Despite its three high-school protagonists (one’s out, one’s closeted, and one’s pregnant) and its after-school-special plot points (a teacher who molests his students, censorship at the school paper), Speech & Debate isn’t an issues play. It’s a sprawling, highly charged brawl of fast jokes and teenage pathos played out in empty classrooms, local coffee shops, and teenage bedrooms—and a dissertation on that awkward era when we began to swap out childhood enthusiasm for grown-up dignity. (Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222. 2 and 7:30 pm, $22–$37. Through Feb 21.)
Brend an Kiley has worked as a child actor in New Orleans, as a member of the junior press corps at the 1988 Republican National Convention, and, for one happy April, as a bootlegger’s assistant in Nicaragua.... More by Brendan Kiley
It’s a clunky, Saturday morning sitcom and not even a well-written clunky Saturday morning sitcom…
Loved it. Too many old people in the audience, though.
-Jon Brock
It was really slow for the first half hour,
then picked up and I enjoyed it. I think it needed a bit more tightening and resolution. The dance part was fun.