Play Review!

I just read Seung-Hui Cho’s “Richard McBeef.” While insight into the mind of someone who is mentally unbalanced is interesting, this play is absolutely terrible. There is great potential, but this is because hatred is obviously the motivating factor in writing this. The character of the mother is ridiculous and abnormal; she is an example of when a minor character detracts from the main characters, which in this case are John and Richard McBeef. Maybe Richard could have gone out to his car to cool off after the fight instead of being chased out by the mother wielding a chainsaw.

The language of the characters helps establish them, so their dialog is fundamental; the conversation in this work is juvenile. I can understand John’s speech seeing as how he’s thirteen years old, but how Richard and the mother speak is outrageous. They’re adults, even if uneducated ones.

Another problem I had with it is the mother’s change of heart so quickly; she married Richard within a month after the death of John’s father (I’m assuming they were still married, at least), and then, instead of being rational, she believes her son when he claims that Richard tried to molest him. The character of the mother is pathetic.

It could be expanded upon and be an interesting read on hatred as it motivates people.

Update 5/14- I re-read the play, and I can see how this could be considered a work of humor; if it was written humorously, then I agree that this is funny! Unfortunately, I cannot tell if it is supposed to be serious or humorous. Knowing which was meant would deeply affect my review of it. Read it for yourself and see what you think.