NEW YORK—I was jotting down some notes between acts one and two of the Broadway revival of “The Skin of Our Teeth” when a woman asked what I was doing. When I explained I was a theater critic, she looked me in the eye and asked, “Can you explain the play to me?”
Explaining Thornton Wilder’s 1942 work is no simple task. On the surface, it’s about a family who survives the Ice Age, the flood, and a devastating war. It’s also about the bonds between husband and wife, and parents and children.
There are numerous historical and biblical references, and characters that break the fourth wall and address the audience directly. The entire experience is an enticing and intriguing exploration of the strength, weakness, and ultimate resolve of the human race.
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