Simon Rich’s Broadway debut, “All In,” is a comedy about love that fails to deliver. The show, which features a talented cast including Fred Armisen, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Richard Kind, and John Mulaney, consists of short segments based on Rich’s stories.
While the cast delivers strong performances, the minimally staged show feels like a slight affair that’s easy to forget. The humor works best when Rich spins an askew perspective out of a familiar setup, but even this is not enough to justify the hefty price of tickets.
Mulaney shines in his role, bringing his signature precision and inflection to the stage. However, Goldsberry and Kind spend too much time idling, and their comedic skills are underutilized. The production’s conceit, which features a rotating cast, feels more like a gimmick than a clever device.
Despite its pleasant atmosphere and catchy musical numbers, “All In” ultimately feels like a Formula 1 car being throttled at 25 m.p.h. – it gets there eventually, but the journey is dull and uneventful. With a hefty price tag to match, theatergoers may find themselves wishing for something more substantial from this comedy about love.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/theater/all-in-review.html