In Long Lost, running through the end of the month at Manhattan Theater Club. the smooth direction, incredible sets, and fabulous four person cast bring the story of two warring brothers to life. However it still has an unshakeable sense of familiarity that leaves you wondering where you've seen it before.
Throughout the course of the 90-minute play, we see Billy (Lee Tergesen), shake up his brother David's family life with lies, revelations, and arguments that appear like clockwork. While it's well paced and never boring, it's a family drama that feels all too familiar.
David (Kelly AuCoin) and wife Molly (Annie Parisse) can't seem to agree on whether or not their marriage is in trouble, while their son Jeremy (Alex Wolff) is home from college for Christmas and is a little alarmed to find his estranged uncle sitting on the couch blaring television while drinking beer, with the smell of weed taking over the house.
While not a bad play at its core, where Long Lost falls short is that the stakes never seem high enough, as Billy's lies are uncovered and the family starts to fall apart you're never quite sure what they stand to lose, or why the audience should be sympathetic towards any of the characters. It's crisp, and with some surprising wit, it makes for a fine afternoon of theater. But it does make you rack your brains to recall where this family drama has been seen before.