hw

See it if an extremely well done production - excellent acting, sets, sound - v v funny in parts but deadly serious. Extraordinary theatricality.

Don't see it if you want to avoid an intense, painfully relevant century-old play about irish history. Although there's plenty of humor, it's a tragedy.

Also if you've never seen an O'Casey. this is the way to experience him.

See it if you like Sondheim - or musicals - and have never seen Merrily. Not a terrific version but it's always worth seeing, esp. w/ live music.

Don't see it if some of the staging is clever but much of it is forced. The voices are not strong; some of the acting is weak. The set is overly busy.

Also The production is a bit too... cute; it feels infatuated with its own cleverness.... Read more Read less

See it if you need a Christmas fix. It's mostly carols (some unfamiliar), not story. The singing in Welsh is cool.

Don't see it if you want a really resonant version of the story. I wanted more Thomas and less singing. The show is a bit saccharine, though heartfelt.

See it if you love the book - it's a brilliant and faithful adaptation. All the actors are excellent; the staging is inventive. Deeply moving.

Don't see it if The show runs nearly 3 hours (unless he makes cuts). It is painful: it is about the enormous costs of hatred and it minces no words.

See it if it's a brilliant, wild, gorgeously written, complex treatment of family, hatred and history. The production is exemplary. Also:live animals.

Don't see it if warning: it's long, the accents require concentration, and there's violence. It's about the Troubles and it hurts. But see it anyway.

See it if this is a charming if slight interpretation of a lesser 'comedy,' text much abridged. Dinner, served by the cast, is tasty though skimpy.

Don't see it if you expect a full production; there are no sets & costumes are modern. Some of the directorial & acting choices are weak. The cast is

Also enthusiastic & energetic, sometimes excessively so. The musical choices vary from delightful to ill-advised.... Read more Read less

See it if it's a noble effort by a plucky group of actors to breathe life into a play that doesn't quite work. Some performances are strong.

Don't see it if The play is both difficult and weak. The exposition is artificial; the stage is stuffed with people who take turns delivering monologues...

Also Several of the actors need to control their volume in the small space: louder is not always more convincing. Several actors are inadequate.... Read more Read less

See it if to see McTeer (in a role that isn't worthy of her talent) and a few other fine actors. Lovely sets.

Don't see it if an overlong, tedious play that fails to cohere. It thinks it's being profound when it's merely obvious. Sexism? in 19th century theater? Who

Also knew? Hamlet is a difficult play to comprehend? Again, what a novel idea! The language often veers toward the distractingly anachronistic.... Read more Read less

See it if the show has interesting ideas, interesting staging, excellent acting. It attempts, with partial success, to blend history and today.

Don't see it if The play is ambitious but doesn't really cohere. It tries but can't make the connection between past and present.

See it if This is an intelligent, minimalist staging of a modernized Carmen. Fantastic singing, electric performances. Sexy and compelling.

Don't see it if you don't like musicals - this is partway between opera & musical. Spoiler: the fickle, independent woman dies at the end.

See it if Rea is astonishing. The play is stunning & important, both extremely funny and deeply dark. Hatred is the same on both sides of the sea.

Don't see it if it's hideously violent - not inappropriate, but you need a strong stomach.

See it if you love O'Neill. It is worth seeing for the performances & bc it is an amazing work of american theater. There are extraordinary moments.

Don't see it if it's a very long, emotionally difficult family drama about addiction and other demons. Bits of humor seem forced; the overlapping line

Also readings are annoying and unnecessary. The set is beautiful but utterly inapt for the play. The production doesn't quite work.... Read more Read less

See it if there are few moments of lovely shadow puppetry; some of the humor works. But mostly the cast tries way too hard & its points are not novel.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy loud music, audience participation & strenuously energetic performances. The show is scattered bits that fail to cohere.

See it if you are at all interested in Tennessee WIlliams; you want to see an amazing actor at work [Ireland].

Don't see it if It's a more minor Williams; it's sad, though there are comic moments. The staging is artificially - annoyingly - minimalist.

See it if a musical about mothers/daughters & the devastating impact of immigration policy. Serious stuff but sensitively & humorously handled.

Don't see it if it's a bit unfinished, not quite there; the music works but the songs are not memorable; there's a constant struggle w excess sentimentality

See it if you know a great deal about english history and want to hear it read to you verbatim. I love Churchill but this play can be skipped.

Don't see it if it's a deep, unengaging dive into the 15th century; the characters are hardly developed; the sound & titles are unhelpful. Just: why...

See it if if you like Stoppard, you should go, but it isn't his best work.

Don't see it if it's deliberately, laboriously wacky. It should be much funnier. It's pretentious; the literary references may leave some people baffled.

See it if This is minor Gurney, but imo even his minor work is worth seeing [once]. A rueful meditation on second chances. The production is excellent

Don't see it if A small, all-talk play, almost an exercise, for both writer and actors. Don't expect action, elaborate plot, big laughs, fireworks.

See it if you have any interest in theater history. The Library's resources are vast and it uses amazing technology. The curator is Terrific!

Don't see it if you don't care about theatrical artifacts.

See it if I can't think of a reason. It's trying to be a modern, cynical view of politics, but instead it's zzzz.... a few bits of snappy dialogue.

Don't see it if It's trite, pointless, superficial. Its points are obvious & unhelpful; the characters are unreal & irrational, the plot predictable.

See it if to see a tight ensemble doing a mild satire of group dynamics.

Don't see it if Too long and overplays its points. Characters are so limited & annoying that the audience's initial interest in the play evaporates.

See it if you are a ballet &/or McNally fan; if not i'm unsure there's much appeal. Dialogue is witty & bodies pretty, but there isn't much there.

Don't see it if It's trying to say something profound about the nature of art, but fails. The sound is problematic - the actors don't project for the space.

See it if you feel compelled to see everything Fiasco does. A. Aguecheek is a standout in a collection of generally unconvincing performances.

Don't see it if It feels full of forced gaiety. The staging is tedious & fails to serve the action; hyperactive laughter & running around, to no useful end.

See it if a brief show, both funny and sad, about adolescent girls. The playwright writes funny and moving scenes. The African setting is fascinating.

Don't see it if Some of the plot points are labored and irrational, and the play feels incomplete and fragmented. Could be so much better!

See it if It's an adaptation that, though creative, doesn't really work. There are bits of terrific poetry here and some very fine acting, but...

Don't see it if it's too long; the violence and sex are unnecessarily literal and lengthy. The story doesn't really fit, emotionally or dramatically.

See it if you know the book - or haven't read it. It is quite literally the great American novel, presented whole onstage. rare & extraordinary.

Don't see it if the show takes many, many hours. It is tiring. It is emotionally draining. It is great art.

Also What ERS does to create the entire universe of the book is amazing- few props, few costumes, no set. But it works.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a Shepard classic beautifully acted, esp. by Hawke. It's a story about familial bonds, startlingly funny at times.

Don't see it if you don't like Shepard or only want to see realism. He traffics in allegory & exaggeration - and poetry. I miss him,

Also and this production is a worthy tribute.

See it if Nottage's work is always worth seeing; this is an early satire. It's social commentary [of course] laced with humor, cleverly staged.

Don't see it if you want only fluff, or are uninterested in a theatrical examination of racism, sexism & class.

See it if you see all Stoppard [which I do], keeping in mind that this is one of his weakest.

Don't see it if it has the veneer of deep philosophical thought but in fact contains few observations that go beyond the surface. Predictable plot twists.

See it if this is a play w music - not a musical. Fascinating arrangements of Dylan. The singers & musicians are terrific.

Don't see it if the show is painful and sad, a lyrical evocation of the Depression that offers little in the way of hope. there's a bit too much fussing

Also around in the staging, people wandering the stage to no apparent purpose. I am a huge McPherson fan, but some of the plotting here is deliberately foggy and the lack of clarity can be annoying.... Read more Read less

See it if elaine may elaine may elaine may. She is extraordinary. There are tremendously funny bits and the actors' timing is terrific.

Don't see it if you dont want to see dementia. The play is weak; it is too literally autobiographical and lacks dramatic sense. It's sad yet not that moving

See it if excellent, simple staging of 3 short comedic plays. They skirt absurdism, but aren't heavy-handed. The performances are marvelous.

Don't see it if you don't want to see a comedy, or only like realism. The middle play is the weakest.

See it if Neither is a play: they are sketches in social satire. P is especially outlandish; After Dinner aspires to a plot. The acting is v strong.

Don't see it if you have patience & an appreciation for dry, bitter humor. Neither is quite as effective at political commentary as it intends.

See it if you love JRB. I do, but found this disappointing. It's a staged revue, and it's unclear how any of the songs relate to each other.

Don't see it if you want a musical with a plot. The choreography doesn't always work. The singing, though highly skilled, is often gimmicky belting.

Also The lyrics were not always intelligible - again, the vocal stylings are focused on power, not finesse. The audience is full of obsessives, screaming at every entrance & every song,... Read more Read less

See it if to experience a major production of a major work that has lost little of its relevance in 25 years. Sad, funny, poetic, and genuinely epic.

Don't see it if you cant face grim realities or spend 8 hours. I didn't love all the busy movement of the sets, but generally the austere staging worked

See it if you love ERS & want to see their laboriously irreverent take on Albee. Every ERS show is worth seeing, but most are better then this.

Don't see it if chaotic, unfocused; weak ending. You need a strong working knowledge of Albee [& Williams helps]. Rather in love with its own erudition.

See it if the only reason anyone should consider seeing this play is Lois Smith, a national treasure who is disserved by the play.

Don't see it if the characters don't feel real & there's no reason to care about them; the play is way too long; the multiple conflicts are artificial;

Also the staging by the usually reliable Lila N is busy and confused. The play has nothing new or interesting to offer on the subject of family dynamics or mortality. And ultimately, it's just boring. This is an amateur play given an undeserved professional debut. It feels like a narrative of someone's family but that does not make a drama that is worth watching.... Read more Read less

See it if you like McPherson, a playwright who examines profound moral issues, but can be vulgar and hilarious too.

Don't see it if you're put off by characters who are serious drunkards living in semi-squalor or dislike any hint of the supernatural or strong accents.

See it if you have any interest in musicals. This production is visually stunning, impeccably performed; both traditional and subtly modern.

Don't see it if you dislike musicals or shows that last over an hour [it's about 3].

See it if a lovely, small memoir about childhood and the dawn of maturity, it touches on racism alcohol & poverty without being heavyhanded or tragic.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in a one-woman memory play about growing up african-american.

See it if it's a big, colorful saga with great dancing and singing, staged imaginatively in the round. Every seat is close to the performers.

Don't see it if the masochism of the female protagonist is disconcerting. The band is terrific, but can sometimes overwhelm the lyrics.

See it if this is a terrific, strange historical tragi-comedy, a very creative vehicle for incisive political commentary. Norris is a great writer.

Don't see it if it's a bit overlong. In spite of abundant humor, it is not light, and has dark and cynical moments. Skip if you dont like political theater.

See it if it's dead serious but also, at times, extremely funny - Albee at his finest. Jackson and Metcalf are simply extraordinary.

Don't see it if the play stares directly at mortality and regret. If you want something light, or if issues around aging disturb you, stay home.

See it if you want to experience a great American musical staged, sung and danced beautifully by a great cast.

Don't see it if you want a modern or contemporary show- it's very old-fashioned. If the domestic violence aspect would ruin the experience for you.

See it if Classic Albee, done well - an examination of masculinity and the human attempt to connect. it's dead serious although there are funny bits.

Don't see it if it's all dialogue; there are only 3 actors; it's cryptic & mysterious. If you want giggles or sentiment, this is not the playwright for you.

See it if don't need to have ever seen the JS show - i never did. This is a wild, bravura if imperfect piece w intense energy and brilliant staging.

Don't see it if extremely vulgar, loud, in-your-face & blasphemous. it really is an opera. if any of those things turn you off, don't go.

See it if to experience one of the finest, most generous actors alive. He tells stories (fiction and non), period. That's all the show is.

Don't see it if you want a show with plot or multiple actors. This is pure unadulterated Lithgow, and would have been lovelier in a small theater.

See it if it's visually stunning and hauntingly poetic-unique, strange, profound, and funny. Rylance is a rare treasure, and the music is exquisite.

Don't see it if you don't like Rylance or baroque music. it's half - concert, & if the music doesn't appeal you might feel bored or disengaged.

See it if the play attempts to address a very disturbing and difficult subject (gun violence), but ultimately doesn't add much to the discussion.

Don't see it if very loud gunshots disturb you. The play is talky and feels like an unfinished effort; the setup and the behavior feel artificial.