See it if You want to see amazing acting and a moving story involving characters who are deaf.
Don't see it if You do not enjoy intense dramas
See it if you have any connection with the Deaf community and/or care about power dynamics, communication issues, emerging cultures, or "otherness."
Don't see it if you are put off by seeing ASL used fluently and forcefully, or if clashes between Hearing vs. Deaf culture make you uncomfortable. Read more
See it if you are interested in deaf culture, and a strong story. Joshua Jackson &.Lauren Ridloff were superb. Deaf cast , sometimes hard to get.
Don't see it if you aren't willing to work to understand the actors. The deaf actors weren't easy, for the hearing audience, but worth the effort.
See it if you enjoy shows about social issues, if you are deaf or are interested in social issues about the deaf community, if you enjoy dramas.
Don't see it if you only like glitzy Broadway musicals or comedies, or only like realusric sets.
See it if See @LaurenRidloff in her deserved Tony-nom performance; streamlined production focuses on character relationships
Don't see it if Uncharacteristic heavy direction by Kenny Leon
See it if If you love musicals with a story . Good acting, touching story
Don't see it if If you don’t like musicals
See it if You like well acted thoughtful plays. Joshua Jackson (who was fantastic in Fringe) gives a great performance as do all actors.Very well done
Don't see it if You prefer seeing a musical. This is a very thoughtful play
See it if You remember the story fondly and want to see a reimagined, updated version
Don't see it if Having to do a lot of reading during the show will be a burden
"Ridloff’s performance is wonderfully done, but the role is written, so that most women will see her as an unforgiving, spoiled brat...When James tells her of his family life, it is James our hearts break over...Jackson signs brilliantly...He brings those movements to fluidity. His understated performance is riveting...In the 'PC' world we live in, this play makes zero sense. I understand we may not like having to compromise, but isn’t that part of life?"
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"In the original Broadway production, Rubinstein's James came off merely brash for aggressively pursuing Sarah...Today, James's behavior is downright creepy...At its heart, 'Children' is a two-hander with one actor doing all the talking...'Children' might not exhibit all the limitations of a two-hander if any of the supporting characters were develop beyond a mere stereotype...Ridloff successfully projects the beautiful enigma that James loves but will never fully know."
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"The strongest argument for seeing this revival is the powerful performance by Ms. Ridloff. It is easy to see why James would be so attracted to her. Mr. Jackson gives a creditable performance in a demanding role, although I would have liked a little more variety...The direction by Kenny Leon is assured, but I wish he had made a few cuts."
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"It still holds up very well...A moving and revealing insight into the world of the deaf...The supremely expressive Ridloff is able to convey a wealth of emotion in a performance that is full of passion and frustration while avoiding vulnerability and therefore sentimentality....Jackson's performance is dexterous and impressive...The production additionally makes unprecedented steps towards inclusivity...Leon's absorbing production is only undermined by an ugly abstract set."
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"'Children of a Lesser God' is one play whose sell-by date has definitely passed; even given embers of a still burning debate about deaf culture and identity, this plodding and clinical revival is dull, stale, unremarkable, and problematic in its treatment of a relationship between a deaf student and her teacher. Despite strong performances by TV's Joshua Jackson and deaf actor Lauren Ridloff, skip this one."
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"The interactions between the characters are palpably torturous...Ridloff turns in an impassioned award-worthy performance...Supertitles in the theater contain a transcription of his spoken words, but not of her signing, until he reiterates it...As a result, there is a bit of an emotional disconnect and lack of chemistry between the two actors, and timing that often feels a beat behind...While 'Children of a Lesser God' has in some ways become a period piece, it’s one that is still important."
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"It's inexplicable to me that a teen heartthrob over a decade past his sell-by date has landed a role on Broadway; still, at the very least, I'd expect him to learn his lines...And isn't the insistence on speaking Sarah's dialogue out loud an implicit endorsement of James' position? Ostensibly about deafness, ‘Children of a Lesser God’ ultimately defers to the demands of the hearing world."
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"What makes us more sympathetic to Sarah is James's lack of tact. Although he is filled with love and compassion, he simply cannot put himself in the shoes of the woman he so desperately wants to help...Jackson does yeoman's work delivering his lines and translating Sarah's sign language...As a result much of his performance seems more informative than emotional...It is Ridloff's luminescent performance that carries this production triumphantly to the finish line."
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