Mooming NYC

See it if Marie Curie is in your pantheon of heroes and you suspect many others exist who are unsung

Don't see it if you think progress is easily won/wrung

Also Terrific snapshot that gives a full, crackling picture of how women's victories are lived and won and wrung--amid the everlasting trench warfare of gender inequity, inch by inch by inch over time, repeatedly charging at the double standards that hindered the progress we COULD have made if it weren't for ridiculous societal mores. I understand now why science (and these days tech) hold the key to social change--they are the arenas in which rational thought can prevail. Inspiring and a joy to watch these two actors command the stage as stand-ins for two women who forced science to proper adulation without compromising their femininity--that is to say, without abandoning their humanity.... Read more Read less

See it if you love Shaw and are happy to seek out alternative presentations of even his lesser-known (less perfect) plays

Don't see it if you cannot see past wavering accents and occasional soapboxing to a sprawling larger theme: we're made whole by our joyful imperfections

Also This is not Shaw's most trenchant or laser-focused play, but it's vintage Shaw nevertheless. Not sure the whole 1940s framing of a 1914 situation works in 2018 Times Square, but it's a noble effort and kinda New Yorkish in the way it doesn't prevent a small space and circumstances lunge for larger meaning and even contemplation amid the hilarity and silliness. There is no backdrop of despair here, which British audiences would have implicit, which I consider the director's wrong decision because mere Anglophilia isn't a good or even reasonable rationale. Also, the failure to reign in some of the actors, whose outre' and campy scene-stealing are delicious to watch but ultimately detract from the larger play effort.... Read more Read less

See it if you love operatic singing and if you understand this is only R&H's SECOND (!) circa 1945 foray into creating the American musical genre

Don't see it if you can't handle narrative segues into the afterlife that don't have an existential character-propelled resolution

See it if you're curious and unafraid of the complexities of life--and existence--and thus of ourselves. Wholly unique, challenging and entertaining

Don't see it if you'd rather be spoon-fed pablum for entertainment

Also Baba's evolved into an ecstatically happy dad-rapper who happens to be at the height of his powers. Wow. Unafraid to ask the Big Questions and well equipped to consider and address them. Oh, and it's all in rap/rhyme. God bless him--he's one of a kind and unapologetically so. What a world we live in that someone like him can not only live but thrive--in a darker age he might have been burned on a stake, or sent off to the Inquisition. Love the peer-reviewed literature analysis/overview served up on behalf of all of us. Just---go.... Read more Read less

See it if Gorgeous music and musicianship front-and-close are enough for you

Don't see it if you're expecting a plot and wouldn't be content without one.

Also I didn't know their work, but I was wary of being sucked into a self-indulgent hyperbolic effort redolent of our particularly self-aggrandizing age, era and extended New York moment. The first notes alone are enough to dispel any soul-weariness you might be lugging about. The music is shimmering and stellar and pure. The plot is sweet and innocent and more than a bit navel-gazey. There's no drama, really. But still, so worth it. Concert quality, up close and personal (literally). Staging was excellent. Go. Just go.... Read more Read less

See it if Paula Vogel's play is a masterwork of historical dissection through a prism of love despite the distance of time. Tears and sobs were heard

Don't see it if You dislike themes of the human heart and heartbreaking history mucking up your song and dance

See it if you can appreciate that epic wars can be fought off the battlefield...in lipstick and heels, furs and smiles. If you love a smart script.

Don't see it if you need non-stop spectacle and a minimum of dialogue in your musicals. This show condenses the lifetimes of two great warrior women.

See it if you haven't seen the Gloria Swanson film (I didn't know the story, either)--and prepared to be wowed by the story of reflecting loves

Don't see it if you don't understand the appeal of old movies, other eras, black-and-white glamour

See it if you suffer headline news nausea and are willing to go where ridiculousness reigns with a surprisingly canny eye for human nature.

Don't see it if you need lots of words and literal metaphors; this could be silent film noir, true theater of the absurd. Adorable w/ a terrific set

See it if you think magic shows/sleight of hand are antiquated--this will change your mind

Don't see it if you can't understand British accents or if one-man shows aren't your thing.

Also That the show kept being diverted into multiple simultaneous directions was a bit annoying to me, but in retrospect was probably necessary and worth the wait for the jaw-dropping ending, which brought the numerous themes and threads together and still has me thinking, "How on earth?" I thought I was going to get answers and explanations and reasons--my mistake, obviously. I'm still unwinding and wending through the layers of perception and possibility. There's lots here that's hard to describe. But I can see why this show's been a stunner in London. It will be one here, too.... Read more Read less

See it if I walked out at intermission and loved every moment of HER PORTMANTEAU. This play should have been condensed to 90 min to great effect.

Don't see it if You have no patience for a gifted playwright and director both still finding their way to the short, economical path between pts (start/end)

Also I understand there's a lot of weight being carried by this play cycle re the future of theater, the greater national dialogue re the immigrant identity of this country, etc., etc. Clearly, talent is in evidence, and potential; clearly, indulgence is doing this effort no favors. The acting overspills the stage and discipline is only faintly evident. I fear this crucial first play will drive away the mainstream audience that isn't politically/personally motivated to see this giant effort. This is very much a work in progress still. I was rolling my eyes at the avalanche of character redundancy at the 15:00 mark, am still glad I didn't waste my time on act 2, and only at the last minute decided to give the companion play a go (and SO GLAD I DID). Act 2 can be summed up in 2 sentences.... Read more Read less

See it if honestly, there is nothing not to love about this high-energy explosion of goodwill and rhythm

Don't see it if loud noises make you flinch!

See it if you need a family event that will safely embrace offspring of all ages--verbal, pre-verbal, multi-lingual

Don't see it if you're seeking an intellectual experience (but it does have an uplifting immigrant back story).

See it if you like Beckett. You appreciate the absurdity of life. You can appreciate the influence of Beckett on the absurdity of life and vice versa.

Don't see it if you don't like two-person theater in a minimal setting in which words/concepts/the human condition are interchangeable metaphors.

See it if you're willing to park your expectations at the door, and enjoy peeking into the workings of brainiac improv artists (and the rest of us).

Don't see it if you're only fulfilled by guffaws and pratfall comedy, 'cause this strives for so much more that you can carry with you out the door.

Also I don't know him, but I've seen every Baba show and applauded his search for the scientific underpinnings of creativity through a long and miserable bachelorhood, online dating and now blissful fatherhood. The incongruities are legion--and hilarious--and always adroitly juxtaposed. I'll never get to peek into George Carlin's head (or my own), but this show is probably the most accessible yet intellectually formidable venture into how our brains function, with a deep curtsey to male and female neuronal differences. Don't freak over the scientific lingo and trust these two to bring it all back home, charmingly, brainily, and with saucy tit for tat. Great for dates (I went solo), I might add. I did worry this nerdy, happy couple would sink into self-indulgence, but no, they kept things in check with rigor, zeal and charm.
Not sure the guest comic worked, and the audience volunteer is risky, but both were fascinating. Hey, if these two can find each other, maybe I can hope?...... Read more Read less

See it if You think ancient Greek dramas can be brought to life in mixed vernacular, and are unafraid to scrutinize given history from another's view

Don't see it if You have no tolerance for a bit of histrionic over-the-topness in your Greek tragedies.

See it if You want to see first-hand how a "classic" can deliver greatness, depth and insight on a modern platform

Don't see it if you aren't ready to settle in for a 3.5-hour examination of human nature and its consequential tragedy. Or if you're a superficial patriot.

See it if you can deal with true theater that breaks through all kinds of preconceptions as to what theater should be...and comes 'round again.

Don't see it if you have preconceived notions of what theater should be. And you fear techniques like binaural sounds

See it if you're 2, 92, illiterate, non-English-speaking, sober or senile--this is the mother of all Broadway must-sees.

Don't see it if ...I can't think of anyone who wouldn't love it.

See it if You like mind candy and spectacle that's really light in the "meaningful" dept (I walked out at intermission)

Don't see it if you like your theater thoughtful, provocative, resonant or narrative-driven

See it if you're fascinated how history can be just as riveting and relevant to our times as it was then. And if you like theater up close & personal.

Don't see it if you're more comfortable seeing Shakespeare on a distant, elevated stage in tony digs

Also An exhilarating experience--timely, unabashedly passionate and right on the provocative money about how personal/political/war heroism/the moneyed class/the working class can collude in a seething democracy under siege. Brilliant directing and stage, lines to die for. Bravo.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a revolutionary, genre-bending musical history

Don't see it if you don't wanna blow $200 on a theater ticket....but you won't regret, I swear!

See it if you enjoy quirky talk about food and ethnic backgrounds

Don't see it if you like your theater disciplined and tightly plotted

See it if You think a "kids' story" can speak to everyone

Don't see it if you're cynical

See it if you want to hear some righteous roots of rock-n-roll. from behind Elvis' guitar

Don't see it if you don't wanna know the story behind the music

See it if you want relief from that punched-in-the-gut feeling and need to know that entire country hasn't gone crazy (no, it's always been teetering)

Don't see it if Honestly, there's no reason anyone, whatever their interpretation of democracy, shouldn't see this show. Go. Take your worst relatives. Go.

Also I wasn't expecting a lot, and actually I was gingerly hoping it wouldn't be a polemic. It isn't! This starts as a process and a personal account that explodes into a bright glitter of starlight that settles over all our country's unsung history/ies and, incredibly, over all of us in the audience, and brings us smack-dab into the now-facing future personified by a wildly smart, wise and hilarious tween-ager who, please, dear God, will rise to make the future safer for us all.... Read more Read less

See it if you think it might be possible to create a full Broadway extravaganza out of a bathtime squeezetoy and come away with lessons to live by

Don't see it if you think the existing tv shows/toys/fan base define the limits of imagination

See it if you wanna enjoy a Broadway pleaser as it hatches from its shell. Broad comedy, a juicier plot but with nuances that will reward you.

Don't see it if You take your Shakespeare only seriously--cos this one dares to paint the roles red, and lets the actors go to town. Hella fun!

Also Take a chance on this one before you have to pay Broadway prices. Veteran writers/composer/director have birthed it and nurtured it up from the streets, and it's delicious to watch great physical actors chew the scenery, chomp chomp. May feel a little thin because it doesn't have a full sonic landscape yet, nor a full orchestra backing (four musicians), if that's what you're used to, but the theater has excellent sightlines and not a bad seat in the house.... Read more Read less

See it if you can hop on this rare chance to see "A Winter's Play" and delight in seeing young people "own it."

Don't see it if you can't appreciate a bare-bones travelling production of one of Shakespeare's lesser plays

See it if You want to believe the ancient art of mine and origins of laughter are alive and well and delighting audiences on the modern stage.

Don't see it if You made a bet that you wouldn't fall over laughter and delight and awe and tears at two white-haired mimes rejoicing in the human condition

See it if you want to know how Orwell's vision of the future compares to the Now still unfolding--uncannily on the money.

Don't see it if extended torture scenes and really, really loud sound effects/bright lights unnerve you (as they did me)--you have to be mentally ready.

See it if you have relatives in town and need to see something not too intellectually challenging or overly conflicted

Don't see it if you've no patience for modern musicals, musical remakes, or if you're still trying to escape your own small hometown.

See it if you want to see the divine Bette twist an entire show (and audience) effortlessly 'round her wee finger...a true goddess in our lifetime

Don't see it if you don't have the internal wherewithal to enter another age/era; this musical is simply irresistible

See it if you have family in town--a showstopper for all ages that will have you giggling and clapping and cheering

Don't see it if you think the stars should be the ingenues, 'cause the Genie steals the show and so do the supporting cast. Fizzy tale, great adaptation.Yum

See it if you're willing to consider that this second play could well prove a cornerstone in a new genre of play-telling

Don't see it if you think a play of interior moments and dialogue cannot embrace and embody a muscular emotional narrative

Also Yes, I said it. I couldn't wait to abandon SOJOURNERS at intermission and spent three hours fighting my own experience as to whether to return for this second play. It's well worth it, and so immense a statement (and I don't mean as an argument for immigration). This is so much more than that. It is about the very personal price that's paid--in silence and things unsaid and mute memories of the distant past that haunt the present and infuse us without our being conscious that they influence our very identity. Love is silent. Love doesn't want to stain the innocence of those we love; no, we'd rather live with the wronged past, and the disdain of the children we love. This is a language that women, that mothers, know so very well, and that daughters must learn to bridge the distance to their mothers, their actual selves. Action serves emotion in this momentous effort. The terms of playwrighting have been changed, been deepened. Direction needs to get out of the way more, still. Brava.... Read more Read less

See it if you're willing to consider that a massively difficult political theme and a large cast can be formally staged w tremendous humanity

Don't see it if You prefer your politics polemical and your theater easy to digest. And if you're not mentally prepared for a 3-hr perf

Also This is why theater exists--to take us to places we don't consider to be "theatrical," to reveal the scope of human fragility/human despair/human dignity and ambitions--and what those among us have risked for a better future. It is a momentous achievement. Funny, memorable, riveting, a jaw-dropping exercise in economy. This one will stay with you and inform your perspectives. Guaranteed.... Read more Read less

See it if you're interested in what can be done with the raw material of muppets on stage

Don't see it if you're looking for edgy theater that leans into stereotypes and winky jokes and puns while staying well within the mainstream boundaries.

See it if you appreciate the breadth and depth of C.S. Lewis's output against a very human man's life cycle, and think theology isn't verboten

Don't see it if you're impatient with a certain old-world staginess, dislike one-man shows or don't cotton to theology and teleology.

See it if you could see a play about feminism after parking jaded expectations at the door

Don't see it if you thought (like I did) that this would be relentlessly one-note and therefore not worth the time. I was more touched than I thought I'd be

See it if you're determined to be able to say you've seen a Mamet play (like the guy next to me). Sorry; there's naught to recommend here

Don't see it if you're expecting more than a clumsy parody of Mamet-ian dialogue, circumstances and stakes; if you're able to leave at intermission (I did).

Also Honestly, this was a woeful experience of observed indulgence. The first third was eyerollingly precious/vague/banal AND badly delivered. There was no sense of storytelling or story unfolding, and as much as I've loved Rebecca Pidgeon on film, here she swallowed her words, flattened the meaning/emotion out of her lines and sporadically attempted a British accent the last two syllables of some words. At the inexplicably timed "intermission" I cut my losses and left. I've been a Mamet fan for decades and suffered through China Doll which was at least passable, but this was an embarrassingly long fall from even then. ...Felt ripped from unrelated headlines and steampressed/steamrolled into a stiff, harsh worldview with no intellectual wonder, curiosity or sense of redemption/change/possibility. Really regret having to express myself so baldly. Really.... Read more Read less

See it if You think Jane Austen might be outdated, overrated, slow, affected and overdone--this will change your mind, indeed it will!

Don't see it if You can't handle a bunch of zany, fertile, insanely talented actors and directors who are can absorb outre' concept and run full speed w it!

See it if You like po-mo mashups that work...and cheering on fabulously talented unknowns bringing Shakespeare raw and upclose

Don't see it if you're really wanting to see a 3.5 hr dissection of human nature (that's the other Othello that's running--see my review on that one too)

See it if you like literate theater without the "staginess"

Don't see it if you must have spectacle on the stage; this is not an "event"

See it if You believe that South Park (humor) is proof that democracy lives

Don't see it if you're easily offended, specifically by things like afflicted humans giving God the finger and sporting 3-ft schlongs. You'll be laughing!

See it if You get inspired by seeing regular lives on stage living moment-to-moment in quiet desperation

Don't see it if You want to be taken out of your workaday world of real life concerns: life goals gone awry, confronting and resolving love and loss

See it if you love musical theater and can take your Shakespeare with a wink and a nod.

Don't see it if you think musical mashups are inappropriate.

See it if you wanna see a Hamlet for all, with no artifice or self-consciousness whatsoever

Don't see it if you think Hamlet can only be done on a proscenium stage by older adults

See it if You can enter a slower, more visceral world

Don't see it if you need your theater to be all cliff-hanger and fast movement

See it if you thought the book was only so-so

Don't see it if if you hate show-stoppers