Eclipsed NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (570)
See it if you enjoy stories of defying odds and overcoming oppression. A gripping drama that shines an important light in a dark corner of our history
Don't see it if you need a light evening of entertainment. This is based on actual accounts of Liberian women and leaves no stone unturned.
See it if you enjoy spectacular performances
Don't see it if you do not like plays
See it if enjoy thought provoking theater. Show shares insight into how the different women were each affected in the war.
Don't see it if you are not interested in thinking/learning when you see a show
See it if you appreciate plays with emotional depth and powerful material. Lupita Nyong'o and the other women gave masterful performances.
Don't see it if you get overwhelmed by intense subject material such as topics like sex slavery or warfare. Gun shot sounds are used.
See it if You like diverse casting, originality of perspective, and engrossing emotional stories.
Don't see it if You prefer lighter material and escapist entertainment.
See it if deep and thoughtful, but still really entertaining and funny, with excellent performances from the whole cast
Don't see it if you don't want to cry today
See it if This was the first all-female Broadway show I've ever seen -- and for that alone, it was extraordinary, transformative theater.
Don't see it if Must be seen. Transporting experience. Only after lights come up at end do you remember you're in the theater.
See it if A soul shattering look at a lifestyle and its choices completely alien to Americans. Great acting, riveting story, and effective staging.
Don't see it if If you don't like sad and brutal story lines.
Critic Reviews (65)
"To tell the horrific story of the Liberian Civil War is as surprising as it is brave. Backed by a dynamic ensemble cast, the production proves that when it comes to human suffering, science fiction has nothing over the realities of recent world history…Staging comic relief amid serial rape is no mean feat, but under Liesl Tommy’s careful and wise direction, humor plays out as a sign of hope that is as much a salve for the women as it is a breath of relief for the audience.”
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"We know it’s not going to be all sunshine and lollipops. But what I wasn’t prepared for was the playful innocence of the writing and the deep maternal care that we are witness to...Danai Gurira writes dialogue between these young adult women that is both fun, flirtatious, and caring...Beautifully directed with unflinching honesty by Liesl Tommy, 'Eclipsed' makes us painfully aware of the history and the terror of these women’s lives."
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"Under Liesl Tommy’s careful and inventive direction, the ensemble cast is uniformly brilliant and each delivers a powerful and authentic performance...There are times one wishes playwright Danai Gurira’s writing could have been stronger, especially giving The Girl a more significant role throughout the play...This is an important play with an important story...'Eclipsed' is a redemptive and salvific story offered with distinctive grace and distinguished craft and not to be missed."
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"What could easily have been a noble, grim and largely unwatchable testament to man’s inhumanity towards woman in wartime turns out to be a well-acted ensemble piece and a thought-provoking drama that is surprisingly vibrant, and sometimes even whimsical...'Eclipsed' is not a star vehicle; the other performers are terrific in creating believable and complex individuals who are not just victims, and not just sufferers — and neither round-the-clock noble nor grim."
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"'Eclipsed' is a devastating drama about the lives of four Liberian women living in a rebel compound as 'wives' of the general. Gurira vividly differentiates her characters and captures their blend of cooperation and competition...The ensemble acting is exceptional with Nyong’o a standout. Except for a few slow moments in the first act, the play is consistently gripping. The set and costumes by Clint Ramos are evocative. Liesl Tommy’s direction is assured."
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"Heartfelt, modest, occasionally clunky...The Broadway showcase magnifies both the strengths and the weaknesses of the play. On the positive side are portrayals that have deepened in complexity and nuance over the months...Gurira wants us to understand the awful choices available to these women. But the storytelling gets weighed down in message and metaphor when explaining the women peacemakers who actually did forge the peace accord in 2003 that led to democratic elections."
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"It must be said that 'Eclipsed' is good but stands in the shadow of 'Ruined'. One wants to be seared by the story of 'Eclipsed' but never quite feels it the bone-deep way one did with 'Ruined'. Nonetheless, Gurira has a gift for establishing characters and weaving in a natural humor...Still, the sense of satisfaction in seeing this work on Broadway remains...If 'Eclipsed' isn't a stone-cold masterpiece, it's clearly the next stage in a number of promising careers."
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"If Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o gave a gripping performance when 'Eclipsed' was performed off-Broadway last fall, she's escalated her portrayal to shattering in the Broadway transfer of Danai Gurira's fine play...Gurira is not inclined to subtlety in presenting the agony of her characters, and occasionally there are soapbox moments...But 'Eclipsed' is a very powerful, resonant play, bringing home what it means to be completely helpless in our world."
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