Leslie B.

See it if you like experimental theater. This is like a scary story told by the campfire. Great ideas about our need to understand the beyond.

Don't see it if you like linear story lines. This requires an ability to be open to uncertainty about what is and isn't real. If you are open, it's great!

See it if you love Alanis Morissette's music. The show has humor, even though many of the songs are about pain.

Don't see it if you don't like juke box musicals. Admittedly, the songs are shoe-horned in to the story, but I wasn't offended by it. Not for under 14.

Also There are some heavy scenes about family and relationships--as her lyrics would indicate. The show may try to handle too many current social issues, but I feel like everyone can relate to at least some of them. You've been a kid/parent/lover/friend at some point and the music is timeless.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in hearing both sides of the Crown Heights riots. It's just as relevant today as it was then.

Don't see it if you don't like to mix your entertainment with social justice issues. This is for people interested in moral dilemmas.

See it if you like to see really innovative shows. This has a real twist on American politics--fantastic fun and a unique point of view.

Don't see it if you don't like political/racial comedies. But you SHOULD. Because we can all use a little eye-opening...and laughter.

See it if you like clever, engaging writing, with enjoyable tunes. Very fun. 2nd act is a lot better than the first.

Don't see it if you don't want Shakespeare messed with, but this is worth it.

See it if you'd like to understand the conservative right. The playwright doesn't defend them, but humanizes them. We all have struggles!

Don't see it if you don't want to think about faith and whether it plays a role in our actions and philosophies.

Also I liked that the playwright gave us really well developed characters who were all very different from each other, while all claiming to be conservative Catholics. Not a bad lesson when we are tempted to paint everyone with the same brush. I attended the talk-back after the play with the playwright. He based these characters on his own life and experience growing up in this environment. It has a real ring of authenticity. I wonder if the real-life characters will attend the play!... Read more Read less

See it if you want insight into 20-somethings mental state. They really are lonely and miserable according to this. Probably our fault, no doubt.

Don't see it if you have no interest in understanding millenials. It's not a requirement. But, you don't want to be a grumpy old theater goer, do you?!

See it if you want to see how Medea is relevant to today's lifestyles. We are obviously doomed to continue to suffer from the human condition.

Don't see it if you don't want to face the truth of the complexities of love, desire, parenting. This is not easy to watch.

See it if you want to see all the works by Suzan-Lori Parks. She has terrific ideas, I just don't think this one worked.

Don't see it if you are not interested in exploring difficult race issues.

See it if you love Stockard Channing. She's fantastic. The whole cast is. Proves that point that parenting is an impossible job.

Don't see it if you don't like dramas about family. There isn't a real story, other than the fact that people have different views of their history.

See it if you enjoy a show that is more about soul searching than about story. It's a wonderful exploration of what we are doing on the planet.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy existential thinking. This is about reflection on the experiences that make us who we are.

See it if you love history and like the idea of imagining the very personal reactions of family members to the experiences of Joan of Arc.

Don't see it if you don't have the patience for historical fiction about very serious issues. This is a play about faith, family, and allegiance.

Also In particular, the mother/daughter relationship will break your heart!

See it if you like depression era stories where everyones lives are so awful that you feel suicidal during the show.

Don't see it if you prefer a story with a modicum of happiness.

See it if you appreciate an actor being able to do this kind of magic--it's a tour de force.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in a psychological portrayal of a tragic event and it's lasting impact.

See it if you like superficial explanations of why people love each other.

Don't see it if you dislike shallow stories. I felt like all the characters were spoiled and obnoxious.

Also The one redeeming feature was the actor who played the son. He was hilarious and really did a good job with the role.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a fan of incredible wordplay and history and and the relationship of all three. It's absolutely brilliant.

Don't see it if You are not willing to think hard for 2 and a half hours. This play goes 100 mph and you have to work to keep up. But it's worth it!

See it if you are a fan of beautiful, happy musicals with a real story. The lyrics are fantastic and the characters are wonderfully drawn.

Don't see it if Can't think of a reason!

Also The music reminded me of early Loggins and Messina--a total compliment! The three generations are very believable and the actors were perfectly cast. The show gets at the heart of family dynamics, and EVERYONE can relate. It provides belly laughs, provokes tears, and gives us exactly what we need now-- conflict resolution!... Read more Read less

See it if You like tennis/sports and you like the idea of peeling back the public personas of the superstar players to see how human they are.

Don't see it if You wouldn't be interested in watching a tennis match. The pretend game they are playing is important to the structure of the play.

See it if you like interpersonal drama and thinking about how universal so many human relationships are.

Don't see it if you don't like long, family dramas. But it's SO much better than The Humans! These people are likable!!!

See it if You want to be reminded that we all have a part in making democracy work. I thought Moore was practical and rational. Not just a rant.

Don't see it if Like someone else here said: you are ultra conservative (which literally means unwilling to change) and won't go with an open mind.

See it if you like mysteries and mulling over human behavior.

Don't see it if you don't like explorations of emotional personal crises.

See it if You love Sondheim and you like the psychological analysis of what makes an assasin do what they do.

Don't see it if You aren't interested in Presidential history, especially, the presidents who were assasinated.

See it if you love history and politics and a behind-the-scenes explanation of how a event like this went down.

Don't see it if you are bored by political dramas. This is all about the art of the game of diplomacy.

See it if You enjoy one person shows. Iris is very talented at portraying multiple characters. It's funny, but also poignant. One hour!

Don't see it if You do not like one person plays!

See it if you have a chance--not easy to get tickets--understatement of the century!

Don't see it if you detest rap music.

See it if you like serious plays that ask hard questions. What are we doing watching a play about tragedy instead of working to stop it?

Don't see it if you don't like plays that challenge your knowledge of 20th century political history and ask you to extrapolate to our current situation.

Also This is such a smart play--I loved the depiction of 30's Germany through a small group of friends who represented different ideologies. It is one of the best expressions of how Nazism came to exist that I've ever seen. And it's a great warning to us--beware the slow slide into fascism--the signs do not flash in neon. And OMG, the devil was just too good. And the playwright breaking the fourth wall--fantastic! Poetic. Memorable. Tony Kushner, playwright, and Oskar Eustis, director of this revival--geniuses!... Read more Read less

See it if you like Will Eno's ideas--he's out of the box. Explaining identity is a pretty huge lift! Much of it is very insightful and interesting.

Don't see it if you want a traditional story line--this plays with a lot of complex ideas about identity and it's not a straight forward plot.

See it if you can't see it in NYC anymore. I forgot to review it then. I thought the duck on stage was the most interesting part.

Don't see it if a long, long look at an enormous family without any real intrigue sounds interesting. Add in an Irish accent that is often unintellibible.

See it if you like literature and are curious about the people who teach it and study it. This is an examination of the art with a twist.

Don't see it if you are not willing to work at listening. This is an intricate piece and you need to concentrate. Brush up on Crime and Punishment, or not!

See it if you enjoy recognizing that governing is always hard and humans are just pathetic. Makes today feel a little less awful.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy history. I was just a kid during the time period of the play, and I loved the insights gained from my mature perspective!

See it if you have to know what the buzz is about.

Don't see it if you don't have FOMO. This is just not very interesting. Been there, done that.

See it if You enjoy clever and funny feminist manifestos. The acting is terrific. The last is a little heavy handed and could stand to be edited.

Don't see it if you aren't open minded. This is 3 short stories, very well done, with a 4th segment that tries to tie it together, not entirely successfully

See it if you love a good story--you are not required to love baseball! April Matthis is fantastic--this is a break out role. A special show!

Don't see it if can't think of a reason. If you don't like shows about racial issues, you will still find this one to be engaging and upbeat.

See it if you are interested in hearing various sides of the debate about the tragedy of young black men being in danger all the time.

Don't see it if this very upsetting issue is not one you want to hear about for an hour and a half. The story brings in a lot of racial problems.

Also I'm sorry that some of the professional critics thought it was cliched. I did not. There are a lot of points of view taken into account for this very specific event, and I think the audience learns a lot about how complicated the issues are. We were all able to empathize with a very emotional parent. I thought it was a very successful evening of theater.... Read more Read less

See it if you don't remember the movie--it's prophetic! If you do remember the movie, you won't be disappointed. Really close to a perfect show!

Don't see it if You don't care for current events, journalism, or understanding what we are doing here....

See it if you want a lively, thought-provoking story. It is very relevant in our current political situation. And it has humor--a great plus!

Don't see it if you aren't interested in journalism.

See it if You want to be rocked back on your heels. This deals with some serious issues--parenting, addiction, disabilities, love and all it's warts.

Don't see it if you aren't prepared for a really intense show. This is not light entertainment.

Also It's tough, but exhilerating.

See it if You are a fan of Shakespeare and you'd like to know the story of Sarah Bernhardt.

Don't see it if You don't appreciate Hamlet!

See it if you like dramas that try to understand a person's life and to examine meaning and regret in ways that we can all relate to.

Don't see it if you are looking for a comedy. I didn't find it overly dark--but it's definitely a more thoughtful than fluffy show. Tracy Letts gets women!

See it if you are related to someone in it.

Don't see it if you have a book to read or anything else to do!!

See it if You love a play with a moral dilemma. Extremely well-acted and humorous as well as serious.

Don't see it if You are looking for an epic story or romance--this is a small chestnut.

See it if You want to eavesdrop on early Joe Papp meetings with the nascent Public Theater staff.

Don't see it if You like to see plays that are a slice of life and you don't care whether you understand what the context is or what is going on.

See it if you enjoy being drawn into an almost unbelievable story by an incredible actor.

Don't see it if you have no interest in human nature!

See it if you like family dramas and you appreciate the fact that most families have problems and that you can learn something from them.

Don't see it if you don't like to think about violence in families. The patriarch is a horrible chauvanist, but hey, it was the 60's.

See it if you like to think about the purpose of life with humor AND some profundity.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy a little fantasy. It does require some suspension of disbelief. But it is handled in such an intelligent way!

Also The play includes the exploration of philosophy about the meaning of life and our ideas about love. It has some terrific complexity that keeps it from being silly or banal, while still having enough humor to keep it from being bleak. Highly recommend!... Read more Read less

See it if you read the book and would like to recall this exquisite tragedy, or if you never read it and wonder what it's about. Fantastic acting.

Don't see it if you don't like serious drama with heart wrenching tragedy.

See it if you like magic and illusions. It will not disappoint. Not for kids: the themes are mature-- the meaning of life, secrets, suicide.

Don't see it if you have to understand the illusions--not happening.

Also Derek is a master illusionist, but he tries to weave a plot that is a little lugubrious. There is a good deal to wonder at, and the mysteries are fun, but the general mood he conjures is downright serious. Did I mention, not for kids.... Read more Read less

See it if you are following anyone in the excellent cast.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy slow-moving, depressing stories.

Also The exploration of guilt felt by the friends and family of a young, dying drug addict has some poignant moments, but overall the characters are difficult to empathize with and the story is too thinly drawn for us to care. (Even though the play is overly long!) Do mothers always have to be the real culprit? IS this a generation of snowflakes? There really weren't any tragedies in this young girl's life, but we were asked for a lot of sympathy.... Read more Read less

See it if you like intense personal dramas with exquisite acting.

Don't see it if you are not into watching serious emotional problems dealing with suicide and depression.

See it if you enjoy teasing out what it is that makes family relationships work and not work.

Don't see it if you want a musical or a huge story.