Weegie

See it if you want to watch two siblings banter about the fate of their father, their own lives and sad life choices.

Don't see it if two talented actors anchor a show with achingly long monologues and interesting visual graphics, some found it funny, for me, simply long.

See it if I give this an A plus for subject matter but otherwise it is an hour too long and you can see everything coming a mile off. A real pity.

Don't see it if You would be annoyed by a 1000 unnecessary costume changes, and a wasted platform set that is "poetic" yet meaningless.

See it if It is powerful storytelling to see and hear multiple viewpoints of the same story told in a kaleidoscopic way. Acting is sensational.

Don't see it if You don't want to spend time thinking about systemic racism in America, and police brutality.

See it if Two stories told from multiple points of view--sadly ponderous and excruciating. The points of view never intersect. Excellent acting.

Don't see it if Are triggered by mental heath issues, want resolution and find broken love stories without resolution inane.

See it if Modernized hipsterish version of Godot wants to be edgier than it is--- all of it trying way too hard for me. I wanted to love it.

Don't see it if Shouting, badgering, misanthropic, and confusing but also as it should be ponderous and circuitous. Was not subtle.

See it if Unnecessarily complex family drama taking place off and on stage with a cast of ten characters with a lot of back-story.

Don't see it if Intellectuals philosophizing at a family wedding, with a lot of speech writing --and underlying drama.

Also This potentially fun complex family drama about two upper-class Jewish families in Manhattan with a lot of shared history and family feuds could have been great, but too many characters, too many threads, too much back history made this confusing enough to lose impact. The yiddishisms were embarrassing--they stuck out, why? They just sounded awkward and mispronounced. ,... Read more Read less

See it if Beautifully performed intermissionless play in three parts, the first is staccato: two interwoven stories abbreviated by flashes of light

Don't see it if very long, with a repetitive almost poetic monologue between two characters standing on a pallet, in the last part a third actor joins

Also the first part takes place over a short period of time, the latter part jumps through years--where there is really dynamic action between characters.
A very heartfelt, poignant story about undocumented teenagers growing up through great difficulty and hardship, facing moral dilemmas about friendship and what it's worth. Good questions, but at times painfully tedious.
The lighting is a major character.... Read more Read less

See it if Bare set with Steve Earle playing music he composed--Alongside actors w transcripted narratives re: coal mine explosion in West Virginia.

Don't see it if Poignant and heartbreaking true accounts of an actual explosion in a coal mine-- beautifully woven story integrating many of the individuals

Also Painful, and heartfelt, these narratives are flawlessly performed and the music is well integrated so there is never too much talk, there is a chance to breathe, listen and process. The bare set works well except for a strange choreography of benches. Good balance of characters, the story is not surprising and the stereotype of big business taking advantage of individuals is not new, but the loss, bravery,​ and indignation is well told and should be heard.... Read more Read less

See it if Positive children’s musical focusing on diverse women who have “persisted” and done much to change our world.

Don't see it if Inconsistent performances flaw some great upbeat songs —and a great message.

Also Great selection of women featured and a wonderful message. Fun and optimistic as well as entertaining. I think w a stronger cast this would really shine.... Read more Read less

See it if A bonanza: a lesson in Irish theatre history, with two excellent little known plays within a play and a piece of lovely warm fruitcake too.

Don't see it if Excellent acting by all, with the fourth wall broken and appearances by literary characters including T.S. Eliot, Singh, and Lady Gregory.

Also For lovers of literature, history, and especially those interested in Irish History, and theater. Very intimate space, with a presentation where every aspect seemingly was made with love. Thoughtful and evocative. One of those moments where you think what a lovely time well spent in the theater.... Read more Read less

See it if Fun romp in old fashioned traditional musical territory-- great singing & dancing, performances, and costumes--all that you would hope

Don't see it if This IS Encores--a great band, classic show, so-so sets, and some stellar performances with a chance to revisit something people yearn for

Also This show, in particular, has been anticipated for a long time--and also was redesigned as a tribute to Jerry Herman, who died in December. It was a lot of fun--everything you might hope for.... Read more Read less

See it if Delightful and surprising this dual tale has you switching back and forth between older Korean fisherwomen and a contemporary NY playwright.

Don't see it if angsty examination of white-centric male playwrights and cultural disassociation and ancestral heritage

Also So many surprising, fun and bright moments in this clunky and too long play with a lot of messages--still makes it worth seeing: a hidden pool! Subterranean swimmers! Fairy tales/mythology examined! Lots of wonderful Asian actors on stage! Older women with amazing physicality!, Reflections on culture and value! Great Riffs on white men/playwrights! What these performers achieve on stage is kind of astonishing and overwhelming.... Read more Read less

See it if Clever Hybrid, seventies Cambodian rock band interspersed between two political stories (modern and historical) and father/daughter story.

Don't see it if Don't like layered shows-don't like to see extreme violence depicted, don't like musical interruptions not woven seamlessly into narrative

Also Complex and ambitious with fabulous acting as well as great musical performances and lots of high energy but somehow through the telling of this painful story about Khmer Rouge massacre there is no emotion--it's all too distanced, even though seen through the lens of a personal story as told against the backdrop of the larger story. I was too busy noticing the complexities of plot/stage/multiple shifting characters and never felt the emotion although I did feel the gravitas. I wish I liked it more as it is very ambitious. It was also very slow moving, and the "surprises" were pretty obvious and predictable. Really great set.... Read more Read less

See it if Beautiful and moving story of thwarted young love told through "west coast urban dance". Truly phenomenal performances.

Don't see it if A dancing modern Romeo and Juliet set amidst urban decay and separated by a wall, against a ​backdrop of contemporary music.

Also The ensemble is staggeringly great--as well as being very diverse, with each character fully developed. Very moving, with incredibly emotional performances. The leads, husband and wife team Keone & Mari Madrid, who choreographed the show are stars. You should see it just to see the beautifully articulated hands--stunning. Also, a very interesting set made by crochet artist, very unique.... Read more Read less

See it if It's a romp! A delightful retake of a classic musical revamped to be more feminist. Great dancing, singing, and acting. Overall a lot of fun

Don't see it if I expected more risks and changes to the book, since it was recast to be more contemporary, but this only made the story seem more dated.

Also I loved the men's costumes they were startling and fun, acid colors right out of a Willy Wonka pharma dream--.but the women's costumes were drab and unflattering--with the exception of those gorgeous striped stockings.
The audience was handed cards about various people on the Titanic and told they would have to announce who they were--this never transpired--and I was disappointed because I expected some broken fourth wall experience.
I found it strange that this feminist story centered around marriage and although they were both fabulous performers--I was missing chemistry between them. Somehow--the list of accomplishments felt like a list--and maybe there could have been more focus on a few things and less on the marriage, since there was virtually no focus on parenting.... Read more Read less

See it if The attention to detail and what is between the sentences is what makes this so excellent and moving--the subtext abounds and is just clever

Don't see it if Slow-paced microscopic examination of the minutiae of everyday life will not appeal to everyone especially as it examines race and class.

Also I found this provocative, clever, intelligent, and moving. The hiring of a young black woman in a big box store in Vermont does a lot more showing than telling and what is not said is LOUD. A clever novel that has a similar exposition is Last Night at the Lobster. The acting is exceptional as is the set design. Very clever.... Read more Read less

See it if A paper dolls house of intertwined stories of mothers and daughters, unfulfillment, responsibility​, mental issues, and death

Don't see it if Characters are paper-thin​ and staged in performances simultaneously, sometimes its torpor is amazing, other times you watch the wrong thing

Also A difficult subject, and an ambitious play. People left the theater looking slightly stunned and mostly miserable. Lots of unresolved issues, including medical complacency. It's woven stories meant to be surprising, but that was easily guessed. I found myself getting chills multiple times throughout the production. There is a lot of repetition in the show and now attempt at intimacy with the performers. Everything is very staged and self-aware. For such a. hard subject, it leaves the audience confused as to how to feel, I think.... Read more Read less

See it if Homage through text, media, screen, & duplicated performances to Polish avantgarde director Tadeusz Kantor, unusual​ candor & texture

Don't see it if avantgarde theater, nonlinear, multiple simultaneous experiences, exquisite performances, stunning singing, staged but non-narrative​.

See it if Truly unique, extremely reflexive, personal memoir about a complex Jewish family, and a mother with dementia

Don't see it if non-narrative, complex temporal setting, staged performances, broken fourth wall and scientific data is all used to tell a compelling story

Also with phenomenal acting--unlike anything​ I have ever seen, deeply intellectual yet still very close to all emotions. Truly worth seeing, but also not for everyone.... Read more Read less

See it if Quirky love story between two socially unaligned lost souls with a lot of baggage find each other.

Don't see it if Very talky, and although the backdrop features some political/social ​commentary there is nothing new or special here.

See it if Fabulous ensemble cast, with some truly laugh out loud moments, set in a banal middle-class cliched world, which is a commentary on itself.

Don't see it if Not all the characters are well developed and although quite pithy, some parts are way too slow and things need to be cut.

Also Michael Urie just shines, so does Jane Alexander but everyone is simply terrific. Just describing the plot outside of the theater makes you laugh, and although there are many​ cliches, there are a lot of surprises and some really funny lines.... Read more Read less

See it if This poignant complex story with multiple actors -- needs to be more consistent, it's too easy to lose the thread,

Don't see it if The subject matter and the historical plot make this worthy of being seen but need​s work.

Also Some of the performances were stellar and some were so weak, the actors were playing against a wall. I saw this in previews and I think when this ensemble gets on its feet it will be a very different experience. The night I saw it, it was hard to follow the thread--and distinguish between characters let alone let the meaning and significance of the plot resonant. I think there are a lot of subtleties that will come forward that are just not apparent now. A work in progress for sure.... Read more Read less

See it if This beautiful story is a perfect antidote to the malaise and political scene of our current everyday life. People care! People are kind!

Don't see it if Simplistic set that evolves over and over with characters playing multiple parts and clever charismatic​ music, an overall win.

See it if Clumsily acted and badly written depressing story about a middle-aged son addressing the needs of his elderly father

Don't see it if nothing new introduced​ in this depressing topic with awkward silences, and actors forgetting and tripping over their lines.

See it if Phenomenal reinvention and deconstruction of the Wizard of Oz as "lived" by so many. Clever use of multi actors and retellings and voices.

Don't see it if WO=onderful use of mixed media and digital devices and projections and layered characters. Would have liked more.

See it if Incredible storytelling with old world values and real heart---requires the audience to pay attention. Moving story w colorful characters.

Don't see it if you don't like a one man show and you don't want to listen, I'm sure this plays a lot of different ways and has good nights and bad.

See it if How I wanted to love this show, but it is too long, and ponderous and somehow sags, even though it is theater history, and should be great.

Don't see it if You don't want to see a show that should have been staged long ago, and deserves to be seen. This is theater history. Go anyway.

See it if A reminder of how powerful live theater is-This was simply moving. The voices- the story-the layering-the complexity-the talent. I cried.

Don't see it if You don't like sung story, or multi-layed plot lines, child perfomances and plays/musicals that ask big questions and dig in a bit.

See it if This is a very twisted and clever play---utterly absorbing, as well as riveting, which will leave you wondering about so many things.

Don't see it if A very mimetic and cleverly dissonant show about very tough topics --- about itself as much as about its subject. Compulsively edge of seat.

See it if A show about a pandemic in the midst of a pandemic, confusing and bewildering, but also poignant and powerful.

Don't see it if A sound show where you are cast adrift with a chair and headphone sitting in the dark alone but with strangers, is not for everyone.

See it if A meaningful and resonant story about immigration told temporally backward. It's 90 minutes (no intermission​) but feels much longer.

Don't see it if The opening and closing scenes are bookended as a final sermon with one toned jokes, sort of the same heartbeat of the show.

Also The story is not original, but I think that is the point--this is so many people's stories and is sad and poignant and relevant. The acting is solid, and there is very little action, because again that maybe​ the point. This play is about waiting and there is little resolution, and the pauses and ellipses that dot throughout the play make this clear. It's a slow play and a sad and frustrating story.... Read more Read less

See it if Clever set, clever concept, quirky and incredibly detail-oriented, suspenseful, and temporally elongated

Don't see it if So many characters--so many banal and frustrating moments, just like real meetings, and yet, so much under the surface waiting to spring​

Also No spoilers, but this has a surprising ending, and the woman next to me actually didn't understand any of it and asked me to explain it all to her. I'm not sure who this is meant to play for, but I enjoyed it, especially the longer it went on and the more it dragged on--was almost disappointed that it actually came full circle and we found out some of the "secrets'. It's also very funny.... Read more Read less

See it if A political thriller set in northern Britain in the 1960s​ that has a dry comedic quality about an edgy topic.

Don't see it if Accents, dry humor, complex plots, with multiple stories all centered around the last of the hangmen in Britain.

Also No spoilers, because the plot is clever and the surprises are worthy, but visceral -- don't see if you don't want to witness an actual hanging in a cell. Great performances and a truly fabulous set with great use of windows​ and weather.... Read more Read less

See it if Powerful and moving examination of life and love seen through the lens of multiple people in several time periods. Amazing performances.

Don't see it if Clever and complicated story and set where every scene drives the plot—no chance to doze—need to be alert!

Also Could be sentimental and smarmy but instead so poignant and moving. Fabulous songs.... Read more Read less

See it if Brilliant performance of Paul Muldoon's elegiac poem about love lost by Stanley Townsend. Fascinating set with video. Time expands/contracts

Don't see it if Intense and confusing, I wish I read the poem before I saw the show. But moving and powerful whether you are following or totally lost.

See it if Sondheim's life story and songbook is sung by eight talented performers, guided and interrupted by a ​video of Sondheim

Don't see it if two and a half-hour​ long cabaret to video --sort of a PBS bio with live performers except created by Sondheim to control his legacy

Also The performers were entertaining , and there are poignant moments revealed by Sondheim on screen. Definitely a production for the Sondheim fan, but fun for someone who wants to learn more. Several of the performers had no chemistry with each other and the love scenes seemed forced, but they all could sing. This was an entertaining evening but made me leave liking Sondheim a little less.... Read more Read less

See it if Glossy and clever this silly riff on the sixties and the “me movement” is witty and fun to watch. Great costumes and acting.

Don't see it if Tiny stage with a lot of costume changes and set interaction might drive you nuts. Ensemble and band very good. Suzanne Vega shines!

Also Very soft voices. Quite gentle. Silly and fun and actually raucously funny. Seems to polarize an audience, people love it​ or hate it.... Read more Read less

See it if Non-traditional format: a band performs with a singer who simultaneously narrates her life story.

Don't see it if weird pointless set and narration about how life is meaningful yet we are all gonna die, so live now...NOT even a spoiler...

Also This has a strange blank set with a spiral staircase blocking the sightlines, used only once briefly, meanwhile, balloons slowly fall down to the back of the set with no explanation. Is it a DMV office? A hospital waiting room? Why are the bandmates disconnected? Do they even know each other? The show is set up to be "concert" with spoken word between songs-- the performers are all capable, but the whole thing is so mystifyingly cliched and almost embarrassing to watch. And then the chaotic ending, which made even less sense. Very odd. Give it a miss. Thankfully it is only 65 minutes.... Read more Read less

See it if Charming and funny situational story about middle-aged gay black men figuring out what family means and how dreams can be fulfilled​.

Don't see it if Memphis dialogue is very hard to follow in the beginning of the first act, until you acclimate. Wish, I had gotten earphones​ so it was clea

Also This is a very long play with not much happening in the first act (but a lot of set-up)-- and all the action taking place in the second. There are some truly memorable and delightful moments, including a fabulous dance sequence that really makes this worth seeing, plus it's just a very sweet, heartfelt and romantic story. It definitely needs edits--and it's quite cliched in places, but still overall a lot of fun.... Read more Read less

See it if Starts off with a slow hum and requires the audience to participate becoming one with a solo performer who tells a slow moral tale.

Don't see it if you are uncomfortable with audience participation, don't like repetitive verse, don't want to be preached to

Also There are rotating solo performers for this show. I saw Donnetta Lavinia​ Grays. She was a gifted storyteller, with a tremendous amount of energy. I just didn't enjoy the story--but she was able to hold a room and inspire people. Very talented performer. This play has a message and if you don't want to hear it--then alas, you will feel isolated.... Read more Read less

See it if A contemporary reworking of Euripedes heartbreaking story with celebrities against a blank palette stage with beautiful poetic details.

Don't see it if This is a glamorous play--dynamic sets, in an incredible setting makes it feel epic before it starts, huge photographic closeups

Also Like Oklahoma, the use of filming is very clever and adds a whole other dimension to the production. The performances are powerful, and the story is believable in its newest version.... Read more Read less

See it if Two performers explore the Frankenstein creation myth in a complex contextual way--very intellectual and heady.

Don't see it if The characters morph and play multiple parts, minimal sets, great intensity of performers, multiple use of instruments to enhance effects.

See it if Lively clever one-woman show with a young woman recounting her steps/missteps towards her wedding day. Funny, vibrant, emotional, engaging.

Don't see it if Part of the Irish Theater festival filled with lots of in-jokes--and a fast-paced​ monologue may not be for everyone,

See it if This sad mother-daughter tale is horribly written and overwrought, with a forced resolution.

Don't see it if There were potentially ways that this sad story could have been more compelling or even watchable

Also but they were all left out. Where were the photographs of the epoch/times and the daughter/ Why only backdrops of a cityscape?

This was therapy for the writer and I wish​ I hadn't seen it.

The daughter was physically difficult to watch-- clearly has serious health issues, as well so much facework she doesn't look human. Plus, the dancing sequences were truly agonizing to watch.... Read more Read less

See it if a helluva a one-man show, but one where you don't actually have a sense of who the performer is, and what the point of the 100+ voices are.

Don't see it if this is a 3D history lesson, although not sure what the point or purpose is or who intended audience is.

Also Rick Miller shines his Canadian lens on the boomer years-- and he speeds through history with three primary characters narrating the story, while they speak in turn, Miller uses, light, shadow, and projections to turn himself into a 100 + voices, and share his history.
Very nice touches included a very specific focus on civil rights, as well as world news (with a Canadian POV), but the point of the show is obscured, and you don't have a ​visual sense of who Rick Miller is. Despite watching him on stage for two hours, you might not recognize him in the bar afterwards,... Read more Read less

See it if Wonderfully dated melodrama making cinematic fun of every movie cliche in history.

Don't see it if Silly, light and fluffy, but with great acting, and fabulous costumes, just a fully entertaining evening. Nothing will resonate. Plain fun.

See it if truly the tableaux and the brooding moving gigantic scenery was worth the price of the ticket

Don't see it if but the allegorical plot is too simple--and although visually stunning, I kept wondering why all this?

See it if Just super clever in every way-- with its intensity and sensitivity, temporal playfulness, incredible acting, and unique plot.

Don't see it if Ther are definitely trigger issues for people, and although deep and thoughtful it is also tremendously sad and resonant.

Also I saw Judith Ivey's understudy who was excellent and I am sure that to see the show with Judith Ivey is really something. The set has this unnerving issue which is that there are several metal bars blocking just about everyone's site at some point during the play. I assume this is intentional​ but very frustrating. Otherwise, the complexity of the set is so clever-and the sound mechanics thrilling.... Read more Read less

See it if In the round and up close and personal, four minstrels sing, play and recant in clever verse the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Don't see it if You don't want to interact with performers, don't like modern and interpretive versions of classic stories, don't like intertwined stories.

Also This is the blending of two different one hour plays intertwined into two-- and stands at two hours with an intermission in an intimate loft space. The actors/singers are fabulously talented and their engaging repartee and enthusiasm are winning. Overall, a heartwarming and engaging love story (even though so sad), because the exuberance and talent of the performers was so inspiring.... Read more Read less

See it if Wonderful intermix of stories told by men in multiple cities in Africa (and London)--with great choreography and verve-- very resonant.

Don't see it if Hard to hear in the balcony as well as the complexity of many​ accents--wish I got a hearing device.