Farinelli and the King
Closed 2h 30m
Farinelli and the King
82

Farinelli and the King NYC Reviews and Tickets

82%
(540 Ratings)
Positive
89%
Mixed
8%
Negative
3%
Members say
Great acting, Great singing, Absorbing, Great staging, Entertaining

About the Show

Oscar and three-time Tony winner Mark Rylance returns to Broadway in this new drama about Spain's King Phillippe V's bond with a legendary castrato. 

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Show-Score Member Reviews (540)

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69 Reviews | 16 Followers
100
Absorbing, Exquisite, Great singing, Profound, Enchanting

See it if you love a good show and great singing..I'm a big fan of Farinelli and was not disappointed. I must go back for more!! BRAVO I SAY!

Don't see it if you're not a fan of opera and period shows then this is definitely not for you.

85 Reviews | 42 Followers
99
Exquisite, Funny, Great acting, Great singing, Great staging

See it if You enjoy incredible acting, something different, historical, classical, opera, great story, funny brilliantly done

Don't see it if You don't enjoy classical, opera, historical.

56 Reviews | 19 Followers
99
Absorbing, Great acting, Masterful, Intelligent, Relevant

See it if you like watching one of the greatest actors of all time Mark Rylance performance with his usual command of the language and stage;inspiring

Don't see it if You do not like Handel music, countertenors, historical drama, candlelit stages; splendid costumes, and watching history come to life evenly

193 Reviews | 29 Followers
99
Absorbing, Great acting, Great singing, Great staging, Great writing

See it if You are interested in period theatre productions. Brilliant casting. The set creates a tableau-like setting. A must see.

Don't see it if If you aren't interested in history or period pieces or sung classical music.

60 Reviews | 9 Followers
98
Absorbing, Exquisite, Great acting, Must see, Great writing

See it if you want a truly amazing, indescribable theatrical experience. Be prepared to fall in love with Mark Rylance as his king captures your heart

Don't see it if you're looking for a big, splashy, traditional Broafway musical!

228 Reviews | 36 Followers
98
Great acting, Great singing, Intelligent, Must see

See it if you want to see marvelous actors strutting their stuff. This was THEATER. One of the best plays I have seen. The singing is glorious.

Don't see it if you do not like opera. Don't see it if you do not have the patience to get into a play. Read more

62 Reviews | 11 Followers
98
Absorbing, Enchanting, Funny, Great acting, Great singing

See it if This play is unique in it's presentation,enchanting and melodic. It is beautifully staged and acted. Mark Rylance is a gem.

Don't see it if I can't think of any reasons not to see It!

203 Reviews | 49 Followers
97
Quirky, Charming, Visually stunning, Expressive, Masterful

See it if MARK Freakin' RYLANCE!!!!!! and the beautiful singing of Iestyn Davies. A beautiful, charming and endearing night at the theatre.

Don't see it if No, really...MARK Freakin' RYLANCE!!!!! If you enjoy acting...at all...get some up close seats and watch a master at work. Read more

Critic Reviews (56)

TheaterScene.net
December 23rd, 2017

“While the play entertains and the performances hold one's interest, there are holes in the script. We learn nothing of the causes or beginnings of Philippe's illness. Although we know that he is the grandson of the French King Louis XIV, we learn nothing about his history or his first marriage. The only thing we learn about Farinelli is that he is Italian and that his composer brother arranged for his castration when he was ten to preserve his angelic voice on the death of their father.”
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CurtainUp
December 17th, 2017

"It's clear that Van Kampen has taken enough liberties with historic facts to allow her play to champion the healing effect of music...The playwright's vision for having two Farinellis heightens the dramatic point/counterpoint of Farinelli and Phillippe's divided selves. Fortunately the shared casting fits the mirroring of the characters' psyches very well...More an enjoyable, fanciful entertainment than a play likely to join the canon of Shakespeare's memorable king plays."
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Theater Pizzazz
December 17th, 2017

"'Farinelli' starts slowly but finds its footing a few scenes in...Even after it’s up and running, it slips into a mild torpor here and there. As good as Rylance is, Philippe’s madness can be just a little too cute, peppered with wit that doesn’t feel organic...Dove hasn’t determined how to even out the bumps in Van Kampen’s script...If 'Farinelli and the King' gets bogged down now and then–and it does–it also has its memorable elements, including its impeccable sense of time and place."
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Front Row Center
December 19th, 2017

“This play is more a series of incidences than a story unfolding...Everything that could be done to bring this tale to life has been done...A great production of a play with little substance, however, does not a great play make. But for the performance of Rylance, who is as always remarkable, and Davies, who is a delicious surprise and deserving of the two final bows that Rylance engineers, ‘Farinelli and The King’ remains a tedious bit of business.”
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Stage Buddy
December 17th, 2017

"Structurally, the plays leaves much to be desired, as it’s unsure of what it wants to accomplish. It shifts in tone...but it poses questions that make it feel like a much more well rounded project than it is...Crane does more than turn Farinelli into either a tortured artist or a complete hedonist, unlike the play he’s in, the actor understands nobody should exist in extremes...It’s a performance full of soul in a play that favors surface."
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Stage Buddy
December 21st, 2017

"The show is well directed by John Dove and designed by Jonathan Fensom...Rylance mutters and babbles gently and then goes in for a jab like a verbal fencer...Although Rylance is worth the price of admission alone, Farinelli is the focal character...Farinelli feels disconnected from his singer-persona and having two people emphasizes the separation. Davies’ counter-tenor voice is incredible; his singing is haunting and it transports the audience."
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Front Mezz Junkies
December 22nd, 2017

“Everything about this production feels old fashioned, and I mean that in the best of possible ways...The story is simple and charming, and even though it’s not captivating, it does truly engage. It has a glow and a quiet intimacy that is unquestionable and stunningly beautiful...The complexities and depth Rylance, and the company bring is equal to the beauty that engulfs us, leaving us feeling quenched and delighted by the exquisiteness of an evening of beautiful theatre making."
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Theatre Reviews Limited
March 9th, 2018

"Dove’s staging gives the breadth and depth of Ms. Van Kampen’s script the 'space' it needs to unfold and embrace the audience with its pathos and ethos. The scenes between Farinelli and the King brim with effusive energy...Crane brings an authentic vulnerability to his role as Farinelli that counterpoints brilliantly with the tempered desperation of Rylance’s Philippe...It is clear to the audience how Farinelli and the King walked together in distinction and in imprisonment."
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