Written by orange• June 28, 2026• 5:28 pm• Review, The Larking House Theatre Company, Theater, Uncategorized

World Premiere: Larking House Presents: Ostrich in the Room @ Grand Central Art Center – Review

Written by Patrick Chavis

Larking House Presents: Ostrich in the Room is playing now at the Grand Central Art Center, June 19- 28, 2026.

Seanan Palermo Waugh’s new play, Ostrich in the Room, puts Dr. Seuss in adult clothing, and somehow it works- absurd!

Story:

Ostrich in the Room centers around a disgruntled couple, “A” (the Head-ish one, Jessica Schreiber) and “B” (The Heart-ish One, Rachel Bailey). What seems like a simple argument about whether they should go to a party or not turns into a debateathon. That only seems to get worse with the interference of a nosy Ostrich bending its neck into all of their business.

The show is really leaning into clowning, from the costume work by Rowan Galleran to the silly hairdos from Feyara Bellefleur. Even before A and B open their mouths, you get a sense that this is a comedy and you’re in for some shenanigans. The plot of OINR is simple and very relatable: sometimes small things, particularly unresolved issues left unaddressed, become bigger things. In this play, should they go to a work party?

Where it branches off from relatable to absurd are the lengths these characters go to in order not to deal with the problem. Chess games, checker games, and an Ostrich that seems to pop up and wants to get in their business to a disturbing degree. Tastefully played by 2025 OCR Best Young Actor Coleman Blue Summers (“I” The Ostrich). If you grew up reading Dr. Seuss, it’s difficult not to make the connection with The Cat in the Hat, one of Seuss’s most popular titles. While the storytelling mechanisms are similar, the adult content and subject matter make this a unique piece.

Shake-weight comedy works in this play, somehow, but would be very inappropriate in a children’s book.

Acting:

The clowns are in town, and their names are Schreiber and Bailey. No, not the circus company. Schreiber and Bailey keep the show’s momentum going with exceptional pacing and a comedic approach that make the 90-minute, no-intermission show feel much shorter.

Summer is somehow funny and also intimidating in this. Which can be a challenge for anyone wearing an Ostrich on their head.

Costume/Sound/Lighting:

And what an Ostrich head it is, leaving the face of Summers to emote with the unique pairing of suit jacket and long ruffles that mimic feathers. The design is playing with sophistication but in a bizarre way. A trend Galleran uses throughout. My favorite is the two colored shirts on “A,” which most likely represent the right and left sides of the brain.

Much of the physical comedy is accented by the well-placed sounds from Lizzy McCabe. The lighting by Matthew M. Hayashi not only illuminates the stage but also provides the right vibe in necessary scenes.

A show full of laughter, I’m still laughing.