Did you ever hear of Zach Braff? If not, it is high time to make his acquaintance for Zachary Israel Braff, born 1975, is a filmmaker and an actor well-known in the United States and Britain. During his long career he directed a variety of televison series such as “Scrubs“ and starred in a other popular productions.
„All New People“ is Zach’s first play in wich he appeared himself as Charlie (Will Edgerton), an unhappy young man who seems to be weary of life. Why? Wait and see what is happening on the stage oft the ETH.
An angel saves Charlie’s life
Charlie has decided to commit sucide by hanging himself in the living room of a friend’s trendy beach house on an island in New Jersey. As he dangles on the noose Emma (Claudia Watanabe), a British real estate agent, storms in and saves his life. Emma who is desparate for a green card was expecting a client when she found the young chap in distress. Lucky Charlie!
When the door bell rings Charlie and Emma are joined by Myron, a fireman who increases his salary by dealing with drugs. When the bell rings again a pretty stylish girl named Kim (Paloma Sidik Amaya) joins the trio. Kim works as an escort girl and gets angry when anyone calls her a prostitute. How dare you! She has been hired by one of Charlie’s friends to cheer him up.
Guilt and atonement
As the play proceeds we learn that the four „all new people“ are wrestling with their own morality and the choices they make. Charlie feels guilty of the death of six innocent people that were killed in an accident on an airstrip. As an air controller he was once absent-minded when two planes crashed. Although he had been relieved from any guilt, he still feels depressed and guilty.
Emma had to leave England because she killed a man who raped her and threatened at the same time to cut her father’s throat. She fled to America for fear of being arrested by the British police.
And Myron. Is he guilty of killing some of his fellow firemen by selling them drugs?
Kim seems to be the only one of the quartet without any problems whatsoever. Her weak point is just to be called a prostitute instead of an escort. By the way, Kim is a gifted singer and ukulele player: „When there’s nothing I can say to make things better, I sling my arm around your shoulder like a sweater. Try to bear some of the burden that you’re wearing. But I can’t seem to lift you.“ Right so. You can try to help other people when they are in trouble. But you can’t lift the whole burden from their shoulders.
Before the curtain falls we see Charlie, Emma, Kim and Myron in total harmony. Charlie is in a great mood. Thanks to Emma and his new friends he is still alive and enjoying their love and loyalty.
Conclusion
Zach Braff may be a great filmmaker. But in my opinion he is not a brilliant playwright. At least his first script for the stage does not profess to the status of great art. No doubt, „All new people“ is a nice entertainment for an evening out. A point of critism: Instead of humerous or elegant dialogue the audience has to endure countless fucks and fuckings. Anyway, the young people in the audience seemed to enjoy this dirty language. True enough – there is no accounting for taste.
The critics in the American press vary from „The writing is slack und lazy, the characterizations never ring true“ to „Sharp and funny despite the implausibility oft he plot.“
Last performance of „All New People“ on June 27. 2026. Tickets under telephone number 040-227 70 89 or online under www.englishtheatre.de
The next premiere after the summer break: „The Potrait of Dorian Gray“ by Oscar Wilde, on September 9, 2026
Photos: Stefan Kock