Deborah Klugman – LA Weekly
Daniel Keyes’ now classic sci-fi story about a mentally challenged man whose IQ skyrockets after a surgical procedure tackles not only how we treat disabled individuals but how ephemeral are those intangible values — love, life, respect — that we cherish.
Sharon Perlmutter – Talkin’ Broadway
There are two plays going on in Deaf West’s production of Flowers for Algernon. First, there’s the play you expect, the story of intellectually disabled Charlie, who undergoes a surgical procedure which increases his intelligence and, ultimately, following some intensive therapy and education, renders him a genius. The play follows Charlie’s successes and struggles. We see how Charlie realizes that his workmates, who he thought were his friends, had mocked him when he was less intelligent than they were, and feared him when he became more intelligent. Read more…
Now playing through November 3.