Indecent NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (1,165)
See it if you want to be mesmerized for 1 hr and 45 minutes. I was hooked from before the show started, when the cast was already on the stage.
Don't see it if you are anti-Semitic or homophobic. You will be squirming in your seat. Read more
See it if You like really well acted - well directed and engrossing theatre. It has a few drawbacks but it is so good that they really don't matter.
Don't see it if Can't think of a reason NOT to see it. See it.
See it if You want to see an fascinating play with a captivating story plot.
Don't see it if You have a problem with same-gender relationships, this is not your play
See it if you have the chance; you have any interest in theatre history, jewish history and/or yiddish theatre; you are human and have human emotions.
Don't see it if you are homophobic and don't have a heart. Read more
See it if you like plays that incorporate history, music, and creative storytelling
Don't see it if you aren't patient - there are some gradual builds, but the payoff is worth it
See it if You have an interest in the rise of literary Yiddish in the late 19th century and the experience of early 20th century immigrant Jews.
Don't see it if You're looking for a typical musical with a happy ending. You are upset by scenes set in a ghetto or camp.
See it if You love a beautiful, tragic love story that is so much more.
Don't see it if You do not like inventive staging
See it if - You want to be moved by a powerful play based on true events. - interested in play covering controversial topics during early 20th century
Don't see it if You don't like emotional plays. This play is very moving.
Critic Reviews (101)
“Bigger and better at the Cort…The choreography, which ranges from playful to portentous, is by David Dorfman; Christopher Akerlind’s stunning lighting is virtually a character unto itself. Much of the excellent cast is the same from the Vineyard, with standout performances by Topol, who is both observer and participant, and the sultry, sexy Lenk, who can set the hearts of men and women aflutter.“
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"'Indecent' blends original scenes from 'The God of Vengeance' with an account of the play’s own turbulent production history, from its acclaimed premiere...to doom-laden clandestine performances in the Łódź ghetto...That sense of looming world-historical catastrophe is sensitively conveyed by Taichman’s sombre, stripped-down staging, which also provides an appropriate frame for Vogel’s occasionally repetitive story of backstage wrangling and controversy-stalked 'playmaking.'"
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"It isn’t necessary to read 'God of Vengeance'...to appreciate the new production’s eccentric but powerful storytelling, or the masterful performances by the cast...Vogel and director Taichman treat us to an array of glimpses of individual stories that illuminate the humane side of humanity...All this, while highly stylized, is a true story, woven into a production that delicately balances the lighthearted and the deeply moving–and stops just shy of the maudlin towards the end."
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“The tale is told in a series of quick scenes, blending past and present, portrayed with touching humor, joy, and pathos by seven actors…Outstanding is Topol as Lemml, a sensitive, likable narrator who is spellbound by the first reading of Asch's play…Memorable is the drama's beginning and ending with an imaginative metaphor of dust alluding to time and humanity...A fascinating production of intense sensitivity and the inherent constancy of the human spirit and the enduring power of art.
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"The play itself dares to spin itself out in a very free form, almost as a cabaret performance...Vogel’s play takes itself very seriously, and is certainly an eye opener into some of the odious customs in the entertainment field...Taichman presents many moving moments...I respect what is up there onstage at Broadway’s Cort Theatre. I admire the work of each element in the production, but I remained somewhat outside of it most of the time, as an observer more than as a participant."
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"They say there's no business like Shoah business, but there's also no quicker way to win gasps, tears, and standing ovations from an unthinking audience. It's a shame that a play like 'Indecent' - a play that is often vital and brimming with life - succumbs in its final scenes to kitsch."
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"There are musical numbers along the way, helpful subtitles pop up behind the actors, and the intermissionless 100 minutes are impeccably staged by Rebecca Taichman (who’s credited with co-creating the piece with Vogel)...At times, 'Indecent' feels like an earnest evening that’s good for you, but stop your kvetching and stay till the final rain scene."
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"A fast-moving yet lucid drama whose short scenes convey a tremendous amount of information and a surprising amount of feeling. The creators use a full array of theatrical tools...to lend a sense of poetry, spectacle and scale to what might otherwise have been a too-modest tale. If 'Indecent' doesn't land as forceful a dramatic punch as it might have, that's probably because we never fully invest in any of the characters...Then again, that may be Vogel's point."
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