The Iceman Cometh (Broadway)

See it if you want to see the best-performed version of this admittedly butt-numbing four hour drunkologue you are ever likely to experience

Don't see it if you hate O'Neill and his long-winded & fairly dated dialogue

Also I am so glad I went. Yes, it's tough to sit through an O'Neill play and your butt is numb by the end of it. But the ensemble cast is terrific, and the directing, sets, lighting & pace are superb. Of course, we were all there to see Denzel, who does not disappoint. Thank goodness I don't have to picture that smarmy git Kevin Spacey in the role of Hickey anymore (yep, I saw that production too) - Denzel was MUCH better in every possible way. If you adore theater, you should go.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a huge Eugene fan, or a Denzel fan

Don't see it if you don't understand Long Island accent

See it if you just must see Denzel Washington giving a good but far from great portrayal. James Earl Jones was so much better at Circle in the Square.

Don't see it if you will be annoyed by the hard to decipher accents lost in a curiously guttural delivery (except for Washington whose voice is clear).

Also I was in the 7th row of the orchestra and so many lines were indecipherable!... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an American classic staged beautifully and performed by a strong ensemble.

Don't see it if you want to see comedy, a show that lets out early, or a show that necessarily leaves you feeling more optimistic about the human condition.

See it if YOu love O'niel and want to see great performances.

Don't see it if If you hate O'neil's writing and hate long redundant stories.

See it if you like Eugene O'Neill's plays, want to see a star performance by Denzel Washington, surrounded by a talented cast of misfits talking life.

Don't see it if If can not sit through a four hour show with two intermissions Denzel doesn't come on until final five minutes of act one, then sparks fly.

Also As a theatre major having to read O'Neill, I like many of his other plays much better. Act 1 drags until Denzel appears and the show does nothing but talk about nothing vital; The secondary characters are all a bunch of misfits who you could really care very little about since they contribute very little to life or their community in which they seek to be a part of with little to nothing to offer in return.. Washington has the power, skill as an actor to bring life and vitality to a script that I don't believe is O'Neill's definitive work; His characters are much more humane in plays like "Moon For the Misbegotten", "Beyond the Horizon" or even his only comedy "Ah, Wilderness". His greatest is probably "Mourning Becomes Electra", a real powerhouse of life, betrayal and humanity.... Read more Read less

See it if You can sit through 4 hours of theatre, you love Denzel, you enjoy the work of Eugene O'Neill, you love an excellent ensemble cast

Don't see it if You're looking for a flashy musical, 90 minutes no intermission is too long for you, you have a short attention span.

See it if you like Denzel Washington and Eugene O'neill Denzel is wonderful. But the story could be told in 2hrs and his monologue was the best part

Don't see it if you don't like long drawn out shows. 4 hours of characters misery

See it if you want to see stars and enjoy a show with great acting.

Don't see it if you don't like shows that are very long (most 4hours), dated, and involves alocholics.

See it if you love classic beautifully written pieces about life. Got to love 4 hours of O'Neill!

Don't see it if you want a happy upbeat mindless entertaining show.

See it if you're looking for some serious old school broadway drama.

Don't see it if you can't face the dark side of human nature and the fact that we all devolve to our lesser humanity and cling to our own 'truths'.

Also In considering the review for this one, I had a somewhat delightful problem...I saw this in '85 (?) with Jason Robards so I had comparison views. This version was actually more upbeat than that and yet still maintained the O'Neill "human nature sucks' mantra. For most that can handle real drama, this is/was a bit of a respite from the hardcore original. I thought Denzel was a refreshing and believable version of Hickey, the central character. I also appreciated the comfortable seating at Jacobs theatre and the well timed intermissions that made the 4 hour production much more bearable.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy O'Neill's plays and want to see Denzel Washington perform a role moderately well.

Don't see it if You dislike long plays.

Also I knew going into Iceman that it was going to be long and dated, but I wanted to see Denzel perform. O'Neill's plays can be tough to sit through because of the length and subject matter. The show dragged on and felt much longer than 4 hours. Some of the performances were good, but not very memorable.... Read more Read less

See it if You know what you're getting into with O'Neill. It's very slow to build, repetitive, and is predictable.

Don't see it if You don't have the time, don't care for Denzel style, want a tighter script.

Also The first hour is excruciating, all exposition with little direction, and the main character isn't even onstage yet. It continues that way...... Read more Read less

See it if Don’t see it. Hated it.

Don't see it if It was long and boring. Denzel Washington could not save this. It is a bunch of drunk men muttering on stage for hours on end. Awful.

See it if You love Eugene O'Neill and plays with a large ensemble cast.

Don't see it if You're not an absolute fan of Eugene O'Neill. This play is long, depressing, and tedious. Good production, I just don't care for O'Neill.

See it if You like to luxuriate in a great piece of literature. The play is a masterwork. The cast is brilliant. The direction is inspired.

Don't see it if You don't have the attention span for a 4 hour play that is slow and stationary.

Also I love the way a good O'Neill production breaks you down with the characters. By Act IV, you feel like you've been hanging out at this bar way too long and are a bit beaten down by the play. Then Hickey pulls up his chair to you, and you feel charmed into giving him your undivided attention. Stunning theatrical magic at work here!... Read more Read less

See it if you hate yourself

Don't see it if you love yourself

Also Completely dated and a "safe" production. Why not go bold and attempt to make it contemporary? Predictable, dated, boring, a real snooze fest. No emotional impact either. What's the point of putting this show on?... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see one of the world's greatest living actors in his prime; you love O'Neill or other American classics

Don't see it if you don't like long plays- it's nearly 4 hours long, with 2 intermissions!

See it if You have not seen this play & feel a need to. George Wolfe's staging is very good. Denzel is fantastic. It's also an hour shorter than usual

Don't see it if You don't like rather dated, heavily expository plays that keep repeating and repeating. Or serious drama. Or O'Neill in general.

Also Denzel Washington is fantastic. His forty-five minute monologue at the end of the play is dazzling. He's commanding, charming and moving. The rest of the actors are shrill and loud and a lot of things that can happen with O'Neill. It's not all George Wolfe's fault. His staging and visual concept is wonderful. It's just that the rest of the cast feels... lost. Mostly. There are some nice moments. But none can match any of Denzel's. Unlike a lot of movie stars, even if they began onstage, this man can command and dazzle onstage after years in Hollywood. What a presence.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see great acting with a stellar cast. Denzel Washington is incredible on stage.

Don't see it if You want to see a fluff piece or a musical.

See it if You love O'Neill classics. And Denzel is one of the greatest stage actors alive! Although the play itself is dated and really long, its 100

Don't see it if You dont like classic O'Neill. It is dated. And the staging is moldy

See it if you want to see Denzel and a stellar ensemble cast of misfits

Don't see it if you are hard of hearing - it was a little tough to hear from the rear orchestra

Also Saw it in previews and Denzel forgot his lines during the long monologue towards the end... Read more Read less

See it if You like brilliant classical plays and want to see great acting.

Don't see it if You have a short attention span. You don't appreciate the classics.

See it if You want to see a great cast assembled in one place.

Don't see it if You hate long shows with really slow beginnings.

See it if You love Denzel Washington

Don't see it if You cannot sit for almost 4 hours