Much is made of the fact that Kenneth Lonergan's 1996 play is set in 1982 at the dawn of the Reagan era, but it seems to be a dark comedy that reflects themes easily observed even in prosperous suburbs today. While it purportedly portrays 24 hours in the lives of three upper-middle-class Jewish kids from New York's Upper West Side, This is Our Youth is a character-driven examination of twentysomethings rebelling against a yuppie culture in which career, wealth, and power seem to be the standards of success. Lonergan's play will resonate for years to come, as greed and self-interest are timeless themes and young people will persist in their disaffection for the lifestyles of their parents.
Warren has stolen $15,000 from his physically abusive father and has hightailed it with a suitcase containing his most treasured possessions--vintage toys, classic LPs, and a rare toaster--to regroup at the sloppy apartment of his "friend" Dennis, the friendly neighborhood drug dabbler. Sean McHugh brings faultless timing and expression to the Holden Caulfield-ish role of Warren. McHugh's Warren subjugates his innate intelligence and wit to play the lost loser to Jamison Haase's Dennis. Unfortunately, Haase's comparatively slight build and his lapses from never-quite-raging fury into charm strip the all-important aspect of bully-and-victim that Lonergan intended in his script and which Warren must recognize and resist. We never feel that Warren fears or admires his buddy, and we never get the full impact of Dennis' despair and alienation. Luckily the scenes between Warren and the attractive Jessica (Caitlin Ferrara) are smartly acted, allowing Warren to explore and display his own allure and intelligence and Lonergan's first-rate knack for dialogue to shine.
The cast and script are well-supported by the cunning costuming of Janet Dorn-Veevers, the smooth sound design of Kevin Kelly, and Douglas Tal Sanders' compact studio apartment set. Mike E. Madden's satisfactory lighting could show more range, however, as the difference between midnight and high noon is negligible. Still and all, director Robert Grande-Weiss and company present an insightful and pleasing view of both the energy and ennui of our formative young-adult years.