The Sound Inside (Broadway)

See it if If you want to see an interesting story with good acting. This keeps the attention of audience. A deep at times play.

Don't see it if Can be depressing for some who want something litehearted and less intense.

See it if Professor and student have a brief, deep, scary & fateful relationship. Exquisite writing. Is the "sound inside" the will to live or die?

Don't see it if You won't enjoy an introspective play with unclear meaning. Dark stage & depressing themes. Narration mixed with dialog.

Also Recommend sitting close to the stage. Off to the side is ok.

See it if Parker & Hochman are riveting in this spooky two-hander about creative lost souls Cromer's nuanced staging aided by Gilbert's eerie lighting

Don't see it if Rapp's best writing in a while despite some questionable developments near the end It's Parker's story yet Hochman grows more interesting

See it if fan of Parker or Rapp, enjoy easy to follow but intriguing stories, plays about creative minds & troubled people, subtle unexpected twists

Don't see it if don't like to listen in a quiet, dark setting, don't like brief 2-actor plays with reticent characters, or want to think right at the end

See it if Psycho-thriller.A writing prof's health status urges her to draw in creatively(if not fictitiously) to her writing charge.Gorgeously written

Don't see it if Rapp has matured here, outgrowing his past gimmicky stunts. Monologues. Tiny, gripping drama with tiny ideas in a very big space.

See it if you enjoy stripped-down productions that let the characters and words shine. This is a beautifully written & acted piece w/o ornamentation.

Don't see it if you’re turned off by stories featuring depressed characters and self-harm.

See it if you like Mary-Louise Parker and enjoy listening to a professor spout off her opinions and then take advantage of an unstable student.

Don't see it if you enjoy a drama that has a point. I had English professors but thankfully none like this one.

Also What she asked a young person to do was atrocious. I felt like booing this character. I really got annoyed with all her rambling opinions. I found the story of the young man's book confusing.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in two character heavy drama. I found it to be very depressive, and lost my train of thought 3/4 of the way into the play

Don't see it if You are the least bit depressed. You do not like dialogue spoken directly to the audience. Become mesmerized in a darkened room.

Also Mary-Louise Parker is spellbinding in her role as a college professor facing cancer. Her protégé, Will Hochman is a worthy opponent.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see MLP on stage doing a phenomenal job. You like dialogue driven plays. You want an easy 90 minutes, and you don't mind dramas.

Don't see it if The story doesn't quite add up to a full cohesive play for me. I was left with a lot of questions, which is fine but also exhausting.

See it if you like plays that make you pay attention, that challenge you, that twist & turn.Literate,well paced, beautifully acted.Amazing lighting

Don't see it if you want a Neil Simon comedy.This play makes you think, demands your attention, and will stay with you.Characters are flawed & very real.

See it if If you LOVE great performances of GREAT pieces by master author and actors. This piece evokes gasps, tears, smiles all while you ride along

Don't see it if you don't enjoy great drama, no musical here

See it if You enjoy everyday stories with unusual characters and surprising interactions. If you like dark characters and unique relationships.

Don't see it if If you are sensitive to may-december relationships, suicide ideation or terminal disease. If you prefer traditional stories.

See it if an intense & moving play about a creative writing professor, a talented student of hers & their writing processes; troubling aspects

Don't see it if don't want actor directly addressing audience; don't want dark sets or dark topics including cancer; want something light

Also the monologues/discourses are very descriptive as would be expected of a writer; also parts of their works are read out loud. Gripping .... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy two-character plays and cerebral fare. Both performances are quite good, though I doubt will garner Tony notice.

Don't see it if you’re over the steady onslaught of WASP-y Ivy League stories in theater. We’ve seen twelve hundred versions of these characters before.

Also the experience is enjoyable enough, but this is nothing new under the sun.... Read more Read less

See it if You like Mary Louise Parker who gives a great performance. A complicated interesting story which I am still figuring out.

Don't see it if You want easy light weight theater. This play can be depressing...cancer suicide murder loneliness...(but really about so much more).

Also Two character play with little action but lots happens through a narration of story telling. One must listen and pay attention. It’s all in the words.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy a two actor play with strong character development and powerful, yet subtle, plot development.

Don't see it if you don't like a small cast with a minimal set that allows for the focus to be on the characters and plot.

See it if you want to see a really great scrip, well directed and well acted. I was riveted for the whole thing.

Don't see it if You want to see something lighthearted or a musical.

See it if Clever story of a lonely creative writing female professor in her 50s meeting an intense freshman.The plot moves unexpectedly with dry humor

Don't see it if Suicide, loneliness, cancer are triggering. High brow, frequent name dropping of authors, literary works, and Ivy league life annoy you.

Also Diversity: lonely woman in her 50s is the protagonist. But super upper class, Ivy league, white characters, writing, and jokes comes off kind of elitist.
Ticket from LincTix for $30. Seat in rear mezzanine.... Read more Read less

See it if great acting in an excellent written two-hander. captured one's attention the whole time. good story and characters.

Don't see it if want light theatre, then this is not for you.

See it if you are a fan of Mary-Louise Parker and you want to have one of those special theatrical experiences.

Don't see it if you hate two character plays. PLEASE NOTE: You will be kicking yourself when you realize just what you missed! DUH!!!

Also I love a GREAT one man show, but I am NOT a fan of two character plays, however this two charter play is not like your usual two character play. It's more like a series of monologues inter-spliced with two charter scenes. Playwright Adam Rapp better start working on his reaction for his assured Tony Award nomination. Of this fall season, this play is the one you don't want to miss. I loved all the twist and turns of this play that you just do not see coming. Mr. Rapp, THANK YOU for this wild ride of a play. The pleasure was all mine!!!... Read more Read less

See it if An entertaining 90 minute, two character play about the interactions between a professor and her student. Great acting by Parker and Hochman

Don't see it if Too much info could spoil future theater goers enjoyment of the play.

See it if you want to see a cleverly constructed script performed by two great actors. It requires your attention, but I didn't mind giving it.

Don't see it if you are into plays that are dialogue heavy or that don't have a lot of action. As I said above, this requires your full attention

Also One thing I was thrown by was the description of this play as a thriller. I knew very little about it going in, but had read that it was a thriller, but after seeing, I would not describe as such, so that threw me a little bit, but does not take away from the fine performances by Mary Louise Parker and Will Hochman.... Read more Read less

See it if Like two-handers with ponderous dialogue that sounds like writing instead of actual conversation.

Don't see it if Need authenticity in writing or acting. Did not find any of this production to be believable.

Also Avoid a matinee where the audience whispers to each other and says "what did she say?" constantly. The show is very quiet and my audience was NOT!... Read more Read less

See it if Energized writing and grounded performances excite you.

Don't see it if You avoid heavy subject matter or atypical writing style.

Also Liked this much more than I thought I would based on previous scores. Narrative style resembles a novel. Lead actor’s normal mannerisms suit this character, so I wasn’t irritated by her performance.... Read more Read less

See it if A thrilling two-hander that twists and winds through the human condition. Desire, fate, fame, self-loathing, and good books abound.

Don't see it if This play stirs powerful emotions. (see more) You don't like contemporary plays that are self-consciously heightened in language.

Also There's a lot going on that might upset an audience. I found it ultimately invigorating, but there is talk of suicide, suffering, death, sex, and interminable literary allusions. I found the character of Christopher to be irritating, but this irritation sparks the vitality of the play. Parker is great in her fascinating, complicated character of Bella.... Read more Read less