The Great Society

See it if You like smart, historical plays that cover seminal events, describe political figures, and share the backroom deals and impacts.

Don't see it if You avoid political plays and have no interest in learning about LBJ's presidency, Vietnam War and MLK's non-violence movement.

See it if You are a history buff, are intrigued by a "inside", more in depth look into the turmoil of the LBJ presidency, Vietnam War and racism.

Don't see it if You enjoy a more traditional show with a straight forward style of dialogue and character development. You are not interested in history.

See it if you like historical drama of a politically charged time (when is not?) or are a fan of Brian Cox

Don't see it if if you aren't interested in a walk down memory lane with LBJ or prefer your theatre more dramatic. Actors are very good and yet....

See it if You’re a Baby Boomer who continues to need to be told the story of the American 1960s to understand better what you didn’t in your youth.

Don't see it if You’re looking for a deep analysis of a pivotal moment in either Johnson’s presidency or his administration. This is a survey of 4 years.

Also An ambitious play with very interesting subject material, my expectations were lifted for this play. I thought it might be modeled after Robert Sherwood’s 1938 play “Lincoln in Illinois,” which Lincoln Center Theater produced a couple of decades back. In that play, also a survey, it ends before Lincoln leaves Illinois for Washington. One’s heart broke watching it because you knew what he’d face there. To that point, I was hopeful this would be about Lyndon Johnson the man, as Robert Caro wrote about him. What we watched was the playwright’s rightful choice to tell a story another way. But it was a shallow survey that cried for a climax, other than Johnson’s being undone by McNamara & Vietnam. The wonderful Frank Wood and Bryce Pinkham were charismatic. Brian Cox seemed to go up on his lines a number of times. He’s a fine actor who was having a rough night.... Read more Read less

See it if you love history and seeing a behind the scenes look at the times of LBJ's presidency interest you.

Don't see it if History bores you or you are uncomfortable with violence.

Also Went in with low expectations but was blown away. Loved the acting and staging. Found the show and the subject matter fascinating. As for Black history in America, found this far more moving and impactful than Slave Play.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a history buff. This plays takes you back to 1964-68, one of the toughest periods in recent history.

Don't see it if You don't want to see a show about civil rights, the 60's and how we got to here.

See it if if you saw All the Way, and want more. If you're interested in historical theater. If you pay attention to the set.

Don't see it if if you can't sit 3 hours. if you're not interested in Civil Rights history and presidential power. 1 major character is not-as-strong

See it if You have a friend involved in the production if only to demonstrate your willingness to see anything.

Don't see it if avoidable! Film clips do a good job presenting this time. Lousy even terrible accents and hair! Painfully uncomfortable seats.

Also Trivializes rather than ennobles. The “docudrama” play can succeed but this one fails. Is it intended as amateurish? Lots of “jokes” about Medicare aimed at earning easy laughs from this aged audience. Many empty seats. Many people left at intermission.... Read more Read less

See it if you're interested in history and drawing lines from the past to the present. The acting is amazing and Brian Cox is a wonder.

Don't see it if you're looking for escapism. This requires attention and thought. It's A LOT of dialogue with overlapping storylines. History is complicated

See it if How history repeats itself, police brutality and race relations from the 60's, still ongoing in the 90's. Fun watching politicians debate.

Don't see it if Slow dialogue,. American [past history, male dominant cast

See it if You're a history buff! The cast is phenomenal and the staging is excellent

Don't see it if You want to be surprised- we all know the outcome. It is not suitable for young children.

See it if You enjoy history plays, like Brian Cox, want to relive 1965-68, appreciate LBJ's persuasive manner but know the resultant tragedy.

Don't see it if are looking for high tech, in depth character development, or a shift in the historical outcome.

See it if You want to see a fast-paced play dealing with a historic period in the 1960's and including many political figures of the time.

Don't see it if You don't like political dramas.

See it if A piece on LBJ's time as President holds any interest for you. You just want to spend a night at the theater watching phenomenal acting.

Don't see it if Essentially sitting through two plus hours of monologues is not your thing. Or if you have no interest in LBJ or the mid to late 1960s.

Also I went into this without having read one review (and without having seen "All The Way") and expected to love it.

I liked it well enough, mostly because the acting is so perfect. But the script itself, which could have made such a huge emotional gut punch, never really landed.

That being said, being able to see Brian Cox, Richard Thomas, Bryce Pinkham, Grantham Coleman, David Garrison, Marchant Davis, Marc Kudisch and Ted Deasy (super understudy for Matthew Rauch the night I went!) act their asses off was well worth the money and time!... Read more Read less

See it if you like political dramas and want to be reminded that political dysfunction didn't start in the current administration.

Don't see it if don't like talky political drama.

See it if History buffs and those who care about about social welfare policy (why we are where we are) will appreciate this. Strong ensemble.

Don't see it if You loved Bryan Cranston in All the Way - Brian Cox blew enough lines to be distracting.

Also Casting was odd - part of LBJ's power was his physical size so having MLK be taller than LBJ bothered me.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy full throated historical drama which is alive and confusing as its era. The actors are very good especially Cox and Pinkham. Go!

Don't see it if If you saw LBJ and want Bryan Cranston back, want a linear narrative which fully explains the LBJ era, or find politics and power boring.

See it if If you are a devoted LBJ fan or history buff and don't care if the play is good or not.

Don't see it if you want a play to show you something, not just tell. It was like a Power Point acted out - didn't get behind events to reveal character.

Also I loved "All the Way" and lived through the events depicted, but this play was a real disappointment - static, talky, and could have done so much more to reveal character . Instead, was like a human timeline.... Read more Read less

See it if you are fascinated by this period in American history (60s). you enjoy seeing historical figures treated as (mostly) multidimensional.

Don't see it if you find vignettes of different moments confusing or frustrating. you want perfect accents.

See it if A powerful history lesson on how we made America almost great, again.

Don't see it if History and mostly arguing defeat you

See it if You enjoy a great cast led by Brian Cox portray an important period in American history

Don't see it if You are looking for a nuanced portrayal of Johnson and the other political participants of that time

Also Maybe I've read too many of Robert Caro's books on Johnson and his times, but this production came across as oversimplified. Lyndon Johnson remains one of the most complex characters in American political history, and the play has him interacting with a huge cast of characters (Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Robert McNamara, J. Edgar Hoover, Hubert Humphrey just to name a few). Any one of these characters could have provided a powerful and deep interaction with the Johnson character. But by trying to fit all of these notables into one play their interactions come across as shallow and one note. And the play loses its emotional power.... Read more Read less

See it if you like plays that deal with and treat political figures as well as our all too recent political past that still resonates today.

Don't see it if you have little interest in or connection to the Lyndon Johnson presidency, the political and social upheavals of that time, quick scenes.

See it if You like dry, instructive, historical drama with little characterization and less heart. Well acted and serviceably staged, but zzzzz.

Don't see it if You prefer plays that have a heartbeat.

See it if The play is well-acted and makes you more curious to delve into history. Sparked a lot of conversation after the show.

Don't see it if I was anticipating the follow up to All the Way for a few years now. This didn’t deliver.

See it if You are a history nerd, are interested in seeing some phenomenal monologues,or you want to see some clever staging.

Don't see it if You need to see action to understand it (not as much staging re. Vietnam as Civil Rights) or lack basic historical background about the era.

Also I was kind of dissapointed that after the fuss made over Bobby Kennedy and MLK, that the two men just sort of...died? The play didn't address their deaths, except to say that LBJ didn't attend MLK's funeral. I would have liked the internal struggle of him learning about these assassinations and deciding not to go.... Read more Read less