Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Bartha and Camille Mana in “Asuncion". Photo Credit: Ari Mintz.

The simple stage of Jesse Eisenberg’s new play Asuncion (produced by the Rattlestick Theater Company) is an apartment of at least two single males.  As the lights go on, we watch a man in his late twenties, smoking pot, wander out on the stage, light candles, and start playing with a keyboard and African drum.

Eisenberg makes it very clear very early on, in conversations, props, and set pieces, the characters’ interpretations of racial differences.  Edgar is against racial hatred to the extent that he was extremely racist – assuming Asuncion (a female character who comes into their lives) is a prostitute from a slum and running from the mob, and that was the reason his brother (her husband) is having her stay with Edgar and Vinny. Edgar spends the entire week Asuncion is staying with them gathering ‘proof’ that she is a prostitute, all of which comes out when, at the end of the week, all three of them are high on LSD, Vinny shows the list to Asuncion.  

I felt bad for Edgar, a jittery post-grad who had a massive crush on his former T.A. and bowed to his every whim.  Vinny was difficult for me, as he was trying to make Edgar stand up for himself while exploiting Edgar’s very obvious affection for him.

I genuinely didn’t think that I would like Asuncion, honestly. I didn’t like The Social Network, which lead me not to like Jesse Eisenberg. However, this play made my opinion change.  All in all, it’s an enjoyable show, and I would recommend it to anyone. Fair warning, however: the language and innuendo isn’t for the innocent or naïve.