"The Night Alive" by Connor McPherson---Third Rail Rep @ Coho Theatre

"The Night Alive" has a lot in common with their recent production of Martin McDonagh's "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" in that both plays,  have a lot of their comedy come from just slightly wacky characters, in pretty ordinary conversations, which makes them a little difficult to review. Both also have brief explosions of violence, but I really shouldn't spoil that.  I was surprised at the violence in this show because while I don't have a crystal-clear memory of the handful of other McPherson plays I've seen, I don't think they were violent. Now, I'm not saying the violence is extreme, just unexpected, given the rest of the show. "The Night Alive" is a production with top-tier talent, a rich, odd, and endearing story with tons of humor, and a dash of Third Rail Rep magic. Go see it, though I would opt for a seat a little bit towards the back in the intimate CoHo, the set was a bit large for the space, and there isn't a bad seat in the house.