, then shouting, soon physical with each man on his side of the stage, hurling "rights" and "wrongs" at each other.
Yet, the story takes no sides. What if offered are opinions; albeit strong opinions which make this play complete.