M. Butterfly

See it if You like great actors and a compelling story told in a unique way.

Don't see it if You are offended by brief nudity and an unconventional story.

See it if You're interested in seeing a great revival of a classic play. Excellent performances all the way around. Great dramatic content.

Don't see it if You want a less serious, more musically oriented experience. Also avoid it if you are uncomfortable with gender bending themes.

Also The staging and choreography were great. Having not seen the original, I have nothing to compare it to, however, this was a beautiful story of tragic love.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in the source material or are a fan of Clive Owen. The story itself is really intriguing and absorbing

Don't see it if you aren't interested in bad storytelling of a great story. the set design is really distracting and clunky, and the direction is simply off

See it if You loved the show before. It has not made the transition to the 21st century very successfully.

Don't see it if You want a story that keeps moving forward and keeps you moving with it. If you are prone to napping, stay home.

See it if You’ve never seen this book before, and interested in a suspense story with some Chinese elements

Don't see it if You want to see a simple, fluff and sweet story with a happy ending

Also Don’t see any critics before if it’s the first time you see this book, spoiler would ruin a lot of fun... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see star performance by Jin Ha in a solid show; your expectations going in are not overly inflated because of the creative team.

Don't see it if you are distracted by clunky sets (great idea but poorly executed) or are expecting a profound experience (not as impactful as it once was).

See it if I saw the original Broadway Show and it was riveting. This production directorial and design wise looked like a budget bus and truck tour.

Don't see it if If you was dramicic effects and accurate chiness opers. See it at the Met museum next year in the Astor court . That is amazing.

Also The performances were stellar but the set was so distracting. Was Ms Taymore on some kind of a budgetary restriction? After seeing her magic flute at the Met Opera , I was so disappointed.... Read more Read less

See it if you have never seen this play before; it is an interesting play, although the original version was more powerful. Clive Owen is perfect

Don't see it if you want to see Julie Taymor's work; here it is over done. Maybe Juan Darien and Lion King were flukes. I missed B D Wong terribly.

See it if Want to see a slight twist on this production with clever use of the stage. Owens carries a big show with this one. Some parts a bit miscast

Don't see it if Expect traditional 🦋 or don't want minuteS of nudity on stage or homosexual themes.

See it if You never saw the original production. The acting is very good but the end result left me feeling a bit cold ... too dark and edgy.

Don't see it if You enjoy being absorbed into a story so much that you feel you are part of it. This play is set up so you feel strictly like a observer.

See it if you didn't see the original

Don't see it if you saw the original

See it if You want to see Clive Owen on stage doing a decent job despite his circumstances.

Don't see it if If you want a fresh interesting take on the play

See it if Great acting, twisted story, surprise ending (if you can't figure it out in advance)

Don't see it if you don't like straight acting or prefer musicals

See it if butterfly sang beautifully, clive is nice to see, but show fell flat

Don't see it if you expect Julie Taymor to have created something great, she did not & the set sucked

See it if you enjoy a thought-provoking, engrossing story, and a professional, polished production and fine acting.

Don't see it if you might be repulsed or confused about an unusual same sex relationship that is the basis of the plot.

See it if you'd appreciate insights into East/West relations from an Eastern perspective. You enjoy a good "falling from grace" story.

Don't see it if you don't like having racial stereotypes challenged. You feel good acting can't overcome the leads not looking their parts.

Also Playwriting 90 (intelligent, clever)
Staging 86 (original, allowed quick scene changes, good metaphor for the story)
Casting 67 (talented leads, don't look/act their parts - distracting)
OVERALL 81

This is such an important & significant play, I wanted to love it. The opening was riveting. The writing is excellent. The staging a good metaphor for how we box ourselves in w/our beliefs. But...

The reveal was choppy, not smooth, & the ending felt abrupt.

Clive Owen does a commendable job trying (& failing) to be dumpy, but can't channel the pathos needed for the part.

Jin Ha has a fantastic career ahead, but I never believed he was a woman. He did a good job w/his voice, but didn't really walk/hold himself like a woman, or look like one despite the makeup.

No chemistry btwn them, so I wasn't impacted emotionally.

Didn't see the original, but can't help feeling its actors (John Lithgow, B.D. Wong) were better suited.

Still, a smart, insightful play worth seeing for its writing.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a fan of Clive Owen, appreciate romantic/political intrigue

Don't see it if You are uncomfortable with nudity, require a tidy resolution

See it if you want to see a brilliant piece of theatre that was performed as it always should have been!

Don't see it if you don't want to be challenged by another point of view.

See it if Story no longer carries any weight. Well acted but the story is not worth showing on stage. Glacially slow if well acted.

Don't see it if You prefer something that moves at a pace faster than a snail. Want more Jan one good role player.

See it if you are wanting to see a star head the cast of a Broadway production

Don't see it if you're expecting superb Broadway theatre

Also Truly one of the most disappointing shows I have seen on Broadway in a LONG time. I have seen better sets / set pieces in college productions. Nothing spectacular about the direction at all. Interesting choreography. But I felt the leading man was phoning it in (and I saw this just prior to official opening when most big critics would be in the house. If you're spending top dollar to see a star vehicle, save your money for something else during this season.... Read more Read less

See it if An interesting show,preformences where very good.I liked the staging,they do tell you how he did it if you care. I liked Clive Owens

Don't see it if I liked the original show better. A pleasant,evening,I would have preferred a little more mystery

See it if You did not see the original. 2 very good central performances. Interested in seeing a real truth is stranger than fiction story.

Don't see it if You have fond memories of the original production, script and performances. Are expecting some inspired concept from Taymor. Warning: Nudity

Also There are two very good central performance from Owen and Ha, although I didn’t feel the passion between them. Also fine support from the always good Countryman. But the performances can’t bring to life this plodding bland production. Perhaps people had too high hope for what Taymor could be cable of bringing to this amazing story. There’s no magic here. The scenery is unattractive and clumsily manipulated by stagehands and actors.
The updated script by Hwang isn’t an improvement. It gives away the central plot point way too early and is often confusing to follow (and I knew the play). The reworked structure and additional character twist deters from the play and does nothing to enlighten or clarify the themes. This left me wanting to reread the original script to clarify what I just saw. That can’t be good.
A case of the original far surpassing this second-rate revival, both script, design and performances.
Warning: Full nudity and sexuality subject matter.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy a great "based on a true story" edgy drama with great actors doing fine work.

Don't see it if You are uncomfortable with gay themes and male nudity.

Also Like most of the characters in the play I have a difficult time understanding how the main character can go decades in an intimate relationship with another man and still not realize he is not the perfect woman he believes she is. Even the graphic description in the final trial scene does not explain it for me. Part of the problem was that Mr. Ha, though convincing in his portrayal of the woman, was in the early stages equally as convincing as a man, even if somewhat effeminate.

The staging is inventive but I found the flying panels got to be a bit too busy at times. The director made great use of the small dance group whose energy and colour provided a nice variation from the monochromatic and quiet of the majority of the script.

I particularly liked the lack of a fourth wall and the dialogue with the audience from both the main character. It certainly helped build sympathy for the diplomat as he spiraled to his distruction.... Read more Read less

See it if You like Clive Owen and are open to exploring sexuality on stage.

Don't see it if You don't want to see full nudity, laugh at jokes that don't match the rythm of the play and don't mind the 4th wall broken.

See it if you have not seen the original and is interested in seeing Clive Owen performing live.

Don't see it if you know the storyline and have high expectations.

Also Given the material, this production could have elicit profound emotional responses from the audience. However, I left the theater feeling empty...... Read more Read less