Margaret 3

See it if you want to see a delightful actress in a deliciously written true story with creative staging and actors skillfully playing multiple roles

Don't see it if you hate baseball and don't like race as even secondary subject matter.

See it if you know "Little Women" and consider it hopelessly dated and in need of re-writing.

Don't see it if you know "Little Women" , love it, and think it is a classic because it has characters and situations that are universal & timeless.

Also We are in the middle of an epidemic of "adaptations" in which we are given the play the original writer would have given us if she had just had been as brilliant as the current adapter! This "version" is based loosely on the original but with one scene after another re-written to suit the adapter's agenda.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy the Mint Theater's usual level of fine acting and you love Irish plays, even when the play is uneven and the outcome a letdown.

Don't see it if you only like upbeat plays and happy endings!

Also I don't think I heard or understood more than 5% of what Jesse Pennington as the son Tom had said! He doesn't project (I see he worked recently with Richard Nelson!) and his dialect was hard to understand!... Read more Read less

See it if you want an evening of sheer entertainment, constant laughs, and a sublimely talented cast just doing old fashioned musical comedy!

Don't see it if you hate slapstick even when brilliantly executed or if you only like serious, profound plays.

See it if you love Irish writers in general and O'Casey in particular, especially with a spectacularly skillful cast of actors.

Don't see it if you only like musicals or comedies and you don't like Irish accents.

See it if you are so into our Me Too moment that it overrides all other rights & if you believe forbidding male misbehavior on paper will stop it cold

Don't see it if you understand that at this moment our "antiquated" Constitution is the only thing standing between us and chaos!

Also I am sorry that Ms. Schreck's family background included so much male brutality, but it is incredible to me that she doesn't understand that it is the very age and durability of our Constitution which are the glue holding our very divided country together (if by a shoestring!) Even assuming that a new Constitution could be achieved (our current leaders can't even give us safe highways and bridges!), no one on either side would feel any real depth of allegiance to a new "constitution du jour". The rave reviews that this play has gotten mainly reveals the unanimity of political opinion among our critics. It is really a feminist screed - not a play.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a splendid performance by Santino Fontana and a reasonably funny entertaining musical version of the much superior film.

Don't see it if you don't like musicals or you only like musicals with melodic old-fashioned songs or if you have a low threshold for far-fetched events.

Also Also a hilarious performance by Reg Rogers in perhaps the most original character concept in the show.... Read more Read less

See it if a brilliant performance by Michael Stuhlbarg plus an intelligent take on the methods of Socrates can make up for excessive length.

Don't see it if you don't want to see a slow, very long play that is totally cerebral and requires intense listening.

See it if you are willing to suspend all of your usual expectations and just enjoy something incredibly "off the wall".

Don't see it if you're not able to appreciate the sheer audacity of something wildly original .

See it if if you want to see some of the most brilliant performances of the decade in an absolutely stunning directorial conception.

Don't see it if you don't like long plays no matter how good.

See it if you like John Guare and John Larroquette and are willing to stay with the play through confusing sections to see where it's going.

Don't see it if you don't like confusing plays and don't have the patience to sit through scenes that seem meaningless.

See it if you want to see everything Glenda Jackson does (or the great John Douglas Thompson) or you like to see EVERY version of "King Lear".

Don't see it if you don't want to endure an endless evening filled with many tasteless, tacky directorial choices.

Also Glenda Jackson handles the text with great skill, as you would expect, but doing this role is just a "stunt". She is not convincing as the character. There are one or two other fine performances (John Douglas Thompson, as always) but they can't make up for so much bad direction.... Read more Read less

See it if you love Fugard and want to see everything he wrote and you can appreciate great acting even in a play that is "lesser Fugard".

Don't see it if you don't want to be depressed. This play is absolutely a relentless "downer"!

See it if you want to see two fabulous actors demonstrate their extraordinary technique in two different monologues that fit together perfectly.

Don't see it if you only like happy plays and don't like depressing material.

See it if you enjoy seeing old plays brought to new life in beautiful productions, with fine acting and direction, though seemingly dated issues

Don't see it if you only like contemporary plays and are not interested in issues of another period that MIGHT actually have relevance to our own.

Also "A Man for All Seasons" is playing in another theater in the same complex. I couldn't help but ponder what are the differences (or are there any?) between what may seem prejudice and narrow-mindedness to us and "commitment to principle". And in both plays, the central male character seemingly gives no thought to the price that will be paid by his family.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy seeing two fine actors in relentless. and yet frequently hilarious conflict with each other.

Don't see it if you don't like being confused some of the time or you don't like Sam Shepard even in this, the least baffling of his plays.

See it if you love Sondheim & the amazing Fiasco Theater! The skill level of this cast is dazzling, as is the imagination of this version.

Don't see it if you don't like Sondheim, musicals in general, or new production ideas.

Also Fabulous set!

See it if you want to see fabulous, exciting musical numbers, interesting characters and situation, even if the plot is sometimes a bit muddled.

Don't see it if you don't like musicals or plays about gay issues.

See it if you love plays set in Ireland and you want to see wonderful actors tell an interesting, complicated, sometimes confusing, story even if long

Don't see it if you don't have the patience for long, sometimes self-indulgent plays (3 hours plus) and you have trouble with Irish accents.

Also I especially enjoyed the huge cast - especially the delightful children!... Read more Read less

See it if you can enjoy a satire about a high- achieving black woman who has become a success at the expense of her values & how she finds them again.

Don't see it if you are expecting a serious play as profound as Nottage's best or if you don't enjoy quirky satire.

Also Although the plot as constructed depends on this being breakout success by a black woman, the story is really not about race, but about VALUES. Also, the opening scene is played way over the top to underline the satire, but it mostly comes across as bad acting. Play gets better when we leave that behind.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a committed, exceptional performance by Glenn Close in a unique take on the life of Joan of Arc (+ some other good actors).

Don't see it if you can't accept Joan of Arc as a willful teenager led astray by hormones who could not have possibly convinced powerful men to follow her.

See it if you want to see three amazing actors with impeccable comic timing engaged in a three-way discussion that explores the nature of Truth.

Don't see it if you would be annoyed by a comedic approach to what could be seen as profound subjects: the rules of journalism and the nature of truth.

See it if you want to see the inimitable Bill Irwin in a challenging evening which will PERHAPS clarify Beckett fo you a bit. In any case, delightful

Don't see it if you really HATE Beckett and don't want to understand his writing better, and also are not interested in clown tradition.

See it if you want to see brilliant Janet McTeer and learn something about Sarah Bernhardt and her relevance to current sexual politics.

Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare, plays set backstage or plays dealing with gender equality or its absence.

See it if you enjoy the wonderful ensemble and convincing realism and intimacy of Richard Nelson's productions, making a classic play more accessible.

Don't see it if you didn't like Richard Nelson's productions at the Public. This is an identical approach - all taking place in the kitchen & very low key.

Also As usual, with Richard Nelson's productions, if you don't have perfect hearing, get the hearing assist devices.... Read more Read less

See it if you adore Adam Driver and/or Keri Russell. Driver is charismatic but has anti-sex appeal in a character should be sex personified.

Don't see it if you expect one of Lanford Wilson's best. The play hangs on overwhelming physical attraction between the leads and these two don't have it.

Also Even though the role is something of a stereotype, Brandon Uranowitz is fabulous as Larry - consistently entertaining!
Fabulous set!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy well-crafted plays about family relationships and good actors playing those roles.

Don't see it if you only like light entertainment.

Also Especially outstanding performance by Alex Wolff as the college-age son.... Read more Read less

See it if you hate musicals, especially Rodgers and Hammerstein, and want to see a travesty of the original .

Don't see it if you love the original "Oklahoma!" and don't want to see an agenda-driven version, changing the ending significantly while pretending not to.

Also Ali Stroker is immensely talented and very sexy. Mary Testa and James Davis are very good under the circumstances. The "ballet" is perhaps the most excruciatingly bad sequence I have had to sit through in my entire life! All of it pretends to be profound and is just dishonest! The Laurey and Curly not only have no chemistry - I actually felt that they disliked each other intensely.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a great Irish play with an extraordinary cast - especially the sublime Maryann Plunkett.

Don't see it if you don't like O'Casey, Irish accents, or sad endings.

Also I saw this as the final part of a "Dublin Saturday" - a chance to see all three of the Irish Rep's current O'Casey plays in one day (The other two are "The Plough and the Stars" and "Shadow of a Gunman".) I go to the theater an average of three performances a week - both Broadway and off-Broadway, and this trilogy was the highlight of my year. The Irish Rep is the gold standard in proving that what theater needs is taste and talent - not gazillions of dollars! They are an incredible blessing to all theater lovers in this city!... Read more Read less

See it if you love O'Casey and Irish writers in general and you would enjoy seeing an outstanding cast bring their work to life.

Don't see it if you don't like serious plays or Irish accents.

See it if you love Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow and enjoy anything they do. Without them, this play would be even more pointless than it is now.

Don't see it if you think you're going to get some great new insight into the Clinton relationship.

See it if you enjoy seeing a true story, enriched by terrific actors and creative staging, which is entertaining even while sounding an alarm.

Don't see it if you can't stay with a fairly long narrative with complications and ambiguities.

See it if you want to see a superb cast in a classic play by a great American writer dealing with moral issues that are always relevant!

Don't see it if you don't like serious, intense plays or if you find anything set in 1947 "dated"

Also Superb direction! No gimmicks or "concepts" to attract attention to the director.... Read more Read less

See it if for you, two or three excellent performances (especially Tony Yazbeck) can make up for ho-hum staging, stereotypes and one DREADFUL actor.

Don't see it if you have low tolerance for agit-prop and obvious, dated political observations.

Also As much as I hated the evening, I have to say that Tony Yazbek's performance of "The Cradle Will Rock" almost made it worth being there. Kudos also to Lara Pulver.... Read more Read less

See it if you love Cole Porter, Kelli O'Hara's singing, energetic dancing. Add to that a committed talented ensemble plus Corbin Bleu, who is great

Don't see it if you need a convincing book. This one has always been sub-par, and extensive re-writing hasn't fixed it!

See it if you want to see a play dealing with relevant issues, anchored by a delightful lead performance, & giving voice to conflicting viewpoints.

Don't see it if you aren't open to opinions contrary to your own.

Also This is play is worth seeing just for the opening monologue, which is absolutely delicious!... Read more Read less

See it if you love musicals (especially this one) and you want to see a fresh take on it that is in many ways the most delightful production EVER!

Don't see it if you hate all musicals, especially "Fiddler", and know that you will hate it even more in Yiddish!

Also I saw the original production of this show several times and think I have seen every major revival in NYC that has been done of it. It is one of the crown jewels of American musical theater, and Joel Grey has found SO many delightful new ideas that make it even more enchanting!... Read more Read less

See it if you love old-fashioned musical comedy with song and dance numbers full of energy and joy adding up to a HAPPY evening at the theater.

Don't see it if don't like musicals and you want your theater serious and profound.

See it if you can steel yourself for an evening with the most unpleasant people you have probably ever met. It is certainly never boring!

Don't see it if you like light, uplifting fare with a happy ending.

See it if you appreciate good acting & don't mind a version that changes the time & place significantly, with accents that are often incomprehensible.

Don't see it if you will be embarrassed by extremely explicit onstage sex .

See it if you like Nottage's writing and enjoy plays that deal with important issues, in this case the changing history of African American artists.

Don't see it if you don't want to engage with a satirical treatment of prejudice in American society and especially in Hollywood.

Also Play is MUCH too long - especially the second act. Impact could be very much greater if it were at least 30 minutes shorter. Fabulous actors!... Read more Read less

See it if you love Irish writing and Irish actors because this play is sensational in both - in spite of an unbelievable plot.

Don't see it if you only like light entertainment.

See it if you love Calvin Trillin and especially his writings about Alice, with two excellent actors telling a simple, sincere love story.

Don't see it if you want production values, conflicts, and a dramatic story line and are not interested in two people telling their story.

Also My primary reaction, on top of what I've said above: incredible envy for people who truly found their soulmates and lived a significant part of their lives in a really exceptional relationship.... Read more Read less

See it if you loved the original novel and/or film and you would enjoy seeing the same story differently structured but still brilliantly acted.

Don't see it if you didn't like the original book or film OR you liked them so much that you are not open to new actors, new writing, and new direction.

Also My one small reservation was that I felt that the "angry" version of Calpurnia was pandering to today's audience and, as someone both OLD and originally from the South, felt joltingly wrong for the time and place.... Read more Read less

See it if you really love Stockard Channing, who manages to give an interesting performance in unconvincing material.

Don't see it if you don't like characters that are caricatures and a plot situation that is not adequately explored.

See it if you want to see some engaging Irish actors do a fresh take on a play you probably won't understand even if it's your fourth or fifth time!

Don't see it if you hate this play or Beckett in general so much that you don't even want to give it another try.

See it if you aren't expecting all of the examples visited to be definitively connected to theater, especially if you time to see another Met exhibit.

Don't see it if you were expecting a full hour and a half of "theater treasures."

See it if you can sit through a slow-moving, uninteresting saga of a Punjabi family to get to an inspiring ending which celebrates ethnic diversity,

Don't see it if you can't endure a lame plot about ethnic assimilation or lack of it to get to a great final few minutes urging acceptance of differences.

See it if you are willing to expend a little effort to learn about the British game of snooker, enlivened by unusual characters and live play.

Don't see it if you have a problem understanding British dialects and you are easily bored when the plot moves slowly as it does in the first act.

Also The second act is much more entertaining than the first. The first act would have benefitted from cuts!... Read more Read less

See it if you like A.R. Gurney, even though this is definitely not his best. Also if you just enjoy laughing, even when the material is not brilliant

Don't see it if you're unwilling to sit through the second of the 3 one-acts which is both weak and too long or if you can't tolerate "super-light" fare.