See it if Like Linda Lavin, can relate to the Jewish mother genre, appreciate Greeberg's witty dialogue; or just want to support MTC and new plays.
Don't see it if only like musicals...or edgy drama...or if you are not a Linda Lavin fan. It's 100% her show.
See it if You like something a little different and are a Linda Lavin fan. She's terrific.
Don't see it if You require a neat ending. The second act was a bit of a let down.
See it if You're a Linda Lavin fan. She is amazing as to be expected. And you would like to see her great legs again! If you appreciate great acting.
Don't see it if You're expecting anything profound or deep. If you're looking for anything "serious" or know nothing about the. Rosenbergs.
See it if you like smart humor, good writing, and fine acting.
Don't see it if you want something that feels entirely fresh and youthful.
See it if You love Linda Lavin.
Don't see it if You don't like strong dramas.
See it if If you're a fan of Linda Lavin!
Don't see it if It's definitely for an older audience. 50s & 60s audience. The first act dragged for me. Second Act was definitely funnier and flew by!
See it if You don't really want to see a deep, complex play
Don't see it if You want to see something exciting or intense.
See it if Love a great Linda Lavin performance
Don't see it if Flawed writing is an issue for you
'Our Mother’s Brief Affair' has some structural problems, including the central surprise which takes the plot into too much historic nattering, but it does provide a juicy role for one of our great stage actresses, Linda Lavin."
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"The cast deals with the text in a nimble manner that keeps the audience engaged in the story as it finds its footing until its less than fulfilling conclusion. Lavin is the glue holding everything together. Her performance switches from heartbreaking to hysterical without skipping a beat...Unfortunately though, the play is flawed. While it speaks to the universal issue of aging parents and the mystique of their lives while their children grow up, it doesn't go much farther than that."
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"Too much of the play is repetitive or unfulfilling; there’s perhaps 60 minutes of really fine writing within these two hours, no matter how hard director Lynne Meadow tries to distract us."
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"Not only does Richard Greenberg wander the fields with this tale – the direction and staging are confounding. The staging of park bench, hospital room, hotel room and other locations are confusing...This is a story that lacks purpose and drive. We are never let in far enough to connect with these characters. People talk about events, and reveal little. The 'story' and it’s ultimate twist and revelation is intriguing, but we discover the truth too late."
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"The play allows all of its characters at one point or another to become narrators, the problem is, none of them are very reliable, so who we believe is strictly up to us...A warm, intellectually complex essay about the difficulty of forgiving ourselves for our sins...The play can be enjoyed as a light comedy with charming performances from its ensemble."
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"I only wish the story was either more compelling or better told in the play’s direction, use of space and stage, and in Greenberg’s writing. The story has all the ingredients of a captivating one, but it feels messy and flat...The actors do there damnedest to draw us in and almost succeed but the writing style seemed a bit too poetic...This is a play to watch a pro at work. Lavin is wonderful but deserves a story that is stronger, better written, and over all, more intricately constructed."
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"Ultimately, Anna delivers a lengthy monologue, which allows Lavin her big moment as she explains the guilt that drove her into the affair, but it’s just as contrived as the affair itself. Only Lavin’s performance keeps the entire enterprise from disintegrating before our eyes. For those attending to see a star performance they’ll certainly get one...Her costars, sorry to say, are unremarkable,...further demonstrating why ‘Our Mother’s Brief Affair” is, for better or worse, a star vehicle."
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"It becomes a thoughtful exploration of the ramifications of our ability to blame and forgive ourselves, but along the way it’s can be a choppy, laborious two-hour journey...Lavin brings beautifully muted passion to a woman Seth describes as 'warm-cold' — and makes this an 'Affair' worth remembering."
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