Southern Biscuit

See it if You want to keep up with one of the most exciting new dramatists around. Bess Wohl is a clever, theatrical playwright.

Don't see it if You don't like seeing children on stage.

Also From the writer of "Small Mouth Sounds," a glorious piece of theater.

See it if You like satires of Chekhov, and know your Chekhov well enough to enjoy the satire.

Don't see it if You want that satire to actually mean something, or get at a bigger point. This show does neither.

Also Comedy is very hard to do well, and satire possibly even harder, and this show is a prime example of less would be more. This should be 90 minutes, tops, and yet it goes on and on, and eventually relies on Chekhov entirely to carry the show through to its inevitable conclusion.

I actually enjoyed much of the first act, more than the legions of the audience that departed at intermission, and the acting is fantastic (save for one performer, who I will not mention cause I'm not a total bitch), but at some point in the second act I started asking myself: Besides the famous parentage of this playwright, why is this play being done? Feiffer is talented, but like her recent play at Playwrights Horizons, this one feels under-baked and in need of many a rewrite. Like so many plays recently being thrown up on OB stages, this one is not yet ready for prime time.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to meet, in greatly entertaining fashion, an important historical figure who, until now, has been largely forgotten.

Don't see it if You require classical theater structure.

Also Don't like baseball, but I loved this play. Superb performances by the entire talented cast, and impeccable direction by Pam McKinnon. Didn't expect to much like this play, and wow, was I surprised. And a special round of applause for April Mathis as Toni Stone. She's giving a star-making performance. Can't wait to see what she does next.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see major artists doing their work in an intimate setting. I'm sure there are hopes and dreams that this will make it to B'way.

Don't see it if Your idea of a musical entails lots of sequins and jazz-hand dancing.

Also Many of the reviews on Show-Score are already very, very high for this show. Too high. Not that the show is bad. Far from it. It's good, often very good. But it's missing something, and I am hoping that the creators, director and designers have the time and ability to figure out what is missing to help make this material really fly. I'm from South Carolina, so I know these people and love stories like this, and good heavens, this cast is amazing. Just brilliant. To be in a great intimate setting like the Atlantic with such powerhouse actors is a gift unto itself. And Lynn Nottage is one of the best playwrights working, and Duncan Sheik's "Spring Awakening" is a favorite, and I saw that at the Atlantic back in the day. But unlike "SA", the show never jolted or lifted me up like I wanted it to, or not for long. It gets real close at times, but something is not clicking or connecting to make this the brilliant show I think this can be. My fingers are crossed for all involved. Go get it!... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see two actresses at the top of their games in an intimate setting. Susan Sarandon and Marin Ireland are ALL THAT.

Don't see it if You don't like major tonal shifts between drama and comedy and outright tragedy.

Also This play would never be produced on an Off-Broadway stage as it is unless it had been written by a celebrity, which is the case here. Not that Mr. Eisenberg is not talented, because he is. This is the third play of his I've seen, and I'm glad to have seen all three. But this one is not ready for prime time yet and is about three or four drafts away from that great hour. Has a great opening, then starts to really lag despite getting the audience so fully invested in the characters. The show is still in previews, so hopefully the director (who's so far done a capable but underwhelming job of it) and playwright can tighten and focus. I actually don't mind tonal shifts and LOVE my comedy and drama mixed together, but what happens here is too abrupt for even me to handle. But do go and see Sarandon and Ireland. It's easy to see why Sarandon was attracted to this part, as her character is a modern-day mix of Blanche DuBois and Amanda Wingfield, and to her credit, Sarandon is fearless here.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see how Sam Shepard influenced so many playwrights, including (and especially) Martin McDonagh.

Don't see it if You want and expect realism at all turns.

Also Big mistake to not have an intermission between the first and second acts of what is clearly a three-act play. The first half of the evening is WAY too long. (Three people on my row all exited before the intermission, and they were not there as a group.) The second half of the evening is far more successful than the first, and I'm still trying to figure out why. Overall really glad I saw this show, but something is not in sync yet with this production, including some of the acting, which seemed, well, just off at times. But the play starts and ends on strong notes, Shepard's monologue about the eagle and the cat will not soon leave me. Final compliment: The set design is AWESOME!... Read more Read less

See it if You love seeing organized religion take its (deserved) knocks, especially those megachurches.

Don't see it if The show is overlong at 75 minutes. What's going to happen is obvious very, very quickly. Really, this is an expanded skit.

Also There are some real ideas here, but this is not the right vessel for them. This work feels like an old-fashioned play that's too obvious to be taken seriously.... Read more Read less

See it if You'd like to see an earnest, moving play in which organized religion is actually taken seriously, and not mocked for effect.

Don't see it if You dislike short scenes.

Also Kindness is in short supply on stages and in real life, so to see it depicted here was a lovely, refreshing experience. I did find a lot of the direction and the set design to be clunky, and too many of the characters were a bit one-dimensional and were begging to be fleshed out. Special kudos to Jay Mazyck, who's making an assured, wonderful professional acting debut in this show as Tino. Can't wait to see what he does next.... Read more Read less

See it if You've never seen the play before, and want to know what all the fuss is about, or why it's required reading for so many college students.

Don't see it if You go to the theater more for plot, grand theatrics and/or fun than for profundity.

Also Along with about three dozen people, I fled at intermission. I am seeing from some of the other comments here that Act II was far livelier than the first act. That's not good enough. I was on the front row and the people on either side of me were both nodding off in the first 30 minutes. I didn't hate it, but I've enjoyed other productions of this play much more, and I am starting to believe that this play is much better to read than to see. In fact, I will finish the night reading the second act.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see the next generation of great talent start to blossom in this city. Impressive acting, direction and writing all around.

Don't see it if You don't like to stand and move around when you see a show.

See it if You want to see what jukebox musicals are capable of and can dare to be. Great ones, like this show, can make you re-think well-known songs.

Don't see it if Your definition of a musical includes chorus kick lines, hilarious hijinks and lots of playing out front. This show is subtle and spare.

Also I'm not a Dylan fan. Not a hater either, but I'm a bit too young to have been heavily influenced by him in my youth, and I don't much care for the sound of his voice. But those lyrics! Twyla Tharp made a travesty of his songs on Broadway years ago, and Conor McPherson has righted that horrible wrong. I love many of McPherson's plays, with their depictions of how spirits of the dead and soon-to-be gone infiltrate our daily existences. That notion carries through this show in every way, and beautifully so. Saw this show at the Old Vic last summer and was blown away. The only reason I decided to see it at the Public was to see the show in a more intimate space, and to see how McPherson would tackle this material again, having gotten to learn much from the first experience. The result is wonderful. The two acts now feel far more like one of a whole, and the transitions feel more organic. This cast is as wonderful as the UK cast, with special props to the ever-brilliant Mare Winningham.... Read more Read less

See it if You liked "Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder" and enjoy period, old-style musicals with quirky sensibilities.

Don't see it if You only like modern work that's been heavily polished. This is a festival show.

See it if You're interested in seeing a theatrical exploration of women's rage. That's what this is. And it's fun, and funny, and occasionally moving.

Don't see it if You'll be bothered by the ridiculous play-within-a-play that has no connection to reality whatsoever and undermines the depicted, real rage.

Also The staging is terrific, and I loved the set design and four of the five cast members. (The fifth cast member is simply miscast and too old to be playing the character she's meant to be in relation to another. Fine actress, just not right for this part.) I wish the playwright had been pushed harder by her collaborators to really explore the rage she feels, because the in-theater jokes are fine and fun, but they don't suit what these characters are really facing. It's too facile.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to be perplexed as to why Oskar Eustis chose to have this play done at The Public.

Don't see it if Money and time have value to you. (That's too harsh, actually. But this show irritated me, despite its very fine actors.)

Also The two leads are splendid. Wish they were working with better material.... Read more Read less

See it if Great work interests you.

Don't see it if You don't know how to get to the Lower East Side.

Also Marvelous, hilarious new play with a pitch-perfect cast, and brilliantly directed. A delight from start to finish.... Read more Read less

See it if You think you're about to have an aneurysm.

Don't see it if Vanity projects make you sad.

Also Half the cast is actually very good, and all are game, but this show is woefully directed at times, and a strong authorial or directorial voice could have made chunks of this work. In short, the idea has potential, but the execution is lacking.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see one of the greatest plays written in the modern era.

Don't see it if You've got a short attention span. Or just see the first part.

See it if Spectacle and special effects suffice for a day's entertainment.

Don't see it if You're bothered by a first act that's entirely expository.

See it if You want to see The Shed, as it's a major new space in Manhattan.

Don't see it if You will be angered by the resources devoted to this travesty.

Also This show's an insult to all the theater makers in this city who spend years developing their craft, only to watch a so-called visionary assemble a creative team that's not developed those skills and pour millions of dollars into their endeavor. My mouth was agape at the inanity of the proceedings. The show borders on camp it's so dismally written, but it's not enough fun for that. Major fail.... Read more Read less

See it if You are blind and can enjoy the music without having to witness the indulgent, pretentious banality on stage.

Don't see it if You get irritated by indulgent, pretentious banality. The first hour of this show is excruciating.

Also Wow. What a shit show. And it's not just boring or banal, it's awful because there's potential in this mess and no one bothered to call out the writer on her insanely awful book. In the last scene, creator Grace McLean suddenly gets very specific, and voila!: There's suddenly meaning and connection and a story worth listening to. And lest I just sound like a total bitch, let me be clear: I'm irritated because McLean's music is wildly exciting. It's obvious she is a major talent as a composer, and I can't wait to hear her next score... as long as she is not the book writer. Composing and script writing are different skills, and where the hell were the powers-that-be that know better that allowed this to be staged as is? (LCT3, you've had a sucky season. Dispiritingly bad. Do better.) The cast is incredibly talented, with gorgeous voices coming straight down from Mount Olympus, and McLean has a distinct, special musical voice that needs and deserves mentoring and opportunity.... Read more Read less

See it if You'd like to see an intimate show with some glimpses of fine acting and worthwhile storytelling.

Don't see it if You want well-written dialogue. It's not here.

Also Atlantic Theatre Company has had a rough season. This play is better than "The Mother", but not by much. A third of the audience departed at intermission. I appreciated seeing a story about all these people living without the security of a safety net, but the show is simultaneously too small and too sprawling. The acting is fine, with the exception of the actor playing Oscar, who is terrific despite an underwritten role. Things fall apart at play's end with a ridiculous stage fight that tonally doesn't fit one second of the almost-two hours that preceded the play. My eyes started rolling at that dishonest attempt to liven things up. This script was not ready for production, period.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see the big public birth of a major new talent.

Don't see it if Queer themes bother you.

See it if You want to see what the great Suzan-Lori Parks is up to. Also a +: a stunningly good cast, led by the criminally charismatic Daveed Diggs.

Don't see it if Realism is crucial to your enjoyment of theatrical experiences.

Also My eyes are still rolling at the very idea that an unknown, heretofore unpublished writer could write a magazine story and have it published at The New Yorker (THE NEW YORKER!) within a 40-day time period. This is Ionesco absurdism, folks, in a play that doesn't purport to be ridiculous on purpose. But I let that go cause I didn't want that silliness get in the way of the rest of the play, which has a very strong first act and then loses its way at the very end of the second. Also, the monologues, though well-written, are a tad too didactic and also break the "show, don't tell" rule to the nth degree. Nonetheless, I was not bored during this not-short play, and Parks has something to say that should be heard, as imperfect and messy as this play can be at times. She's earned that right.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see Isabelle Huppert, one of the world's finest actresses, strut her stuff. She is fearless, unrelenting and truthful.

Don't see it if Coherence matters to you. Or reasonable storytelling.

Also Want to see what happens when a great actress is stranded in a mediocre vehicle? This is the show for you. Huppert isn't the only one left to her own devices; Justice Smith is terrific as the son and also deserves better material. This is an acting showcase, and that was enough for me, but many in the audience tonight didn't find Huppert to be sufficient reason to stay and departed during the show, as there is no intermission and the play only runs 85 minutes. The excitement at the start of the show was palpable, but then, slowly and surely, you can feel the audience getting frustrated and giving up.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see superb acting in an ambitious work.

Don't see it if You want consistency over the course of the evening. The second and third acts are not nearly as strong as the first.

See it if You love John Guare and are hungry for an absurdist farce.

Don't see it if Coherence is absolutely important to your notion of a successful evening of theater.

See it if You want to see what most shows at the Edinburgh Fringe are like. Or are interested in gender dynamics in action.

Don't see it if Real plot and real stakes matter to you. Or if you're 30 or older.

Also I actually loved the first half of this play. The brief monologues the actors give are hilarious and touching, and the pacing is marvelous. Beautiful, specific writing. I was entranced.

And then the two performers started talking to each other. Time for real drama! But lo, not to be. I started getting the sinking feeling, soon fully realized, that this show was clearly going to just be about... feelings. And not to put to fine a point on it, endless, oversensitive feelings between two lesbians, a cliche long before transgendered folks started demanding their due. The two performers are outstanding, and I can't wait to see what this playwright comes up with in the future, but when all is said and done, this play ends up being about so incredibly little. It screams millennial and is another example of one of our great non-profits succumbing to the need to pander to trendy identity politics even when the work is not yet up to snuff. I love hearing the voices, but not this way.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to support new work and a new voice. The ideas of this show are worthwhile, as is this author's voice.

Don't see it if You don't want to be disappointed. This play won the 2018 Horton Foote Prize for Most Promising New Play, but it's not ready for prime time.

Also Such a major disappointment I left at intermission. Much of the acting felt amateurish (including many a line being dropped or mangled, and the show's been in previews for more than a week), as did a great deal of the writing and the direction. MTC is doing this play and playwright a disservice, because this play needs a LOT more work. And not a glossy new draft or two. More like a year or two more of development and trial and error. Didn't quite believe anyone on stage, and lest there be confusion on the matter, I wanted to. Was very excited to see this play, which likely made the performance I saw that much more thudding.... Read more Read less

See it if You need a laugh, cause the colorful characters, especially darling Waxy Bush, will give you plenty in this beautifully constructed play.

Don't see it if British comedy is not your thing, or if you're not into laughing, or if you don't like theatre whatsoever.

Also Saw this in previews, and that opening scene is... OOF... dire. Glacial and lethal. Not sure what's going on there, but I'm hoping that gets fixed, cause the rest of the play is bonkers and grand. The second act is delicious, and I'm still giving this show such a high score despite that first scene because Richard Bean is a master writer of comedy, and MTC should be applauded for producing this work. (I wish Americans could have seen Bean's "Great Britain", one of my favorite comedies of recent years.) Not only was I thoroughly entertained, I learned a lot about snooker, so the show is educational AND hilarious.... Read more Read less

See it if You don't want to miss another legendary performance by Janet McTeer. Her work here rivals what she did in "A Doll's House". Yes, that good.

Don't see it if You have no interest in theatrical history, Shakespeare, gender dynamics, beautiful sets or a powerful new play.

Also What a major surprise this play turned out to be. I've typically enjoyed Theresa Rebeck's work (especially "Mauritius" and "Seminar"), but she's more ambitious here, and with great results. It was thrilling to be seeing a spanking brand new play on the Roundabout Broadway stage, especially one of this quality, all brilliantly directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. Such wit, such intelligence, such glorious acting. I wanted more from the mother-son relationship between Bernhardt and Maurice, and their scenes, but that's a minor fault in a major new work. A special shout out to Ito Aghayere, who as Rosamond has a single scene to make her mark, and does so with mighty aplomb.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a show that knows what it is, doesn't take itself too seriously, and knows how to land joke after joke.

Don't see it if Underwritten female roles bother you. (Cause these are massively underwhelming.)

Also The best singer in the cast, Manu Narayan, is the only one in the band who doesn't get his own big solo number. BIG MISTAKE. That said, the show is brilliantly cast and directed within an inch of its life.... Read more Read less

See it if You've always wondered what this Hammerstein-Bizet mash-up would look, sound and feel like.

Don't see it if You hate wonderful singing. Or hate shows that last less than five hours.

Also I hate opera. HATE IT. But this show, which was a Broadway musical in '43 and is really now more an operetta, entranced me from start to finish. That cast! Voices from the heavens, I tell you. And if you've been wanting Anika Noni Rose back on the New York stage -- and you're crazy if you haven't -- then your patience will be well-rewarded. She is sensational. As is the entire cast. I'm only deducting points off this terrific production because John Doyle's minimalist staging and aesthetic has a few major drawbacks here: mainly, cast size. The doubling here is distracting, and unhelpful. Imagine Husky Miller's entrance if we hadn't already seen that actor on stage. That missed opportunity, and others like it, keep me from giving this show a perfect score. But let's be clear: this show is far better than almost every musical churned out on Broadway this past season.... Read more Read less

See it if Yes yes yes yes yes! Or should I say, YAS, QUEEN! This play tackles the issues and debates that homos are having privately and publicly.

Don't see it if You think that baker in Colorado was in the right when he refused to decorate that cake.

Also As I was saying... These debates, these questions, these issues: they're all happening right now. I felt myself get angry because some of the situations feel so similar to what my husband and I are experiencing now. (We're a mixed-race couple, very similar to the gay couple portrayed in this play.) All that said, I don't want to marginalize Mr. Harrison's excellent work as a "gay play", because our hetero friends and families are having to tackle these questions too.... Read more Read less

See it if You're ready for a thought-provoking ride and great performances.

Don't see it if You don't want to be challenged.

Also Some of the lighting and scene transitions were incredibly awkward, especially odd so late in the run.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a legend giving a legendary performance. Yes, Glenda Jackson is THAT good.

Don't see it if You're only into linear narrative plots.