The Present NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (265)
See it if Blanchett & Roxburgh-great chemistry; adaption of a long, rarely performed Chekhov play; here romantic web tends to overshadow econ. issues
Don't see it if gun shots; long play especially 1st act (but hang in there for 2nd act party); some confusing characters - imp. ones are in author's notes Read more
See it if Just good theater: witty and over the top, exhausting, attention demanding, clever update of Chekhov
Don't see it if Have a low boredom threshold, aren't willing to pay attention, or the extravagance of it gets on your nerves.
See it if You like Cate Blanchett on stage and Chekhov plays. There is a large cast and lots of intertwined plots. Expect many twists and turns.
Don't see it if You have no patience for Chekhov. Dislike profanity, heavy drinking, and sex. Cannot interpret Austrlian- British accents. Read more
See it if a modern interpretation of a Chekhov play (starring Cate Blanchett!!!) you haven't seen before sounds interesting.
Don't see it if you're not into Chekhov. There's still a whole lotta talking about nothing happening here, guys.
See it if you like Cate Blanchett, curious about an early rarely done Chekhov, enjoy good ensemble work & Chekhov in a modern setting
Don't see it if updated Chekhov aggravates you, scattered work by a novice before he becames accomplished does not impress you, Blanchett not a big draw
See it if you thought you didn't like Chekhov, but just haven't seen a quality adaptation by stellar troupe helmed by Blanchett & Roxburgh. Great!
Don't see it if you get impatient with a slow build.
See it if you like seeing something that challenges your mind a bit, an little known production from a classic author in an updated unusual manner.
Don't see it if you object to talky, somewhat irrelevant dialogue although presented in an unconventional manner Read more
See it if Russian themes explored more thoroughly in later Chekhov work. Great Cate--as usual. Roxburgh is her perfect foil. Toby Schmitz is dreamy.
Don't see it if Long -- but I didn't mind at all. Too many characters require a lot of work to tell apart. Read the program notes before the play starts.
Critic Reviews (60)
"Blanchet and Roxburgh are electrifying, however neither Roxburgh nor the role of Platonov carry the burden of being a male sex symbol...What is worth seeing is Ms. Blanchett...She is utterly transfixing…'The Present' is a true ensemble piece and the cast does well bringing these characters to life. What I found tedious was the script and the direction by John Crowley. The first act seemed like three hours due to the unfocused script."
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"Cate Blanchett is the attraction. Richard Roxburgh is the revelation...It’s a talented ensemble under John Crowley’s direction, and they make some of the awkward shifts in the plot grind a little less noisily...It’s also obvious why Upton, Frayn, and Hare took up the challenge of the play. Mikhail Platonov is the Blanche du Bois of roles for men...The flaws of this great, sprawling, messy play are not entirely obliterated by the stellar performances and direction."
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"The play and production are more than worthy...Blanchett makes it instantly clear that she is a creature of the stage. She is in full control, even when she is seemingly sitting silently...Australian film and stage star Roxburgh is perfectly marvelous as the Lothario gone to seed. The others are all fine...Director John Crowley keeps the play moving rapidly through its almost three-hour running time. Your attention is unlikely to lag, not with Blanchett, Roxburgh and this group."
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"The double-Oscar-winning star is just one shining jewel in a mostly dazzling show full of farcical humor, heartbreaking pathos, and pointed political observation. Clocking in at three hours, the comedy-drama does have its slow points—the third of four long acts is especially lead-footed. Yet the intense and witty moments more than make up for the snooze-inducing snatches...Though it has its flaws, this 'Present' is a stunning evening of theater."
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"Crowley’s direction is spirited, with some effective lighting and other effects. The play itself, while sampling Chekhov’s talent, lacks the impact of his later achievements. Still, there is plenty on stage to hold one’s interest, although one can question the concept of modernization...This is a fine opportunity to see Blanchett and Roxburgh at work, admire the efforts of the Sydney Theatre Company and evaluate this unusual interpretation of an early work by the great Russian dramatist."
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"Despite Blanchett’s undeniably luminous performance, her surroundings are awfully dull and, quite simply, a mess...Things pick up in the second of Chekhov’s four acts, when everyone is smashed on vodka and feeling frisky...It might be very funny if it weren’t all so tangled and tedious...Crowley’s production often tries to compensate for the play’s shortcomings with what amount to distractions...Ultimately, Blanchett far outshines everything and everyone around her—save for Roxburgh."
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"The piece still needs editing, but its core is whizz-bang theater and acting is a treat...Except for the surplus of Acts I and III, both of which could be successfully cut, Andrew Upton’s literate interpretation is intriguing and often crackling...In her Broadway debut, Cate Blanchett is a joy to watch, though the dragging first act could make anyone appear aimless...The rest of the company is excellent...Most of director John Crowley’s work is appealingly naturalistic."
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"The meat of the drama rests with the psychological interplay between the characters and, under the high-energy direction of John Crowley, this cast sink their teeth deep into it...Blanchett's movie-star fame makes her first among equals...Yet Blanchett doesn't overshadow her cast mates...Blazing brightest of all is Roxburgh...'The Present' rambles on longer than I'd have liked but the scenes between the two of them more than made up for the lulls."
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