Farinelli and the King

See it if you're absolutely passionate about countertenor singing ... and want to see it even if it's embedded in a vehicle with no discernible plot.

Don't see it if you expect something like THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III (with its wit and drive). This play will disappoint mightily. What were they thinking?

See it if you own a flashy period costume worthy of an 18th century Spanish court and you can get tickets that will put you onstage with the cast.

Don't see it if you detest playwrights who display more research than heart or great actors who are reduced to hamming it up for easy laughs.

See it if You love Mark Rylance or haven't gotten the chance to see him on stage yet.

Don't see it if You like plays that feel like they took more than 12 hours to write.

Also Not Rylance's best work (he really isn't given much here) but he proves himself once again to have the best comic timing of any living actor and is worth seeing if you haven't yet had the chance.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Mark Rylance, wonderful performance.

Don't see it if want to hear superlative singing. An average/good singer wouldn't be that day's rock star or cure a king.

Also Silly thrown in love affair between Farinelli and the King's wife. Contrived dialog and hogging of stage time by Rylance in playing the old man in the end. Another actor lost a job. Most of all, the lousy conceit of an actor reading the lines and then having a singer walk on stage at the same time and sing. This should have been the same person. Music chosen was average, because the singer was average...which negates the whole point of the story, an amazing voice helps to cure the King's melancholy. He didn't even have a trill and you don't sing Baroque music without one. A countertenor is the wrong voice anyway, a contralto or mezzo would have a closer sound quality. https://youtu.be/KLjvfqnD0ws
A woman would have also given a more androgynous look to Farinelli. The writer, Rylance's wife, may not have wanted her husband to be upstaged by the singer. Dumbness, Rylance is wonderful in everything he does. Great concept for a play that failed miserably because of casting.... Read more Read less

See it if You're a Rylance completist, but don't expect much. Or if you want to see how much an actor truly loves his wife. (Answer below)

Don't see it if Oh almost any reason will do...

Also I couldn't fathom why Rylance, who can surely attach himself to any project, would attach himself to this. And then I learned this was his wife's first play. Love is blind and deaf.... Read more Read less

See it if You like arias, candle light, and Mark Rylance pulling deep from his bag of tricks with little to show for it.

Don't see it if You want a story, original jokes, or competent writing. Truly, it's baffling that this is on Broadway.

See it if no reason to see it. I hated it from the opening moments. Some of the actors tried their best.

Don't see it if I've like Mark Rylance before, but this was just awful. Embarrassing in parts.

See it if You love beautiful sets, and Mark Rylance.

Don't see it if You like good plots, characters you want to root for, and excitement.

See it if you love to see Mark Rylance doing the same mugging schtick he did in Boeing Boeing and Twelfth night. Alas, he is so good in films

Don't see it if you expect a plot or tension rather than just a situation: madman is calmed by singing

See it if You want to see Mark Rylance or the excellent musicians.

Don't see it if You want to see an incredibly weak play. It's message may be true and beautiful but the play goes off the rails, becoming messy and vapid.

See it if Confusing. No plot. Love connection out of nowhere. No introducing the connection. Awful. A definite miss, waste of money.

Don't see it if DO yourself a favor, do NOT see it

See it if Slow historical drama

Don't see it if Countertenors and directionless direction

See it if you're a superfan of Rylance. Got me in the door. Or if you just can't get enough of the 17th cent. aria canon, sung castrato.

Don't see it if you're expecting Rylance to once again transport you. I know it's just me (see other reviews) but I never cared about the king's plight.