The Ferryman (NYC)

See it if You want a big show--big cast, big scope, big ideas, long running time. And you love an old-fashioned sprawling, multi-character piece.

Don't see it if You're expecting something profoundly new. This is straightforward realism that isn't as profound as Butterworth's Jerusalem but still works

See it if You want t see a great play with amazing performances.

Don't see it if You don't like getting upset while watching a show.

See it if you're up for a long play with multiple important characters. Overall, it's quite serious but there is playfulness throughout for balance

Don't see it if you want something light or super easy to follow with little depth; if you can't sit through the 2nd/3rd acts which combine to be ~2 hours

Also I truly enjoyed this play. I didn't know what to expect going in and the story kept delivering surprises - some joyful and others sad. The beginning of act 3 was slow for me but everything really came together and left me thinking through it all.... Read more Read less

See it if you have the attention span for a real, involved play, with a lot of dialogue, and pauses, and masterful play, and live animal appearances!

Don't see it if Dramas, Irish themes, or accents put you off

See it if You want to see a play with a cast of 21 very talented actors. The story did not hold my attention but I thought the cast was extraordinary.

Don't see it if You don’t want to sit through a 3 hour and 15 minute play for 2 minutes of thrill at the very end. Don’t understand the buzz.

See it if you like long plays. Nothing happened. Long stories, eternal dialogues, bad acting. Dense. Boring.

Don't see it if you are into musicals.

Also Each of us has a taste in plays. My taste is not plays like The Ferryman. I prefer more dynamic, musical, or edgy. The Ferryman is the opposite. We were about to leave at the end of the first act. We stayed and the second act was more boring. I don't understand why this kind of plays get Tony nominations for best play.
The theater was not full. Not recommended for people who doesn't speak english.... Read more Read less

See it if Playing catch-up here finally writing up some shows seen last year. This was one of the best, a scathing overview of 1980s Northern Ire.

Don't see it if Some thought it was overcrowded w/ character and plot, I may have had to work to keep up, but I thrilled to the writing, plotting & acting.

See it if Wonderful ensemble acting and interesting staging. Compelling atmosphere.

Don't see it if You have trouble understanding accents. I missed a great deal because I couldn't always understand the plot.

See it if a multi generational family story taking place during The Troubles in ireland -do not need to be fluent in history to understand the story

Don't see it if you have a hard time with accents. worth splurging for better seats to really see all the facial acting. it is long but the time speeds by

See it if you can enjoy great writing and staging, with many characters individually contributing with both drama and humor to this tale of N. Ireland

Don't see it if you don't like plays about Ireland or can't deal with the brogue [not that it interferes with following the plot].

See it if you want a seamless, impeccably acted play. The topic is relevant, the pacing is excellent, & you're left with so much to think about!

Don't see it if you don't care about the theme of violence (& more specifically, violence begetting violence) & justice. Still so incredibly relevant.

See it if you appreciate stories with a denouement that culminates at the end. The show unfolds like a Shakespearean tragedy in a 20th century setting

Don't see it if you don't like long dramatic plays, underage drinking or strong Irish accents. This is not light or family-friendly entertainment.

See it if You like modern Irish history, great acting, and big family drama. Here’s a production that shows what theatre can do when it’s given funds.

Don't see it if You don’t like long plays or too many characters to keep track of. The material is dark and disturbing. You don’t understand Irish accents.

See it if you want to see an amazing performance, that will leave you feeling you've witnessed something special in the theater. A masterpiece!

Don't see it if There is no reason not to. Its one of the best plays to hit broadway in years.

See it if Shakespearean in scope. May be the best play this season. Intense and engaging to the end. It's a tragedy with a great twist in the end

Don't see it if very Long and the Irish accent may be a hindrance to some

See it if you're interested in Irish history, want to see masterful performances by a large, uniformly excellent cast (plus a goose).

Don't see it if you want your plays to be more of the sunshine and rainbows variety.

See it if You're really interested in plays that have everything and the kitchen sink, and a goose, and a baby, and a fire...

Don't see it if You like nice, tidy shows that wrap things up quickly and neatly. This one goes on forever - needlessly

Also No doubt about it, it's a beautiful production, but it's FAR too long. If this show were an hour shorter it would be much better. I certainly don't mind sitting through a three (or more) hour show if it needs to be that long, but as with most of Butterworth's shows, they just go on and on and on for no apparent reason other than he thinks longer is better. It's just not worth the length.... Read more Read less

See it if You like historical dramas told from a personal perspective. You're interested in family dynamics. Terrific acting!

Don't see it if You can't sit still for a long show. It flew past for me, but the run time does clock in well beyond three hours.

See it if you enjoy family dramas set in IRA controlled Northern Ireland; you're drawn in by politically motivated killings; you have lots of patience

Don't see it if you want a coherent plot; you don't need to see dozens of kids who have little to do; you hate when problems only appear in the last 20 mins

Also Plot holes deep as sinkholes! Yikes!
* it's unclear MARY resents her sister-in-law CAITLIN until the last 25 mins. (esp since MARY relies on CAITLIN to cook, run the household & tend her newborn). MARY's constant retreating to bed seemed more like post-partum depression!
* only in the last 25 mins do we learn QUINN has tried to get MARY to discuss marital problems for yrs; obviously, they still have sex since MARY just gave birth again!
* only at the end do we learn CAITLIN loves QUINN when her priest leaks it!
* OISIN hates his MOM CAITLIN from the beginning. Why? After he hears new info from the priest, shouldn't he change THEN? Like most characters in "The Ferryman," OISIN does not change.
* harvest ritual means a goose's neck will be wrung - but why OISIN's neck must be wrung, too, was a real big stretch
* many superfluous characters add little but clutter. Way too indulgent!
* play is seriously over-long & over-rated!
*** poorly raked theatre; hard to see past people's heads... Read more Read less

See it if you like epic plays...if you like plays about family...if you like Irish plays..

Don't see it if you don't like long plays...you don't like talky plays...you can't give yourself over to the experience...it's rewarding but not they hype

See it if You haven’t seen 90% of the influential plays written in history or enjoy seeing every element of them recycled. Well executed though.

Don't see it if You want to experience at least one moment that feels new and fresh in three hours.

See it if You want to see a historical drama about a very specific time in Ireland's history onstage. Great actors all around.

Don't see it if You don't like wordy, lengthy dramas. Most of the action in the story is discussed, not seen. The accents are thick, but manageable.

See it if you enjoy a family play absorbingly told on a large scall. Don't miss the live goose and Iive baby.

Don't see it if the Irish accents prevent you from fully comprehending this great show

See it if you enjoy intense family dramas and the work of Jez Butterworth.

Don't see it if you don't have the patience to sit through three hours of play, or need a solid center to a sprawling family drama.

See it if you want a masterclass in the slow burn with a large, talented ensemble cast.

Don't see it if you want something short (you spend over three hours with this story).