UES

See it if Want to learn more about a historical character who did more than just survive the Titanic. Good acting

Don't see it if The book can be tightened a bit. Songs a bit repetitive

Also The show looks like it in the tryout stage for a Broadway run.
First time in the Abrons Art Center.
Good venue. I was expecting the typical dilapidated off Broadway theater or created from a repurposed space.. The theater was a pleasant surprise... Read more Read less

See it if Very campy in Charles Busch style. Not quite family fare but knew that going into the show

Don't see it if Dont bring the kids but more family friendly than his other shows Not as edgy as expected

See it if Well written story. Some songs poignant. A few good voices

Don't see it if Nothing over the top with this show. Some actors were just lacking in substance

See it if Disney at its best. Lights, special effects. Will amaze the inner kid in you Love the reindeer!

Don't see it if You want a deep story

Also I never saw the movie so I cannot comment how true to form it is.
You can get past the underlying theme of sisterly love. Moral of the story, don't fall in love in strangers.
Bring a small kid and sit first row balcony. The child wont care about the story but will be enchanted by the set (and you can save a bunch of money)... Read more Read less

See it if Enjoyable personality as he projects his family history through song

Don't see it if Repeat of his previous show Dont go if expecting new material

See it if Excellent actor playing many characters, each with distinct personality Historical parts of second part very engaging

Don't see it if One man show with limited set Long plot development that could be shortened No intermission and just short of two hours

See it if Want background into the Johnson presidency election until Nixon's election. Hear about dirty trips from all politicians

Don't see it if Want to see an exciting portrayal of the most pivotal player in the Vietnam era and formulation of social welfare programs. Want passion

Also Was just short of 3 hrs.
The second act, slightly longer than the first act did not seem to be as long.
The set was "just there"... Read more Read less

See it if Excellent singing Show long but moves Fun characters Some predictable twists but several unpredictable ones

Don't see it if Do not like spy stories with unlikely romantic side stories

See it if Good acrobatics, dance moves. Well coordinated You can appreciate the human form in G-strings and pasties

Don't see it if Not for those who are uncomfortable with R+ rated performers Horrible incense being pumped in Don't expect a real story A little too loud

Also Good performance but it loses points for the overpowering smoke/incense. If you have any breathing problems, this is not the venue for you.
The miked sound system is poor. The voices had reverberation that made the singing difficult to understand. When recorded music was played, the sound was clear.... Read more Read less

See it if Pleasant music that was well choreographed. Good costumes.

Don't see it if Story not tight. Major dance number has no relevance to the story

Also Ignoring the preposterous story (hey this is Broadway fiction) the story does not flow as well as it should. Repeats of the same number, I Married An Angel, in several different forms.
This show pushes dance as a distraction for a weak story... Read more Read less

See it if Your are interested in seeing how people rationalize their actions in not perfect marriages. Good ensemble cast Story moves along

Don't see it if If you are uncomfortable with spousal abuse and marital infidelity

See it if Like morality plays and want to see how one deals with one's conscience

Don't see it if Slow action. The issue at hand is a dated concept. Pretty tame in today's society

Also Interesting that I saw this choice of conscience on the day of Michael Cohen's testimony.
It isn't so much that the 'sin' in question is dated, it's more so that the action was just too slow.
Decent acting... Read more Read less

See it if Classic musical. Great sets. Great acting

Don't see it if Difficulty understanding English accents Dated musical Bland choreography Always a good seat in that theater

Also In the middle of the first act, there was an announcement, "due to technical difficulties there will be a little break in the show"
After a few minutes, Laura Benanti came on stage to say that the actor who plays Colonel Pickering while in the middle of that scene developed severe back problems and they have to replace him. She told a few personal stories, sang a song, and then she was called back. The replacement actor took the stage, after a few seconds of figuring out where they left off, the show went on! Very professional as if nothing happened. That is live theater
That's why they are pro's... Read more Read less

See it if Talented leads - both actresses and dresses You like extravaganzas You like the Cher playbook

Don't see it if The show does not drag but at times, who cares what the Chers have to say to one another Lots of movement but many without meaning

See it if Well timed show with good chemistry amongst the trio. Great singing. Some interesting lyrics.

Don't see it if Don't expect a fancy set.

Also Not necessary to have seen Book of Mormon (I havent) to enjoy the show.
Just the right running time for this show. Kept the audience interersted through the curtain call.... Read more Read less

See it if Concise story based loosely on Shakespeare. Not confusing! Good songs. Good acting See it if you want to be entertained

Don't see it if If you expecting Shakespearean dialogue, this is not your show

See it if Explores the interplay between the loved ones have with those who are dying. This play is not about the terminally ill patient

Don't see it if Do not see it if you cannot deal with the realities of terminal illness, especially as it effects those around the dying person

Also A different perspective from the vantage point of those dealing with the terminally ill.
The play is a little disjointed about how it goes back and forth in time.
Joy goes seemlessly between her different ages. Anna gives a heartfelt performance. I thought that younger George was the weakest character coming across as too plastic in her performance.... Read more Read less

See it if Typical big Broadway production with all the dazzle, sets and customs. Great live theater with great direction

Don't see it if First act better than second, even with the big Dolly number in the second act. All the action in the first act

Also Victor Garber was fantastic

See it if Excellent acting

Don't see it if Want a clear idea of what's going on

Also You know that you are not alone when the woman in front of you turns around and asks the man behind her, who happens to be the director, "tell me what that was about. I'm confused"
Some parts of the play are very clear. The actors were excellent. But somehow missed the inner meaning... Read more Read less

See it if Creative lyrics, good voices, fun campy entertainment Songs are an excuse to make a story

Don't see it if No real story, don't like drag

See it if You want to see an abridged history lesson of Junk Bonds

Don't see it if You want to see a tight script. Even the few sympathetic characters do not garner much sympathy

See it if Appreciate parody over the men in power. Jus the right length for the show

Don't see it if Do not appreciate raunchy humor to discuss the sexual peccadilloes of the most powerful men in the world

See it if You like true to life stories Believe or want to believe that happen in the worse of circumstances

Don't see it if Don't like the predictability of some of the characters' actions

See it if Excellent ensemble cast. Enjoyable music Well directed

Don't see it if Limited story line. Each song is a vignette of an aspect of the immigrant experience but they totality does not make a cohesive story

Also If you do not understand Yiddish then do not sit close or it will be more difficult to see the English supertitles . The theater is small so even the last seat still has good views and easy to read the translation.... Read more Read less

See it if Wonderful translation into modern era. Well written, well acted. A pleasure overall Not a bad seat in the theater

Don't see it if If you cannot appreciate satire with some slapstick

Also Pay attention or you might miss some subtleties. Makes you wonder what would be the true translation but probably not as much fun... Read more Read less

See it if Good acting Plays out the horrors of growing old and having to relinquish independence

Don't see it if We know how this will/should end. A bit slow

See it if If you like gender/race fluidity, the main character will change through life

Don't see it if Show drags.

See it if Amazing mechanics of the set that dazzle. Great costumes complemented by the choreography Enough little nuances to get the adults to chuckle

Don't see it if Not a deep story but better than most of the Disney fluff Songs were OK. You wont go out singing any of them

Also The show has the WOW factor, even by Disney standards of over the top.
Genie was great.
You are not going for the individual performances but for the overall experience.
At times, difficult to understand the words during ensemble singing... Read more Read less

See it if Want to hear gratuitous cursing that do not add substance to the story

Don't see it if Easily offended by sacrilegious dialogue

Also I was not offended by any references or 'interpretations' to the story of Joseph Smith and Mormon missionaries. It just wasn't funny

A few good numbers but not enough to make it a must see. Very overrated... Read more Read less

See it if Very good acting Like historical context

Don't see it if Simple set The high drama is in the context, not in the acting

See it if Very good acting Poignant interactions You like heavy, non traditional role play

Don't see it if Dialogue is sometimes confusing, as the actors themselves state Not for the puritanical, sexual violence

See it if Lots of action. Good staging. Good choreography.

Don't see it if Too loud to understand during many songs. Over amplification with sound effects made it sound like lip syncing Weak dialogue

Also Uneven production numbers. Some were too loud to understand and enjoy. Some of the potentially melodic ballad type songs sounded lip synced that took away from the life theater experience.
The voices would have been excellent if left in their natural state.
The cast was very energetic
The first act was unclear, the second act was more cohesive.
The book and dialogues were weak.
During one scene, one of the actors said to Strat, "there's a lot that you don't know about me." We never did find out more about that character... Read more Read less

See it if Talented large scale puppetry and overall great staging. Good choreography, some decent songs

Don't see it if You are expecting more than grade school dialogue

Also I got out of the show what I expected. The staging was amazing and not just the big gorilla. Great effects as he was scaling the Empire State Building. I was glad that I went.
The only thing that I remembered from partial viewing of the movie was a screaming lady. The dialogue in the play was not much better.
After 'visiting' on Skull Island and seeing the bad things that happened there, it would not get a good Tripadvisor review as a place to visit on holiday. I was much happier seeing it from my seat. The jungle effects and the fight between the Serpent and Kong were also well done. As long as no one spoke, the play was worthwhile to see.
When you take the story out of this show, it could be decent if the dialogue was improved.... Read more Read less

See it if Lots of movement at a fast pace Some funny lines Some of the musicians plays multiple instruments well

Don't see it if too loud Unable to hear many of the lines because of the music Poor venue

Also Feels like a sitcom with limited material
The last 5-10 mins were the most interesting... Read more Read less

See it if A time line of turmoil, occupation and an in your face story about the decimation of a vibrant community

Don't see it if Cannot deal with the reality of antisemitism nor deal with the constant stench of death in the dialogue that is a fact of their existence

Also Keeps reinforcing that we have to guard our freedoms. For some, man's inhumanity to man is just another day on the job... Read more Read less

See it if Imaginative set design Good ensemble Good singing, for a non-musical

Don't see it if Not compelling A bit slow Cannot empathize with the oppressed character.

See it if Good acting See how to deal with fear when the world is your enemy

Don't see it if too much unnecessary profanity that does not add to the script some 20th Century cliches seem out of context

See it if Romantic view of creature who longs for love. Lyrics tell a good story, although some songs a little long

Don't see it if Don't expect a Broadway set at St Lukes but they make the best of the space. Some voices are good. Some, so-so

See it if Talented child actress although hard to understand her enunciation Some comic moments, but not enough

Don't see it if You do not want to see an annoying kid get under your skin.

Also Eve Johnson is very talented. She had the lines, mannerisms and movements. However, at times was very difficult to understand as she was swallowing words... Read more Read less

See it if Good acting. Bits of comic relief. The Greek chorus is a nice touch, until it gets tiring

Don't see it if Not to be seen if you want a care-free evening with light humor. Some of the characterizations are a bit over the top

See it if Nothing up his sleeve as there were none but somehow things moved across the room. Items disappeared. Levitation. Standard stuff :-)

Don't see it if You don't like magic.

Also The show is not fast paced and there are not hundreds of tricks but what is done is done very well. It's a very enjoyable 80 minutes

There is some audience participation but mostly just to be on stage to hold something. Nothing of which to be afraid... Read more Read less

See it if Gets you thinking about what money buys Sets at MTC seem simple but very effective

Don't see it if A bit too long Acting not crisp

See it if Clean plot that moves along. Good storyline. Excellent voices

Don't see it if Long, tedious, boring dance numbers. Did not captivate

Also Lindsey Mendez provided the most interested character of the play. The others were just plain boring... Read more Read less

See it if You want to find out what happens when little girls grow up. Tragedy befalls them if their parents reject their lover

Don't see it if Dont want to hear about innocence lost by way of a the Grinch

Also Should become a holiday staple for adults.

See it if Want to learn how man was made in God's image and the results are not pretty. All bad human acts start with Genesis

Don't see it if Do Not want to be bombarded by incessant profanity that takes away instead of adding to the story You think the Bible contains only good

Also It is an interesting view of the stories in the Bible but not presented here in the best way. Music too loud for the theater. The loudness drowns out the singing.
I ignored the first 4 100 reviews. Seemed very suspicious that 3 of them were from 1st time reviewers who wrote only a review for this show. FAKE NEWS! They have since been removed... Read more Read less

See it if Excellent direction Want to see when people change for the good that their life will change Fun evening

Don't see it if Expect this little animal to provide family friendly entertainment

See it if good enough acting want to see how empathy overcomes mental instability nice movable set

Don't see it if know anything about medicine and care about realism want loose ends tied up

See it if You like historical representations that are not juke box musicals Strong singing by A-list actresses Surprisingly interesting story

Don't see it if You are expecting a totally true to fact account of the interactions of these two powerful women

See it if How in daily life people deal with physical disabilities and how those around them will respond. Understand that people are people

Don't see it if uncomfortable seeing actors who either have cerebral palsy or amputee want to sugar coat physical problems