The Counter

I first started my trip for The Counter like many others, going on the ferry; it was not a long trip, and it was bearable because there were people to talk to. I later took the train and walked a bit, later arriving at my destination, the Roundabout Theatre. It was not the biggest theater I’ve been to, but there was a different type of set there. The set for The Counter was small, but it had everything it needed. My expectations for this play were not high, but that is because I don’t typically like theaters, and I do not like plays in general.

After watching the play, I could only say a couple things about it. I liked the small cast; it made it easier to learn the characters and their own struggles, and it made everything less confusing. I like how The Counter portrays that everyone has their own struggles and that even though not every struggle is the same, people can still bond over them. Katie, a barista, had problems with a man and decided to move away to live a better life, in her opinion. Paul, a retired firefighter, did not want to live anymore and wanted to be killed in surprise by poison. Paul, after going to Katie’s cafe for a while, asked to be friends with Katie, and she obliged. After becoming friends, they later shared some secrets together, those being the ones I stated before. I liked how they talked their problems out and learned more about each other. I liked most of the play except two different parts. The first part was when Paul was explaining his affair with Peg, a married woman, to Katie. Katie was explaining how she saw a synergy between them, and she seemed like she did not see anything wrong with the affair. The second part I did not like was the ending. The ending was just an abrupt stop that leaves the viewer guessing what will happen next. In my opinion, if you make a play, finish it with a real ending that you created; do not just leave your viewers guessing.

In conclusion, I think The Counter was not a bad play; it just had two moments that I did not particularly like. Besides that, I think it showcases how different people have their own problems pretty well.

The Counter: Not Everybody Won’t Understand

Our class took a trip to the Roundabout Theatre to see a preview of a play called “The Counter.” The play features a barista, Katie, and an old customer, Paul, who begin interacting beyond coffee. Paul asks to be friends with Katie, which strikes me because I don’t believe you can be friends with somebody you don’t know much about. I can imagine that Katie was surprised as well. Paul understands the idea that you cannot be friends without revealing deep secrets about each other, so he starts to reveal that he is an alcoholic, and he becomes categorized as somebody who is depressed. Katie begins to open up about leaving her home, and her ex(friend?) to run away from the life she had when she had a hysterectomy. Paul and Katie begin to clash, as they both have different opinions about Katie running away. I enjoy the irony in this because while they have different opinions, they are not so different themselves.

Later, Paul asks Katie to kill him and surprise him. This is not explicitly mentioned, but I interpret it as Paul trying to run away from his issues by ending it, while he condemns Katie for running away. Katie does not want to deal with people’s pity of her having a hysterectomy while Paul does not want to deal with everybody else’s pity of him taking care of his mother and brother until they passed away. At this point in the play, I started to tear up, I felt as if I could sympathize with the characters even though the play is fictional. After much more talking, Katie’s problems seemed to follow her into her new home, as her ex-friend (who knows about the hysterectomy and hurts her emotionally) found her address and is going to see her. Paul tells her she has to go and move elsewhere to protect her peace. From once disagreeing with each other to understanding each other with talks over the countertop,  the moral of this is you cannot make assumptions that everybody doesn’t understand how you feel. People will never understand the full extent of how you feel. But they may understand the principle of the situation. Had Paul and Katie not given each other a chance, we probably wouldn’t have been met with the resolution of Katie and Paul both attempting to protect their peace in the end.

“The Counter” – Suzanna Grigoryan

The Counter is a production that depicts the intricate relationship between two main characters, Paul and Katie. Paul is an old man who is a regular customer at the café in which Katie works. Prior to viewing the play, I felt dreadful because I am not a particular fan of live productions. Although I did not particularly enjoy watching this performance, I would not necessarily say that it was terrible. One of my immediate thoughts was that the actors undeniably performed very well. All three roles were capable of effectively embodying their assigned characters, however this factor was not enough to make the experience enjoyable for me. I personally felt significantly detached from a majority of the audience because I noticed that the popular spectating demographic consisted of elderly individuals, therefore I also found myself not understanding occasional phrases or what were supposed to be humorous remarks.

Nevertheless, I was ultimately able to identify multiple central themes of the piece. Originally, I believed that the message simply consisted of friendship, however throughout the show’s progression, new aspects were gradually introduced, culminating into various interpretations. Regarding the setup, I felt slightly confused by the timeline, as the switching of lighting was very frequent and sometimes I was not able to depict the significance of a seemingly new day. I would also notice that Katie and Paul often left the setting without speaking any words of farewell, which seemed strange, causing further confusion. Initially, Katie and Paul would conduct minimal conversation and I felt substantially disengaged due to the lack of dynamic qualities. What initially seemed like both characters merely sharing their life trauma soon turned into a deeper plot, exploring the importance of patience, second-chances, and taking risks. As the relationship between both individuals unfolds, they share personal flaws, providing the other with remedying advice without realizing the hipocricy within their statements. Katie admits her past failed relationships, revealing that she created a new life within the town she now lives in. Paul critiques her decision, claiming that she acted like a coward, running away from a minimal problem and forming an ironically false reality. Katie denies this personal attack, only to direct one of her own toward Paul when he spontaneously asks her to poison him. This transforms into a historical depth to Paul’s circumstances, as he persuades Katie to “surprise” him and in doing so, provide a shocking factor that has been absent from a majority of his life, causing feelings of depression, despair, and worthlessness. As the play progresses, both characters slowly help each other persevere through their individual struggles, ending with the unexpected return of Katie’s former friend. Not only does this provide Katie with an immediate resolution to face her old life again and start fresh, but it also provides Paul with what he has been looking for his entire life: a surprise.

In the end, both characters seemingly received their “happy endings”, although on an unfinished note, leaving the rest up to the interpretations of the audience. Some important lessons that may be deduced from this play may include the importance of recognizing human intricacy and that communication is vital within the need for mutual support and understanding. All people experience their unique encounters and the ability to confide in others without losing hope or determination is what defines the individual in continuing to live with optimism, strength, and hope, essentially self-same to Paul and Katie.

The Counter Trip

Introduction:

My initial expectations of the counter were pretty high since I’ve been to broadway shows like spamalot in the past and they were amazing. Broadway shows have great acting, and really interesting stories so it’s always enjoyable to watch them. The counter was located in the roundabout theater and I had some worries about getting lost, but thankfully I didn’t miss the 1 train looking around wondering if I was at the right place (sorry Brendan.)

The Set:

Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take pictures during the play, but before it started I was able to take one picture of the set. It was an interesting set as it appeared to be a small diner with the windows fogged up to showcase the cold environment it took place in. You can always tell when a character was going into a scene by the shadow of their figure through that window. Apart from that I was surprised at how small the set actually was; however, looking back the miniature sized set played into the intimacy and perspective of the show and it was perfect since there weren’t that many members of the cast.

Picture of The Counter Set

The Characters:

In the cast, there weren’t a lot of background characters and people that don’t really add anything to the story. Every character that we were introduced to had a purpose to move the story along and it was refreshing not having to remember 20 different characters that don’t really serve a purpose into the main theme & story. The counter only starred Anthony Edwards as Paul, Susannah Flood as Katie, and Amy Warren as Peg. Paul was initially introduced as an alcoholic man who had trouble sleeping and seemed a little crazy, Katie just as the waitress with potential comedic relief, and Peg as the respected town Doctor. But, we learned about the specific intricacies of their relationships and stories later within the plot.

The Plot: 

During the start of the show, I actually thought it was really boring, but during the exposition it actually started to get pretty interesting. Paul had mentioned that he wanted to become friends with Katie and she reluctantly accepted his request. They shared their darkest secrets with each other: Paul wanted his death to be a surprise, so he bought poison from the dark web and gave it to Katie, asking her to put it in his drink one day. Katie, on the other hand, spoke about her “boyfriend,” who had left 26 voicemails, and revealed that she had moved away because of her hysterectomy. Their relationship had an interesting dynamic because of its evolution overtime. At first, they were just a waitress and a frequent customer conversing, but by the end it seemed like they had a need for each other. The one day Paul didn’t come Katie had actually been worried about him as her routine of talking to him each day she worked was broken, meaning that she actually started to care about him.

Conclusion/Final Thoughts: 

The ending was in my opinion terrible since it left off on a cliffhanger as Katie received another voicemail from her friend, where he mentioned that he had talked to her mother and moved closeby to meet her again, and Paul encouraged her to go to him as it wasn’t too late to take another chance at life. Paul and Katie said their final goodbyes and that was the end of the show. I realize I did leave a lot of details out like how Paul was in the peace corps, Paul saving a family from a fire, and how Paul had an affair with Peg, but I think the theme mainly revolved around Katie’s and Paul’s relationship so, I chose to sort of leave those out from the plot. Overall, I did end up enjoying the show, but it wasn’t really my type of show if I am being honest and the jokes they made were really dry, however the story was pretty interesting so it wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

Reflection of The Counter

     My trip to The Counter play at the Roundabout Theatre started with a fun bus ride with friends into the city. We talked about our expectations for the play, and we had some collected doubts about it. After hearing it was in its beginning stages, and that it was based on conversations amongst only two characters, I had premeditated my opinion that the play would be quite boring or not up my alley. After watching the play and finally giving it a chance, I was proved wrong. 

    Upon walking into the theater, I was shocked at how small and stagnant the stage was. Even during the play, the set did not change, so this was something I was not used to on a visual aspect. I actually quite enjoyed this, because I was able to focus on the story development rather than filler chaos happening in the background. Also, it felt like I was watching a vintage TV show; the stage was carefully oriented, almost 2-D appearing. Additionally, I was impressed with the unique storyline and the development of the plot and characters. The execution of the bond between two opposing characters of different genders, ages, and life experiences was impressive. The story taught me that no matter how different the people you meet in life are, they all have a background and are living life for the first time just as every other human is; human connection can go beyond having common interests. I especially loved the full circle resolution– Paul finally got a life surprise, not by death, but by forming a friendship with Katie. I found this ending cute and creative, a fun happy ending.

     Overall, The Counter was a beautiful story about life’s tributes and human connection and I enjoyed my time watching it and spending the day with peers!

My Experience With “The Counter

My experience surrounding The Counter play began long before I actually sat down in my seat to watch it and fully immerse myself in the performance. To elaborate as my peers and I discussed how we would get to the play we organized a bus trip and decided to travel together. Therefore, though the commute was over an hour and tedious, having my new friends with me made the trip not only tolerable but enjoyable in their presence. However, as we talked throughout the entire drive, we formed premonitions about the play and created inherent dissatisfaction and disappointment with the play prior to ever hearing an official synopsis of the play or giving the work a chance. Many of our concerns surrounded the fact that this play was off broadway, was not a musical, and had a slow and unentertaining story line.

I can now proudly admit that my preconceived notions of the play proven to be very wrong. Despite the fact that this play had one setting, their play on time and light transported us into their universe where through we were bound to a window into the characters’ lives set in the diner, we were able to connect and understand the characters’ fears and dreams. Additionally, in my opinion it was irrelevant to travel anywhere else as this is the only place the main characters interacted and grew their friendship. This diner, though seemingly simple and bland at first can be interpreted as so much more. it is symbolic for the characters’ newfound friendship, new beginnings, and a place of inspiration to face one’s fears and truly have the strength to live fully. Moreover, this diner perfectly captures the beauty of human nature.

Visit to see The Counter play

My typical impression of small productions like these is often negative, as I do not particularly enjoy simple works. I would prefer a play like a Broadway show because I like it when there is more going on since I get distracted less. The trip getting to the city wasn’t bad, just a lot of traffic which is to be expected.

Walking into the theater, honestly,  I was underwhelmed because I was skeptical about how such a small set could remain the set for the entire play. Even looking at the audience, I was certain that it was meant for a different audience than myself. I thought to myself that it surely couldn’t be as static and boring as it seems, in some aspects, I was proven right and very wrong in others.

When the play began, we were introduced to the two main actors: Katie and Paul. Katie works at a diner where Paul is a frequent visitor, and throughout the play, the dynamics of their relationship reveal itself. For the first of the play, I was unimpressed because their interactions seemed very mundane and too ordinary to become interesting. Honestly, I did not like the play until Paul asked Katie to become friends, this puzzled me because with a person who you see almost every day, I would assume they are already beyond acquaintances. After Paul established the two were friends, he revealed a deep secret that he was rather bored and depressed with the life he had led, and in the future, he wants Katie to poison him. This struck me. Such an ordinary play suddenly turned into a complex dynamic between the characters, and this now put Katie at a loss.

After the poison came into play, it allowed for both characters to open up and tell each other’s secrets. At this point, it became so interesting since Katie revealed her past love life and that she had 27 voicemails she could never bring herself to delete. Paul helped her through it. The connection between these two made me see each of them in different lights; it revealed that neither of them had a person who could help them with these tough decisions, they didn’t have a best friend. It showed me how such simple interactions at a diner could be so much more meaningful. The fact that there were only two characters in the play was so more impactful as it shows the quiet nature of the town and how their connection is so simple yet complex. It is insane that this little town, little diner, and ordinary people left such a message.

The play addresses such serious issues in a lighthearted way as a way to spread awareness. When Katie revealed that she could not have kids, that really hit me. I even felt bad for judging the play so quickly, saying it would not have an impact on me. But that twist explained so much about Katie’s hard exterior and soft inside persona. It made me think that people that we meet daily have things going on that we do not know of. Ordinary people have something going on that never reaches the surface. No matter how well you think you know someone, they have an untold story. It is a lesson to be conscious that you can’t tell everything about a person by looking at them or small interactions. It was such a small thing that left a huge impact on me.

The only thing I must note is that many of the references were outdated, at least for me. This confirmed my prediction it was aimed at an older audience. The one thing I liked was the connection to sharing the Netflix password it provided a humor that was easy to understand. However, even with the play geared toward an older audience, the message was still clear.

The use of lights and audio was something that was worthy to note as it added an element of movement in an otherwise static play. It was interesting that the progression of time was still easy to understand despite no direction. The simple light movement was crucial for supporting the play’s message.

The ending of the play was what I loved most about the play. The open-ended play posed so many questions: Did Katie poison him? Did Katie reunite with her old love? Did Paul continue his life in the town or move? It was such a meaningful ending. I loved the evolution of both characters, which was most seen at the end of the play. Katie is now able to open up just a little more and is able to rekindle her love with her past. Paul now sees the complexity of life, and how it is not always running away but simply moving forward, I hope he moves out of the town that he has stayed in most of his life.

 

My Thoughts on The Counter

Before seeing The Counter I had low expectations because I found most of the plays I have seen throughout my life boring. On the day of the show, I was surprised it was located in Times Square, and when I arrived there, the building was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. When I entered the theater, there were a lot of people in the audience and a small, empty set of a coffee shop, which lowered my expectations even more. 

Despite all this doubt, after finishing the show, I was shocked as to how good it was. Basically, it depicted a conversation between Katie, the owner of the coffee shop, and Paul, an old man who goes to the coffee shop every morning from Monday to Saturday, and I loved the window effect when Paul was walking past it every day. It did a great job in showing the freezing cold temperatures outside and the cozy warm atmosphere inside the shop. The play also did a great job in characterization. They did great in making the audience feel bad for both characters, especially Paul. There were these moments where all the lighting was focused on one character as they were speaking while they were sharing depressing statements. The one scene that really got me on the verge of tears was when Paul gave Katie a poison he bought from the dark web, and told her to surprise him by putting it in his coffee one day. The rest of the play was spent with Katie trying to cheer Paul up, and the play ended with a great cliffhanger that made me eager to know what will happen next. One more thing that I found cool was that I found out the actor Paul was Anthony Edwards, and he had an appearance in the Top Gun movies. Overall, what I took away from this play was that there is value in life no matter how you perceive it.

Trip to see The Counter

I had never heard of The Counter before this trip. The only hint we were given regarding its plot was an advertisement outside of The Roundabout Theatre with the quote: “IT WAS AN ORDINARY DAY UNTIL IT WASN’T.” Upon receiving the playbill I was even more confused. There were only four characters in the cast, one of which doesn’t even appear onstage, and only one setting. The stage itself looked like an IKEA display kitchen (second time drawing a comparison to IKEA in my blog). 

One thing I also noticed immediately after sitting down in the auditorium was the age of the other audience members; most of them were much older than us, so I began to wonder how this play might attract such an audience. 

The play started off pretty slow. The main characters Katie and Paul were cracking jokes, so I was put under the impression that maybe it was a comedy. As the show progressed, I kept wondering when the ‘turn’ was supposed to happen; when did it stop being “an ordinary day”? Even in hindsight I can’t seem to figure out where exactly the turn happened. Was it when Paul asked Katie if they could become closer friends? Or when Paul asked Katie to poison him? Or when Katie received a new voicemail? 

I really enjoyed the way the script was able to convey both Katie and Paul’s development as they learned from each other. They discussed the reality of depression and its impact on relationships, which are seldom mentioned, especially in relation to the older generation. It was this theme that made me realize why the audience was older. However, while the topics discussed in the show seemed to target an older audience, I found Paul’s fear of ending up in the same nursing home as his mom and brother to be very relevant to me since my family has a history of Alzheimer’s disease. In its later stages, individuals essentially require around the clock care, so nursing homes become an unfortunate reality.

Most of all, I really liked the way that the set was designed to use lighting as part of telling the story. The overhead lights fading to black represent the cycle of day and night. This notifies the audience of a change in scene when the whole play is set in one place. The separation of scenes is especially important in this case because the director intends to convey that Paul and Katie’s development happens over the course of many days. Additionally, the golden light cast through the frosted window in the diner indicates to the audience that Paul is always there unusually early, supporting the mentions of his insomnia. I admire how the frost on the window serves multiple purposes. It both obscures the view of backstage, and provides a strong visual of this wintery upstate New York setting, where characters come into the diner shivering in heavy coats.

The Counter Review

The Counter was severely underestimated initially, but I left with a new point of view about the expected vs. unexpected of life. One of the main points throughout the play was that Paul, the lead male role, wanted to experience a surprise in his life because he was too numb and comfortable with the life he has been living. The emotional and physical exhaustion he was left with after taking care of and losing his mother and brother had become unbearable. After experiencing so much grief, Paul’s life became predictable and he wanted to gain back at least an ounce of control. To him, the solution was a radical approach, specifically deciding the way he would die but not when he would go. He transferred partial control to Katie, the female lead role, to gain the surprise element he was missing in life. As a result, the audience was left in suspense, wondering when she would add the poison to the coffee and if she would even do it.

While Paul was playing with his life and letting it hang in someone else’s hands, Katie was frantically going through the motions of her so-called “give up life” or escape fantasy. On the surface, she appeared satisfied with her quaint little life working as a diner waitress in a small town. Deep down, she was nitpicking month-old voicemails and contemplating if her past actions justified the life she has now. She was pulled into quite a situation when she agreed to be friends with Paul and share secrets or tough talks. Little did she know that Paul would be criticizing her life and implying that she was not familiar with the concept of having to take care of someone. The immediate level of aggression from Katie’s voice shocked the audience. Her explanation of her obstacles, such as having to give up the option of children, indicated that she knows what it means to be selfish if it means taking care of yourself.

The repetition of the counter scene emphasized that having the same daily routine could provide a sense of balance, but it could also become mundane. Every morning, Paul would come into the diner and Katie would pour him a cup of coffee. This interaction is what opens the door to the friendship that they develop throughout the play. Had it not been for those tough talks, Paul might have never started to learn Italian and Katie would not have deleted any voicemails. Both characters would have missed out on what the world was offering them, and they needed that extra nudge out the door to remind them that there is a meaning to life and it becomes much warmer when surrounded by friends.