Personally, I would like to applaud Mr. Tracey Letts on his brilliant depiction of a business on it's way out. The characters included in this script all have different stories to tell, but the one thing they have in common is their relationship with the donut shop. The leading role, Arthur, is a complex role to play. The actor cast to portray Arthur made a decent attempt, but it is kind of hard to ignore that these are all volunteer actors (a group in which I find myself a very proud member... when my schedule allows it), so it would be unfair to base my opinion of the show from the one performance I've attended. After reading the script, I didn't find myself much more fond of the play than I was before.
There are moments in the show of comic perfection, and moments where I found myself in genuine sorrow for the characters. However, for all of the time in between I can't help but say that I got bored. It's a very, very long show. Very long. Very.
My biggest criticism with the script are the monologues provided by Arthur. Each monologue is packed with information on Arthur's history and details that explain his motivations... but they're poorly located in the script and nearly painful to sit through.
My favorite aspect of the story is the relationship between all of the characters. Each character has a different motivation for being there, but there is an undeniable sense of kinship and interest in keeping the store alive. These people are all there, because they have no where else to go. Something about that common interest is just such a beautiful concept, that I can't entirely dislike the play.
Also, "Lady" was by far my favorite character and the most effectively portrayed at the Farmers Alley. That woman kicked some major ass Saturday night.
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