The School for Scandal NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (74)
See it if Flawless production of timeless play. Messages about gossip and scandal as relevant today as in 1777. Great cast. Pure delight!
Don't see it if Can;t think of a reason not to see it...unless it's because you can't get tickets or have a totally overbooked life.
See it if you like a good old fashioned (1777) sex comedy and/or you're into tweeting gossip about people. Red Bull's production is witty and fun!
Don't see it if you can't understand plays in language written before 1980.
See it if classic tale of gossip ruining many lives, done with great wit and charm, including an impeccable cast and great direction.
Don't see it if well, there's really no reason not to see Sheridan's masterpiece - so go!
See it if you'd enjoy an exquisite comedy of manners that's brisk and sure-footed. Excellent costumes & wigs. Clever and snarky, in the best way!
Don't see it if you have zero tolerance for gossip, backbiting, sniping, plotting & lying... although the perpetrators are justly schooled in the end.
See it if you like farce and can appreciate terrific acting in this comedy of manners.
Don't see it if you don't "classic plays" from previous centuries
See it if If you are interested in classical theater
Don't see it if If you are impatient with character and plot setup
See it if you are familiar with Sheridan's plays or just enjoy 18th century witty comedies. Also, the cast is great!
Don't see it if you dislike classical stories, satires, or stories about disinformation and scandal.
See it if beautifully paced Restoration Comedy. Extremely clever dialogue from a period where there was snappy dialogue. Wonderful ensemble of actors.
Don't see it if you like to just sit back and be entertained. This kind of comedy takes concentration to keep up with the subtleties.
Critic Reviews (25)
"A jaunty new production...First staged in 1777, the play mostly holds up; scandal, clearly, has always been with us. But Sir Peter, who does a great deal of complaining about his wife’s spending and the misery of marriage, was probably a lot funnier back in the day...Not so Ms. Cespedes, who lends Lady Teazle a radiant mirth and a surprising depth...This is a very smart 'Scandal:' handsome, lively, wonderfully cast and, like the most irresistible gossip, a lot of fun."
Read more
"Some of the comedy's rhythms have, to be sure, staled over the centuries, but the core recipe proves durable: Sheridan condemns society gossips, which, coincidentally, lets him put the naughtiest of them front and center. Happily, snark has no expiration date...Vietor does allow several performances to turn overly broad...How do you render every line hilarious? Don't ask me—Baker and Ivey are mere feet away, giving the master class."
Read more
“Marc Vietor’s smart and stylish, fully energized, delightfully over-the-top production brings together a dynamic 14-person cast...In their hands, a convoluted plot feels fresh and effortless...It’s a shame that the production officially opened at the height of the annual onslaught of Broadway openings...Here’s hoping that Red Bull finds a way to put ‘School’ back in session for all the students who have yet to attend class.”
Read more
“It's a mystery: Vietor has put together a polished, handsome production; why doesn't it fizz like cyanide-infused champagne?...The company is technically skilled but wildly uneven in humorous comedic ability...We don't get ‘The School for Scandal’ regularly enough that any fan of Sheridan can afford to overlook this at-least competent production, but...it deserves more glittering treatment than it gets here. This school delivers scandal with surprisingly little sting.”
Read more
"Lives up (or should that be down to?) the sparkling standard set by this effusively acerbic farce. Vietor's take-no-prisoners staging and a nearly ideal cast dive headfirst into all of Sheridan's tart-vinegar writing and come out with first-class champagne...Ultimately, everything meshes together with the raucous clarity it should. That should make it good enough for all but the most die-hard Sheridan purists...All that bad talk leads to a darn good time."
Read more
“With impeccable casting and a
pitch-perfect production team, this ‘School’ is as witty, delightful and
accessible as one could wish. The 18th century look of the play is both
historic and satiric. Anna Louizos’ clever settings transform one into the other
with the turn of a wall or a door and a rearrangement of the furniture,
highlighted by Russell H. Champa’s lighting. Her witty use of props (a chamber
pot, a trunk, empty picture frames) adds to the fun.”
Read more
“Excellent direction from Marc Vietor...and universally exceptional acting from the cast...It's unfair to single out anyone when everyone is so good—this is great ensemble work. But what is more striking than the professionalism on display is the sense of fun. Everyone seems to be having a good time here, with pitch-perfect line readings, great timing, and excellent physical work...If you have even the faintest interest in classic theater, you should go see ‘Scandal’ as soon as you can.”
Read more
"Linn-Baker, so winning as an unfortunate newlywed trading barbs with his sharp-tongued wife, is gifted with numerous hilarious moments as he sputters in indignation…The rest of the cast is uniformly excellent, fleet-tongued as they keep all the parrying and machinations going…If you like your classics with more than a bit of bite, get schooled before the show closes."
Read more