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‘Practice’ Opens at Playwrights Horizons With a Razor‑Edged Portrait of Power in Experimental Theater

Early reviews single out Ronald Peet’s commanding turn, with the mirrored second act cited as the production’s sharpest provocation.

Overview

  • Nazareth Hassan’s backstage dramedy opened November 18 and is scheduled to run at Playwrights Horizons through December 7.
  • Critics describe a two-part structure that moves from auditions and an immersive rehearsal residency to a stylized play‑within‑a‑play performed inside a transparent mirrored box.
  • Keenan Tyler Oliphant’s direction and an intensely physical ensemble are widely praised, with Ronald Peet’s Asa Leon noted as the production’s galvanizing presence.
  • Reviews emphasize the play’s critique of theatrical authority, consent, and exploitation, framing its process-driven setting as a test of personal boundaries.
  • Designers Afsoon Pajoufar (scenery), Masha Tsimring (lighting), Tei Blow (sound), and Brenda Abbandandolo and Karen Boyer (costumes) are credited with crafting the show’s surveillance‑tinged atmosphere, even as some reviewers note the work’s demanding length.