a review in one act
CHARACTERS
TANYA, the writer, in from the last train and half-lost.
KATE, the city, already at the theater with both tickets.
SETTING: The Delacorte Theater, Central Park.
TIME: An evening in early June 2026.
SCENE 1
(Amsterdam Avenue, a little after six on an evening in early June. The summer light lies long and gold down the avenue. KATE waits uptown with two tickets in her pocket; TANYA is still on the subway, or means to be. A phone rings, and is answered.)
KATE
(into the phone)
Hey — I swung by the Delacorte and grabbed both our tickets. We’ve got time to kill; doors are at seven-thirty.
TANYA
Oh — thank you! That sounds good. I should be there soon.
KATE
I haven’t eaten yet — want to grab dinner nearby first?
TANYA
That’s a good shout — I haven’t eaten either!
KATE
There’s an Indian place on Amsterdam Ave, near West 80th. I’ll send you the pin — meet you there?
TANYA
(laughing)
Yes. I’m going to try not to get lost on the subway — but I should be there soon.
SCENE 2
(Outside Saravana Bhavan on the Upper West Side. The two of them step back onto Amsterdam Ave, fed and unhurried.)
TANYA
God, I was hungry.
KATE
Me too. We’ll take West 81st — straight shot down to the park, then the Delacorte.
TANYA
Lead the way.
KATE
Looking forward to it? I still can’t believe I scored these off the TodayTix lottery.
TANYA
I heard they were running collections at distribution centres across the boroughs — this way we skipped the queue.
KATE
Yeah, we really lucked out there.
TANYA
I’m curious what it’ll be like. I heard there’s some dialogue in Spanish.
KATE
Yeah — especially between Romeo and Juliet, from what I hear. A lot of it in Spanish.
(KATE smiles, soaking up the last of the sun as they turn down West 81st and into the park.)
SCENE 3
(The concession line at intermission.)
KATE
Want to grab a drink or a snack?
TANYA
Yes, for sure. I might pick up a souvenir, too.
KATE
I might do that too!
(They join the line. At the front —)
KATE
I’m just going to do water. What do you want?
TANYA
A lemonade. What did you make of it so far?
KATE
(to the vendor)
A water and a lemonade, please.
(to TANYA)
Not sure yet — it’s decent. I like how they’ve pulled the whole thing toward the border, the immigration stuff between the US and Mexico. Interesting take.
(to the vendor, handing over a magnet)
And could I get this too?
(to TANYA)
But I’m something of a Shakespeare purist — so I don’t know how I feel yet.
TANYA
I’m curious what the costume work is meant to say, too. I get the sense they’re reaching for something with some of the choices — I’m just not sure I’m picking up what they’re putting down.
USHERS
(loud)
The performance will resume in two minutes.
KATE
(gathering the drinks, passing TANYA her water)
We should head back.
TANYA
Let’s switch seats for the second act — that man in front of you is spoiling your view. Take mine.
KATE
(as they go)
You don’t have to do that.
TANYA
No, really — it’s fine. We’ll switch.
KATE
Aw — thanks.
SCENE 4
(The play has ended. The audience begins to clear. TANYA and KATE are still in their seats.)
TANYA
I can’t believe we just saw that. They married a real couple — just now. We watched a wedding? On a random Thursday night? That’s nuts.
KATE
A friend who saw it last week told me they’d started doing that. I just didn’t realize it was after every performance.
TANYA
I can’t get my head around it right now. It was so adorable — it tugged on every one of my heartstrings. I wasn’t expecting that.
KATE
So — what did you think?
TANYA
(considering)
Of the play? Well — like I said, I went in expecting the Spanish to be a thing between Romeo and Juliet, some secret love-language. But watching closely, they aren’t the only ones who slip into it. People reach for Spanish in the moments where the feeling is too big for English to hold — the way you go back to your mother tongue in deep pain, or pure joy. That was a fun thing to discover.
KATE
For sure, I think I agree with you there, too. I went back and watched the costumes after you mentioned them at intermission — some contemporary, some Mexican influence, all of it pointing at the US–Mexico border allegory. But I’m with you: I wasn’t a fan of how the costume design landed.
(They rise and start for the exit on their side.)
TANYA
Did you notice they kept mostly to the original script — the Spanish aside — but let the English loosen in places?
KATE
I did. That, and playing so much of it like a telenovela — a bold call, for a Shakespearean tragedy. Not bad. A way to make it land for a modern crowd, I suppose?
TANYA
Now that you say it — maybe that’s what the costumes were reaching for, too. Maybe that’s just the part that didn’t land for us the way they’d hoped.
KATE
Did you enjoy it?
TANYA
I think I did. Very different from what I’m used to — I don’t think I’ve ever seen a play outdoors.
KATE
Good. I’m glad.
TANYA
If you don’t mind, could we take some pictures by the stage as keepsakes? We can walk to the train after.
KATE
I’ll walk you to the train. I’ve got to get back to Queens, and it’s late — I’m not chancing the subway. I’ll take an Uber.
TANYA
Sounds good. I’m so glad we did this together. This was so much fun.
KATE
(a beat)
Yeah. We might have to make a habit of it.
END OF PLAY
Seen: 4 June 2026 | The Delacorte Theater, Central Park
The Big Smokey Apple 