WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING A REVIEW

The good things in WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING are so good that I feel like Scrooge for not liking it. Andrew Bovells' play is arresting in its form as it goes back and forth in time between the years 1959 and 2039 and it has been given a beautiful production, but I found it to be a cold and uninvolving work for the stage..
The play deals with four generations of the same family. Every relationship from parents to children to spouses to lovers is explored in a back and forth time travel concept, but Mr. Bovell never makes the time changes clear,and that is the main problem with his play. I was never sure what period of time I was in and because of that any concept of what the playwright was trying to say was lost.
This is too bad because there are many lovely things in the production. Director David Cromer has staged the show masterfully and the acting company is from top to bottom beautiful.
But this time the good things can't hide the sad fact that WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING is a confused and confusing play that never lives up to its' concept or potential.
AT THE MITZI E. NEWHOUSE THEATRE LINCOLN CENTER N.Y.C. THRU APRIL 18th.