Kamila S.

See it if you need a theatrical chicken soup to soothe your dark New Yorker soul

Don't see it if don't appreciate absurdist humor and treat the world way too seriously

Also I can't even tell you how delightful this was. I went in with no expectations and was stunned by the beauty of this little production, the amazing craft of all the performers and by unrepentant hilarity of the script. For a precious hour, it allowed me to just laugh at the world it unveils in and laugh my butt off - which was badly needed. GO.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of Martyna Majok's plays and want to see something that requires a bit of patience which eventually will be rewarding

Don't see it if you don't like minimal stagings and get confused by non-linear dialogue

Also Ande Dubus II would have loved this play. It was not an easy show to watch - the first part seemed fragmented and it wasn't until the finale before I understand why the playwright and director made choices they made - but the penultimate scene is a tour de force, sparkling with Majok's trademark flowing, intense dialogue and intense emotion delivered with small gestures and tiny remarks. The whole cast is really good - although it takes patience to get why the first part feels so awkward and fragmented when one first watches it. I'd gladly see it again to dive deeper into the strange dynamics between the two leads. Sanctuary City might be the least accessible play by this talented lady of the ones I have seen - but it is still very effective in presenting the heartbreaking drama in everyday people's lives, marked by big machinery that lets them slip through the cracks of a broken system and pushes them into unthinkable choices. A must-see if you know a Dreamer. Doubly so if you don't.... Read more Read less

See it if you are ready to be amused and then feel extremely uncomfortable by a riveting plot twist

Don't see it if you can't stand the sight of stage blood and generally look for entertainment when you go on Broadway

Also Holy cow. If you only get to see one thing on Broadway this spring, make it THE MINUTES. Between brilliant writing, excellent acting and directing and the unnerving message it carries, this is exactly what I expect from theatre: it makes you think and see the world you live in in a different light. Am I the only one to notice the irony of the fact that this story happens in November? Hello, America. You need to see this show. Great kudos to the artistic team for hiring a Native American for the powerful choreography in the final scene. Wow. Great job, Steppenwolf. More of this, please.... Read more Read less

See it if you are ready for a story about race, power, Black bodies, and a possibility of reconciliation in a smart, edgy staging. A must-see!

Don't see it if you can't handle material that will make you uncomfortable, especially if you're white and not acknowledging your privilege.

Also I’ve seen the future and it ain’t bad. This one will make you uncomfortable at times and will demand that you take a stand. But when you do, the creators make it *so* worth it. Do yourself a favor and try to get on the waitlist for the sold-out show at JACK - it’s one of the most stunning shows I’ve seen in a long time - with a powerful script by James Ijames, brilliant cast and flawlessly directed by Jordana De La Cruz.This show knocked my socks off and I am hoping it will return for a longer run.... Read more Read less

See it if you are open to seeing an intense, fabulously acted and beautifully staged piece about mental health issues.

Don't see it if you are seeking entertainment and can't handle a show in which many narratives are presented simultaneously.

See it if modern deconstructions of classical text are your thing: this one is really well written, powerful, and beautifully produced.

Don't see it if you expect entertainment.

Also Two words: Rose Byrne. Wow.

See it if a refreshing contemporary musical that is fun without being shallow and hopeful without being sugary. Also, if you love Raja Feather Kelly.

Don't see it if you expect easy-listening and escapism.

Also Script by Young Jean Lee is not a typical musical theatre material: it's a musical... about grief and coping with it. Production-wise, it's a solid Raja Feather Kelly joint, if you know this artist (you might have seen his amazing choreography for Strange Loop at Signature last season.) As a director, Kelly is very tame for the first 35-40 minutes of the show: there's much less movement on stage that one would expect from a lead artist for whom dance is the first language. But when it starts rocking... it *really* rocks. Janelle McDermoth is quite amazing in the lead. I really liked it, and I am *so* not a musical theatre person.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy experimental puppetry and video, appreciate the pointed, absurdist humor and commentary about the strange world we live in

Don't see it if you don't enjoy loud noises, strobe lights, and lo-fi stagings.

See it if you appreciate contemporary plays that comment on our political reality,

Don't see it if don't like minimal staging and expect entertainment.

See it if you enjoy out-of-the-box approach to theatre and are open to having all your senses (save the sight) stimulated

Don't see it if you like your theater conventional, by-the-book, linear, and visible

Also These 45 minutes were truly a bubble bath for the soul. Erin Mee's short play speaks to all the senses in a subtle but persuasive way, providing an experience that is soothing and subtle yet gets the audiences thinking about all the simple pleasures we overlook in our everyday life. Poetic and perfectly safe food-wise (no gluten, meat, soy, or other allergy-inducing ingredients involved!), it gives a taste - literally - of many good things in life we, New Yorkers, rarely get to experience. In the city that mostly stinks and rushes forward with anxious energy, this show provides a rare Zen moment. Highly recommended. Unless you are afraid of dark.... Read more Read less

See it if you are ready for something intimate but brave, personal, unapologetic, funny and heartbreaking - all in one.

Don't see it if you can't handle the open and just anger of marginalized people. Also, if you only enjoy big productions.

Also WOW. What a stunner. This season, I have been entrenched in my view that the best writing for theatre these days comes from playwrights of color - and for my money, Keith Hamilton Cobb (who also performs - brilliantly - in the lead) deserves to be mentioned in one breath with the award-winning writers such as Susan-Lori Parks. This is a very personal show, and I am astounded by the courage and strength it takes to perform work this intense and emotionally demanding every night. Also, it's something to watch and learn from for my community, the creatives: AMERICAN MOOR is a must-see for every white artist working with POC as a project headliner – or, really, in any capacity. As it is for any person seriously thinking about how to make art truly relevant in our dark times. And for any person who wants to truly learn how to listen to others. In 90 minutes, it delivers honesty, humor, anger, heartbreak, and major food for thought - with minimum production and maximum acting craft. GO.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy edgy, female-centered comedy

Don't see it if you expect *theater.* This is a solid piece of standup.

Also She does not suck (pun intended.) But Jacqueline Novak is a tremendous, engaging writer - and a so-so performer. I mean, for a theater person: standup buffs might have a different view on this. With so many A-listers attached to this production, I expected a bit more. I think this piece - possibly empowering for women, funny, and just a tad too long – would, after a few dramatical improvements, make a perfect TV special or a film in the vein of Spalding Gray monologue movies. In theatre, it got me a bit tired. Had a few good laughs tho, and for $20 I paid for it, it was worth a trip.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate the innovative/ approach to theliterary material, exquisite acting, amazing production - and if you're a fan of Daniel Fisch.

Don't see it if you expect true-to-the-book adaptation. Also, if you saw OKLAHOMA and think this is going to be more of the same.

Also I heart Daniel Fisch. This show is more like pre-Oklahoma pieces I saw him direct on off-Broadway stages: quirky, intense, unapologetic and not easy to watch although immensely gratifying. I admire the gutsy approach to the adaptation, marvel at the efficiency of minimal yet stunning et design and salute Bruce McKenzie for outstanding performance. Not your mama's DeLillo but it's relevant for our strange times and pushes the limits of what theater can be. Hope it returns and more people get to see it.... Read more Read less

See it if if you have an open mind and courage to face the darkest aspects of racism in America. If you appreciate great writing and acting.

Don't see it if sexuality makes you uncomfortable. Or if you think theater = entertainment.

Also No, Broadway is SO not ready for Slave Play. And it’s a good thing: it means that this brilliant work continues to make people uncomfortable, as it should. it’s a hard show to watch because it’s painfully honest about power and race in a way Fairview is - only more brutal in its delivery. But I can’t recommend enough seeing this fearless piece of theatre. Writing is so insightful it’s hard to believe it was penned by someone under 60. It’s flawlessly produced, full of stunning performances, deeply human and moving.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people walking out of a show they’ve paid a lot of money to see. The applause was awkward and short. My companion and I stayed up very late and could not stop talking about it. I’m planning on seeing it again.

Some understanding of D/s dynamic helpful but not necessary. Open mind a must. Essential viewing.... Read more Read less

See it if you are ready for a reimagining of an American classic that is perfect for times when the world is on fire.

Don't see it if you think you know how Rodgers & Hammerstein "should be done."

Also Tons of ink have been spilled – and rightly so – on the subject of the greatness of this production but none of it really prepared me for what I saw last night. Beginning with the obvious: born downtown, this production does not rely on bells and whistles; it rests firmly on the amazing talents of performers and design team involved. the mastery of this staging lays in the unseen in crucial scenes, on tiny gestures that fly almost unnoticed but scaringly effective – in every moment, OKLAHOMA hits the spot with the uncanny precision. What emerges can be described as a theatrical equivalent of a Norman Rockwell painting with a crack in it – a crack through which something sinister and dark is peering through. This monster has always been there but no one dared to look, and now it emerges in this singular vision. It's awesome and scary.
An absolute must-see. Take it from a contrarian allergic to other people's raves.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy unconventional productions of Shakespeare and appreciate good food (although do no t come hungry!)

Don't see it if you want your Shakespeare by the book and in proscenium setting and your food meat-heavy.

Also I loved Third Rail Productions for Then She Fell and followed them around - but when I heard they were doing Midsummer NIght's Dream, I was skeptical. "Why do it now? The world is on fire," I thought. But after two hours of this, man, was I glad they did! It is the escapist dream at its very best. Their Shakespeare is uproariously funny, their performers delightful, and the food off-the-charts yummy. I loved the staging and the amazing job the company did transforming the bare interior of a former popup shop into a magical tavern. And wow, Puck is a black woman, and she rocks! I literally did not want to leave this beautiful space that nourished both my soul and my body. An absolutely delicious evening, on all levels.... Read more Read less

See it if you don't look for entertainment - this is not a feel-good play. You'll walk away satisfied if you appreciate intense, character-driven work

Don't see it if you can't stomach intense and difficult interpersonal relationship, deep and honest look at a misunderstood disease, or wince at nudity,

Also A very powerful text with less-than-ideal execution. The message of this work - how the pain gets passed down generation to generation, how wounds beget wounds - is much more universal than the central (and important) issue of a struggle with an eating disorder. Somehow I felt that the work would benefit from casting another actress as Rachel. Or perhaps the direction could be more focused? I can't decide. The most convincing character in this cast is Florencia Lozano as the mother - which somehow overpowers the protagonist, her anorectic daughter (played by the playwright Domenica Feraud) who we, the audience, should be rooting for. However imperfect, this is a powerful production. It made me very sad but I am glad I saw it.... Read more Read less

See it if you have the patience for a slow burn. Confusing as it is, it's also strangely rewarding.

Don't see it if you can't handle edgy, sexually-charged material or have no appreciation for intimate productions.

Also I'm a patient viewer open to the weirdness and experiment but after 80 minutes, I wasn't completely sold on this play. I really wanted to like this one; there is some good material there but needs a serious rewrite and extensive dramaturgical help. – plus a stronger directorial hand at the wheel. While ideas – about relationships, masculinity/femininity, race, class – are strong and thought-provoking, the text is overindulgent and at times pretentious; the actors, while giving it their best, seem very unconvinced of what they are saying. Maybe it would help to give it to a female director next time?..... Read more Read less

See it if you live in America. Not since THE OCTOROON has the NYC stage seen anything as powerful and on-point when it comes to discussing race.

Don't see it if you can't handle fractured narratives or strobe lights. Also, if you don't want to be called out on your white priviledge.

Also Holy cow. I saw the show twice, a week apart, and it completely swept me off my feet. The combination of amazing, sharp, fearless writing, fabulous directing, all-around perfect acting, and production that is understated but spot-on on every level. FAIRVIEW turns the tables on the audiences in the most unexpected ways. It's funny, tragic, absurd, profound, and guaranteed to make you uncomfortable – just as real art should. Damn, I'd go see it again. A must see. Bravo SohoRep and kudos to TFANA for giving this dwontown gem a larger stage to shine on.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate less fluffy musical theater that reveals something important about experiences different from your own.

Don't see it if you too skirmish to handle X-rated language and provocative content

Also I usually steer off musical theatre because most of it is fluff - but this one is different. I certainly hope Michale R. Jackson's fearless writing will make him a household name, and not for the association with a disgraced dead celebrity. The music, the cast, the staging, the choreography - all of it is brilliant and keeps you engaged start to finish as the piece evolves from outrageously funny to profoundly tragic. Definitely see it if you're an artists trying to make it in NYC. Dang - see it, period. It's one of those things destined for Broadway as the next unexpected gem, waiting to be discovered for the mainstream audiences.... Read more Read less

See it if you're ready for three hours of no-holds-barred, intense, edgy, high-octane entertainment of the highest order

Don't see it if you're easily offended by naked flesh or a racy joke, or can't stand loud music

Also Wow. Thank you Show-score for getting me the best seat in the house - it was a champagne chair (sans champagne, but the act itself was quite intoxicating.) If you have $100 to spend, forget Broadway - go see these guys, an amazingly talented cast of first-rate performers giving their all in a non-stop revue of stunning numbers. I bet most of these ridiculously beautiful people went to Julliard: yes, it's THIS level of skill and talent. Despite drawing on "Alice in Wonderland," QUEEN OF HEARTS has no plot, really, but does not need one: the visuals, the dancing, the singing will keep you at the edge of your seat and with your jaw on your knees. The only reason I'm not giving it 100 is that it is so intense there's no breathing room to take it all in, and it could use a touch of dramaturgical tweaking - then again, I saw the show early, it might still find its wings and fly higher. Still, between pole dancing, chocolates and a touch of kink, it's one of the best nights in my memory. GO.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate complex, movement-based storytelling and amazing stage design

Don't see it if you prefer simpler, linear stories and don't care for dance theatre

Also Okwui Okpakwasilli got the MacArthur "genius" grant this year and for a good reason: her unique blend of dance, theater, and spoken word is like nothing else seen on NYC stage these days. This piece, meant for family audiences, tell a story of a Black girl who rebels against the narrow standards of beauty and refuses to straighten her hair. This tale is told in amazing dancing (featuring the creator along with awesome Urban Bush Momen performers) words that made me think of an African fairytale (or a magical-realist novel), and spectacular DYI design by Peter Born. We debated for 15 minutes with a friend (a grownup) trying to find a flaw in this work but couldn't. See it, regardless of your age or race: it's well worth it.... Read more Read less

See it if you care about #MeeToo issues and appreciate theater that brings them front and center

Don't see it if you're looking for light entertainment

Also Gus Schulenburg's play is a real gem - timely, well-balanced, and fearless in pointing out issues that even most dedicated #MeeToo-ers like yours truly rarely get to discuss openly (like the sad fact that often the ones silencing the survivors are other women – many of them survivors as well). I greatly appreciated the tension between characters and their complexities - the characterizations are spot on, and the flowing dialogue feels natural and engaging. Sadly, Emily Hartford's direction blunts the sharpest edges of this excellent script by making some of the actors go over the top for no good reason. While female characters do a good enough job, male-identifying ones seem like caricatures. My major problem was the CEO: survivors know that the most chilling thing about the powerful predators is that they never need to raise their voices; it's the cultural lore that allows them to interrupt, dismiss, threaten. I am hoping this great play will see another staging in more capable hands.... Read more Read less

See it if if you think it's important to see theater that makes you think about the role of science in today's world.

Don't see it if you are not prepared to sit through over two hours of very slow develoment.

Also I enjoyed very much Irondale Ensemble's productions in the past (especially their wildly ambitious 1599 Project), but this one did not meet my expectations. While actors are tremendous and the material is timely, I found Jim Niesen's direction lacking one thing his protagonist seems to advocate - imagination. I wish there was a better staging concept for this piece: the program note from dramaturg Jake Seller justly draws parallels between dilemmas of Galileo's time and current crisis over the climate change - yet this laudable concept, for my money, did not materialize on stage. Still, the quartet of actors was quite impressive in their effort of bringing to life over 30 of Brecht's characters.... Read more Read less

See it if you think that theater should be the mirror of its time. Also, if you are an American. A must-see if you are an American woman.

Don't see it if you are looking for escapism and fluff. Also if you can't handle the talk about domestic violence, violence against women and politics.

Also "Riveting" does not even begin to describe it. I'd like to think that one day, WTCMTM will be remembered among such crucial pieces of American theatre as Angels in America. Rarely a piece of theater emerges that makes one think: who are we as people? What will this country become? What do we believe in, what do we stand for and why? Told in the first person and with great passion by amazingly talented writer-performer Heidi Schreck, this piece is more a conversation with the Americans about these very things than a traditional play. Full of excruciatingly painful personal memories, it is not for the faint of heart - but my goodness, it shuld be seen as a remedy for the cynicism, complacency and numbness of the times we live in. Yes, it will break your heart. But it will also give you the comfort of feeling less alone. I don't know how this brave woman manages going through this show every night but I am glad and grateful she does. A perfect play for its times and a must-see.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate women's stories and modern, cinematic approach to staging

Don't see it if you are looking for a feel-good show.

Also It's not one of those stories one *enjoys*: what Hope Salas is talking about in this piece is heavy, personal, unsettling - but this time, time of #MeToo, is when women's stories like this one need to be told. In HOPE, however, it's very much about HOW the story is told - and this one kicks butt on this level. In Erika Latta's video-infused, cinematic staging light and movement sometimes speak more eloquently than words; the production amplifies Hope Salas' amazing intensity as a performer, it says what cannot be expressed without saying too much. Small stage movements sometimes speak more eloquently than the text itself; the set and video projections reveal the aspects of the story that would never be apparent on a written page. The writer/performer and the director are definitely a match made in heaven: what they produce together is not easy to watch but definitely amazing.... Read more Read less

See it if you like theater that will make you think and you appreciate great acting.

Don't see it if you don't appreciate small stagings and expect to be entertained rather than put outside your comfort zoene.

Also I was in my teens when I first lay my hands on a copy of Ryszard Kapuściński’s seminal book The Emperor, a reportage volume chronicling the aftermath of the fall of Ethiopia’s Haile Selassie. Like most people of that day and age at the place in my home country of Poland, I have been deciphering it as an allegory of the corrupted system we’ve been living under. But there was something else about the book, something truly Shakespearean in scope, chilling and universal: like no other, I have ever read before, it was a book about power and what it does to people. Now, this highly un-theatrical text has landed on stage, in a most riveting adaptation, written for the stage by Colin Teevan, directed by Walter Meierjohann and in the tour-de-force performance by the phenomenal Kathryn Hunter, aided in her many stage transformations by an Ethiopian musician Temesgen Zekee. The result is nothing short of stunning.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of multimedia-infused theater. Also, if the name "David Lynch" gets you excited.

Don't see it if you don't appreciate nonlinear narratives and poetic approach to narration

Also MInd: blown. One of the most meticulous, magical productions that I have seen in years - not just downtown but anywhere. Rob Roth's poetic writing might be a tad hard to follow at times, but hey - it IS a poem, you don't have to get the literal meaning, you just have to grasp the mood. The fusion of dance, music, theater, and film is so flawless that it comes across as nothing short of magical. I would actually see it again to focus more on little details that just flew right in the corner of my eye; pretty sure this one gets even more rewarding on the second viewing. I think David Lynch would love this one and probably would get a little jealous. I loved it. GO.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy contemporary playwriting on a timely subject

Don't see it if you have no patience for overly indulgent writing and toxic masculinity

Also I really wanted to love this show - the subject is super-timely and relevant and the buzz behind the creative team added to the excitement. There are but two major problems with it: 1. The text seems overwritten and indulgent, could seriously benefit from more disciplined editing; 2. The protagonist seems very immature as a human being which makes him ultimately very unlikable, thus removing the viewer from the complicated arc this character is going through. I would definitely enjoy it more if the character of the sister - the most self-aware and assertive of all of them - would get more time on stage. But I appreciate the ambition and passion of this writer; too bad the direction does not really add to the interesting if flawed text.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate the great contemporary writing – and especially bold and distinctive women's voices

Don't see it if Three hours seem too much of a commitment and you don't care about a story that focuses on immigrants

Also Martyna Majok is probably already one of the most celebrated playwrights of her generation and this play proves that all the accolades bestowed on this young Polish-born writer were well deserved. Three hours seem like three-quarters of an hour when she gets to tell a story of immigrant women from different parts of the world whose paths cross in a gloomy basement apartment down in Queens. It is very much a story of how it is like to try to live up to the American dream, but also about being a woman with all its complexities, especially in the era of #MeToo. Majok's writing is spot-on when it comes to idiomatic intricacies and both profound and funny - not something one sees often in a contemporary play about a serious subject. I saw the first preview so I am sure the acting (by all-female cast) and staging (also mostly ladies) will only get better, but on the first night it was pretty flawless for my money. Way to go, ladies.... Read more Read less

See it if you can appreciate an edgy, razor-sharp, and timely satire

Don't see it if you get easily offended by mocking religion or traditionally-understood masculinity

Also A feminist play with no women in it? Hell yeah, I am sold. Robert O'Harea's writing is pointed, take-no-prisoners sharp and occasionally brilliant. I still don't know how these wonderful performers manage to deliver the absurd dialogue without bursting out into laughter; I know, they're professionals, but just you wait till you hear what I am talking about. If you are not big on suspending the disbelief you might have an issue with his scientifically-unproven premise, but hey, this is theater: everything is possible. Which makes MANKIND as scary as it is funny: the bottom line of this wild romp is that our species never learns, and as much as it is true, it does not provide for a kumbaya moment when the lights go down at the end. Still, I salute this well-designed and tremendously executed production for its courage. And I will definitely quote a line or two when discussing gender politics with men.... Read more Read less

See it if you can hab=ndle an intense drama that is not exactly a feel-good show but tells of something important and very real.

Don't see it if you expect to be entertained, lulled into the comfortable numbness, and fed silly lines all the time when you're in a theater.

Also When Fitzgerald said, "There are no second acts in the American lives," he meant the main protagonist of this piece. It is not a feel-good show, but it deserves to be seen for its raw urgency, relevant subject matter, brilliant writing and intense, gut-wrenching acting. It flows from real to surreal as the main protagonist, an Iraq vet, fights his demons and struggles with the unfairness of the system that does not give him a real chance. The only reason I am not giving this great piece a higher note is the fact that at certain moments acting appears a bit artificial - it must be a directorial choice because the performers seem 100% natural and effortless in other moments. Then again, I saw the first preview. Go see it. It's well worth it.... Read more Read less

See it if you can suspend your disbelief and buy the idea of a Brooklyn hipster composer falling for a dead Antarctic explorer. Music will do the rest

Don't see it if musical theatre is not your thing and the idea of a Brooklyn hipster composer falling for a dead Antarctic explorer gives you cold feet.

Also I'm not a musical person (unless it's Ars Nova), so I was taken by surprise: the piece is funny, quirky and - despite its far-fetched premise - emotionally engrossing. Yes, the whole premise is a bit much to take in, but the emotions are real - and sheer musicality and stamina of the writer/performer duo gives wings to this unlikely story. Plus, a comparison between surviving in Brooklyn as a single female artist and conquering a hospitable, frozen continent seems strangely apt these days...... Read more Read less

See it if you dare to imagine where our country will be in two years from now if things continue the way they are going.

Don't see it if theater for you equals entertainment.

Also It's been a long while since I left the theater so upset. Not that there's anything wrong with the quality of this show - it is brilliantly written by an award-winning playwright, elegantly arranged by an experienced director, and performed with gusto by two excellent actors. The problem: it's so timely and spot-on in the current political climate that it's hard to shake its impact. James Badge Dale is chilling as an all-American "I only wanted to take care of my family" villain; Tamara Tunie has much less demanding but still interesting part of a witness to unthinkable. In a way, we are all like her character, witnessing things that should not ever happen in a democracy; and as her character, we must feel overwhelmed by what Hannah Arendt called "the banality of evil." Will it get this bad? If transcripts of Nuremberg trials were required reading, perhaps we would not need Robert Schenkkan to suggest the answer.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy modern adaptations of teh classics

Don't see it if you expect a Broadway-style, linear production

See it if you enjoyed Cormack McCarthy's novels and feel like more of the same in the experimental theater setting. Also, if you love Paul Lazar.

Don't see it if you need your theater linear, your characters true to life, and your staging traditional.

Also I can't understand why so much vitriol in the negative reviews here! SAMARA is a solid piece of experimental theater, a bit of a companion piece for "Blood Meridian," a bit of a strange fairy tale. Not being a Richard Maxwell fan, I must say I enjoyed this production aptly directed by Sarah Benson much more than I did his previous works. Casting for the piece is spot-on, and the inventive staging and beautiful music add to a quite satisfactory theatrical dish. Then again, if you put me in one room with Paul Lazar reading The New York Times from two weeks ago I'll go home delighted...... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate a pinch of hip-hop in your Mozart and a dash of current politics in your Beaumarchais.

Don't see it if you can only digest your opera if it's by-the book, starched, hot-pressed, manicured and carefully checked for any modern additions.

Also Political? Yes. Sexy? You bet; even raunchy at times, but wasn't Beaumarchais version even more so? Funny, oh yes. Well sung - no question. There is no weak performer in this ensemble, but Christin Byrdsong as Li'l B-Man (think Cherubino) and Raquel Suarez Groen as Roxanne Conti (your old-version Countess Almaviva) stand out as both great voices and wonderful actors. My only wish was for a set that would match the production's innovative quality - and a bigger orchestra, but is anything in this world perfect? Take your opera-hating friend to this ¡Figaro! - they might emerge converted.... Read more Read less

See it if "Penny Dreadful" meets "Waiting for Godot" is your idea of good theater

Don't see it if you expect naturalistic acting in a metaphorical tale, or can't tolerate the same actors playing multiple roles (sometimes in the same scene

Also Julia Jarcho's gloom fairytale about the monster who feeds not only on bodies but also on passions of people it affects is by far one of the most intriguing new plays I came across recently: it's dark and funny and it leaves one thinking about the larger picture of our emotional state as a society. The cast of experienced downtown actors makes the best of good lines and scarce but intriguing set (making a great use of the Playhouse' immense spaces). With all that goodness, one can only wish that the author would delegate the stage directing to someone with more consistent vision. Production-wise, the sound and lighting make particularly great impression. Well worth the trip to LES!... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in a musical that is not fluff and draws from a powerful true story

Don't see it if "musical" equals "high production value" for you. Also, if you get easily tired of the Southern accent.

Also An interesting venture into more traditional theater by downtown team versed in the experimental theatre: director-writer Gian Marco LoForte wrote this script inspired by oral histories of Southern labor organizers of the 1920s. The subject matter could not be more timely, and dance and modern songs based on traditional tunes do a great job tying the story together. If I have one complaint, it has o do with the sound quality - at the performance I attended the lyrics often were muffled by the poor sound system which made following the story a bit difficult. Still, it's an original and timely piece of musical theater, and boy, this cast can sing and dance.... Read more Read less

See it if you love Will Bond and Ellen Lauren so much you wouldn't miss anything they are in.

Don't see it if you have no patience for brainy plays with a lot of text and not much of action.

Also I really wanted to love a SITI Company show about John Cage but walked away largely disappointed - because the whole thing seems to work like this scene when Ellen Lauren delivers answers to imaginary questions to the audience. You as an audience member get a lot of statements you did not ask for, delivered in a cryptic manner that makes them hard to relate to - and all in all, it's easy to reach the conclusion that this play does not need an audience and does not care about it. Will Bond and Ellen Lauren and great performers, but they seem strangely underutilised in this piece, drawning under the sheer amount of brainy text that does not allow any show of emotion. Too bad, really: it must have looked like a great idea when described as a proposal: "So there's John Cage and his world and his male and female alter egos discuss it while playing chess..." Oh well.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate inventive low-budget staging combined with thoughtful content, delivered with humor and gusto.

Don't see it if production value is the most important thing for you.

Also An apocalyptic dark sci-fi comedy with hi-tech puppets: what's not to like, right? STEVE OF TOMORROW talks about very serious problems (media sensationalism, lack of real communication among people), but delivers them wrapped in absurdist humor and inventive low-budget staging that should delight downtown theatre fans.... Read more Read less

See it if you care about artivism and appreciate the provocative writing, great ensemble acting, unusual staging, and political content.

Don't see it if you have no patience for long works and devised theatre and no interest in the misguided revolutionaries.

Also Who could have thought that a piece about the Weather Underground can be so timely and absorbing? Kudos to The Assembly's great ensemble for fleshing out very believable characters, loosely based on actual people. I was stunned to learn that many of the most intense scenes are improvised. The piece is very open-ended and thought-provoking; you might not leave the theater knowing what an effective revolution should be, but definitely will know what it should not entail.... Read more Read less

See it if you believe David Byrne can do no wrong. (And even then prepare to be generous.)

Don't see it if you have great expectations for the stage that gave you Hamilton.

Also I really wanted to love this show - as a David Byrne fan, as a feminist, as a fan and champion of Downtown. Sadly, there is nothing extraordinary about this production, despite the fact that it is based on the extraordinary story of Joan of Arc. First, let me say what I liked: the song "Many Heads, One Body" which reminded me of my favorite Talking Heads albums. That, and lighting design. And the curtain. Yep that's it. The book is dead on arrival; the stage direction and choreography - perfunctory and lazy. Even Jo Lampert - although vocally strong - does not save the day: his voice is not remarkable enough to compensate for the painful lack of charisma. At its best, the show is a mediocre rock musical; at its worst - a parody of itself, hopelessly treating itself way too serious. I would be more generous if the people behind it were newcomers - but from the starts of this magnitude, one expects so much better. As they say where I come from, a mountain has begotten a mouse.... Read more Read less

See it if you expect magic from your theater experience and want a show to leave you thinking about your own life.

Don't see it if you can't handle nontraditional setting and expect linear action.

Also "Brilliant" just the way to describe it. I went because I enjoy David Neumann's work, but left stunned by the artistry of Geoff Sobelle and the ingenious, magical staging. It is rare for a show to delight both for its entertainment value (so funny!), brilliant design and performance, and the profound message that lingers long after. Chopped salad will never be the same again. Neither will cardboard boxes. "Do you have what you need? Do you need what you have?" A damn good question.... Read more Read less

See it if you can take your Rasputin story with outrageously funny lines, amazing music and unconventional setting. Also, if you are a Dave Malloy fan

Don't see it if you get easily offended by strong language and simulated sex acts.

Also Few things recently gave me such joy as this production. From the funny-as-hell script by Jason Craig, consistently amazing music by Dave Malloy(of "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812" fame), off-the-charts amazing performance by all cast members and fantastic, beautifully lit and set production in an old Greenpoint church - everything was five-star good. Do yourself a favor and go see it. You will never think about Black Swans and revolutions the same way again.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate a very dark comedy and truly exemplary writing and acting.

Don't see it if have trouble understanding Irish accent or can't live without a happy ending.

Also As excruciating as it was hilarious, it is an amazing piece of theater. To the eternal credit of the actors, the bad guys were so convincing that I was ready to go after them and bludgeon them with a baseball bat for what they did to that poor, poor woman. So much for the luck of the Irish...... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see O'Neill's feminist side, presented by a truly remarkable cast. Also, if you enjoy seeing strong female characters on stage.

Don't see it if You don't relate to the idea that a 1922 play can still be relevant and fresh.

See it if you like amazing true stories, great songs sang by amazing performers, and out-of-the-box staging ideas

Don't see it if A one-man show is not your idea of a satisfying theatre presentation.

See it if you are a hardcore fan of NO EXIT.

Don't see it if you think that Sartre's brilliant play will not be improved by adding a few random arias.

Also The opera-infused version of Sartre's existentialist classic is, sadly, much less than the sum of its parts. One would think that adding some immortal operatic arias to a text so brilliant that it is hard to ruin would be a good idea - but it isn't. At least not in Eilin O'Dea's version. She is a strong performer, both when singing and when acting, and comes out as quite compelling Inez. Yet, apparently, sharing the duties of a lead with those of a director has blunted her focus. As much as I appreciated the quality of singing, I don't think mixing the two ingredients gave a satisfactory result. The combination does not blend, the parts seem disjointed, and the question "why do it?" never gets convincingly answered. Next time, I'll have my Sartre as one dish, my Puccini as another, thank you.

Side note: Sartre is right - hell is other people. Especially if they don't turn their cell phones off in a theater...... Read more Read less

See it if ...you love Rachel Chavkin and her fresh, quirky, unexpected interpretations - here combined with an excellent text

Don't see it if you have no patience for First World problems.