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The Doppelgänger (an international farce)
By Matthew-Lee Erlbach
Starring Rainn Wilson/ Directed by Tina Landau
Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago

NEW CITY STAGE

“Before tonight, I was under the impression that no one could do it better. Erlbach has me rethinking this assumption.

Erlbach never loses sight of the lives at stake behind his work; his humanitarian bonafides are locked in and his vision of theater is pleasingly progressive, as opposed to merely liberal. [He] moves between objects of his rage and frustration with sniper-like accuracy, fragging targets from gentri-vacationers, the class of conscientious affluence with their New Age-y narcissism, the gun culture of the United States, the knee-jerk passivists of social media (“Happy to like, share or post!”), the hawks of Washington, and the fart-sniffers of Silicon Valley, just to name a few. The hardest jabs box the ears of those not destined to hear the play’s message though, even as he eviscerates individual groups, Erlbach maintains a steady eye on the overwhelming global totality of the issue at hand which is no less than the insatiable appetites of late capitalism.

I left the theater that evening—after the full force of the play’s terrific comedy was concentrated into a devastating emotional gut punch in the play’s final moment, a horrifying variation on the joke about plans and God’s laughter—wondering what it takes to hold onto such an experience.”

CHICAGO SUN TIMES

“A frenetically funny satire about the deranged world order. This is breathless stuff...we are laughing, often.”

CHICAGO STAGE STANDARD

“Erlbach writes with a politically and socially charged vigor that wonderfully illustrates the adversity of current events happening in our world today. [He] truly encompasses a writing style that tackles large existential issues with a poised irony as his characters navigate through tongue twister rationalizations and extremist behaviors.

Erlbach's work pushes the bounds of that comedy and really challenges audience to see where ludicrously improbable situations turn into reality. Erlbach writes non-stop questioning morality with references to all kinds of iconic comedic actors, writers and programming.

Erlbach invokes a stark truth to the ludicrosity of the world at large. Arguments emerge from definitions and meaning of words, self-interested intentions and extremist behavior is sadly a daily occurrence around the globe. Rather than just being responsible for a “like, share and post”, this work shines a harsh light on the mess the world is and leaves us shell-shocked.”

THIRD COAST REVIEW

“...moves at a break-neck speed and delivers so many laughs per minute...The Doppelgängerreally hits its stride, masterfully marrying cheeky puns and dad jokes with sharp political commentary that, often in a word or two, delivers funny-because-it’s-true belly laughs...Wilson and his cast-mates give Abbott & Costello a run for their money. Not one to miss.”

CHICAGO THEATRE REVIEW

"...well worth seeing. Theatergoers should take a deep breath before the play begins because they'll find themselves gasping for air between the laughter. Once the lights come up on the chaos and comedy oxygen may be in short supply in The Doppelganger."

WTTW

"...In addition to orchestrating all the essential pandemonium of a farce, the play’s first act, rife with equal opportunity satire, makes the essential points about rampant global, as well as home-grown opportunism in Third World countries...and its climactic knockout apocalyptic tirade calling for full-out destruction.

Handbook for an American Revolutionary
Written/Performed by Matthew-Lee Erlbah
Directed by Tony Speciale
Gym at Judson, Off-Bway

Time Out New York

"...ferocious... chameleonic...and truly galvanizing...we're frequently startled into laughter or sudden self-examination. Sizzling with its creator's energetic humanism, Handbookavoids the static quality so many one-person shows succumb to; on the contrary, it insists that we respond. In the end, Erlbach has made us a simple guide with an easy key, and there is action on every page."

New York Times

"Revelatory...impressive...surprising...beautifully rendered."

Huffington Post

"Utterly convincing...I won't forget him anytime soon. Ranked along with soloists Eric Bogosian & Danny Hoch. An astonishing showcase for both acting and writing."

TheatreMania

"A completely absorbing experience...joins the ranks of this year's great solo performances. A well-informed, three-dimensional picture of the American melting pot--a rare achievement in today's bipartisan atmosphere."

Theatre Pizzazz

"He is raw, unadulterated talent as both writer and performer...those who have mastered the art seem to have that special something, a little magic perhaps, in their performance. Erlbach is that performer... he does so flawlessly."

Eager to Lose, a Burlesque Farce in Verse
By Matthew-Lee Erlbach
Directed by Wes Grantom/Portia Krieger
Ars Nova, Off-Bway

Time Out New York

"...a rated-R Comedy of Errors. This throwback comedy goes down like a glass of champagne."

New York Times

"...like the frothiest of farcical mock-Shakesperean cocktails...the gleeful spirit of the show is hard to resist."

Edge

"Heavy hitters like downtown darling Joe Iconis, director du jour Alex Timbers and the dashing Lin Manuel Miranda have risen to the drop of the theatre scene like whipped cream since their debuts at the midtown hangout. Matthew-Lee Erlbach seems to be no exception."

"Erlbach seasons his script with a heightened wit, edgy mien, razzle-dazzle braggadocio and contemporary funny. The result: a vaudeville show with 1600s ribaldry, Jazz Age belt songs, pasties-twirling girly show musical numbers...and pantomime."

Letters from the Mezzanine

"The most remarkable part of the show is the script by Matthew-Lee Erlbach, who effortlessly transitions between conventionally high and low theatrical forms...Erlbach works them together as one story-arc, playing them off each other as a fruitful, productive relationship."

TheaterMania

"Playwright Matthew-Lee Erlbach demonstrated his talent for channeling a wide array of unique voices earlier this season, performing the one man multi-character show Handbook for an American Revolutionary downtown at the The Gym at Judson. He has outdone himself at Ars Nova."

CurtainUp

"Shepard Fairey, the graffiti artist and designer, has said "there's a way to be The Beatles, to have the smartest guy in the room and the dumbest guy in the room digging what you're doing. Eager to Lose is refreshing evidence that burlesque has the potential to have the smartest and dumbest guy (or girl) in the room drooling over what you're doing."

Till the Break of Dawn
Written/Directed by Danny Hoch
Culture Project, Off-Bway

NEW YORK TIMES

“Adam (Matthew-Lee Erlbach) blasts onto the stage with a breathless, funny monologue about a day in the trenches at the record label that provides the play with one of its most concentratedshots of theatrical adrenaline. Vibrating with pent-up frustration, he leaps into a hilarious description of a fruitless day spent trying to corral 20 rappers and their posses for his “Political Prisoners Awareness Project.”

“Mr. Erlbach’s bravura delivery of this set piece, seemingly in one breath, while bouncing on his toes all over the stage, is a perfect example of Mr. Hoch’s exhilarating ability to turn a torrent of natural speech into a shapely nugget of performance art…Mr. Erlbach’s Adam rarely strikes a false note.”

FINANCIAL TIMES

“…and Matthew-Lee Erlbach, as Adam, has a whirlwind entrance monologue that rivals that of John Malkovich 20 years ago in Burn This.”

THEATERMANIA

“Erlbach delivers a speech upon Adam's first entrance that had the audience at the performance I attended busting with laughter and applauding at its end…”

NYTHEATRE.COM

“The standouts, for me, include…Matthew-Lee Erlbach as Adam...”

ASSOCIATED PRESS

“Matthew-Lee Erlbach makes a memorable, whirlwind entrance as Adam, a young Jewish music producer who runs a small record label.”

︎SS2017
︎︎ USD 199.99

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