Unlucky Number

“Hell is truth seen too late.”—Thomas Hobbes

And then the dog showed up.

I joined my sister and her friend on Saturday to see The Fear of 13, a play based on the life of Nick Yarris, who spent 22 years on Pennsylvania’s death row before becoming the state’s first death row inmate exonerated by DNA evidence.

The play, written by Lindsey Ferrentino, is based on a 2015 British documentary film and stars Adrien Brody as Yarris and Tessa Thompson as a death row volunteer, both in their Broadway debuts.

It was also one of the most exhilarating theatrical experiences I’ve had in years.

I knew next to nothing about the play when we walked into the theater, and I’d never seen the film. But I was in tears by the time the lights came up.

Brody is simply extraordinary as he takes us on the brutal journey of Yarris’ life — how this stupid young kid with a knack for stealing cars ended up convicted and sentenced to death for a 1981 kidnapping, rape, and murder.

Director David Cromer displays amazing stagecraft as the story flawlessly moves from the horrible prison to courtrooms to wild roadside encounters with the police.

There is no intermission, so the audience takes this journey with Yarris every step of the way.

The rest of the cast is fabulous, with several actors playing multiple roles.

The play touches on themes of wasted years, bad decisions, and lost love, and it strongly resonated with me.

Obviously, I haven’t experienced anything like Yarris’ ordeal — thank God — but the story had me examining my own life and the choices I made or failed to make.

Critics Are Underwhelmed

Now, I don’t want to give away too much, but a dog does play a brief but heartbreaking role late in the proceedings.

I started weeping just as the show ended, and I was thinking about the play throughout the morning.

The play was a smash in London, with Ferrentino earning a Best New Play nomination at the Olivier Awards, while Brody received a Best Actor nomination.

So imagine how surprised I was today when I saw the tepid review the New York Times had given this production.

The critic found the play lacking in several areas when compared with the documentary, which I can’t address as I have not seen the film.

The Times column wonders “how this production, so clumsy here, could have been so rapturously greeted in England.”

I did a Google search and found a Reddit page about Fear of 13 entitled “Critics Are Underwhelmed.”

“I really liked this and thought both lead performances were great,” one poster said. “Now I’m wondering if there’s something wrong with my taste…”

I’ll admit I’m a bit surprised by the numerous negative reactions. I’ve disagreed with critics before — I was less than thrilled with Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, for example — but never to this degree.

Still, I have no intention of questioning my taste. I enjoyed Fear of 13 immensely, and I am so grateful that I saw it.

“I liked it!” another poster declared. “Who cares what the critics thought?”

That’s more like it.