XS2211

See it if A female playwright created 38 fake profiles on dating app, collected data, to create this show; witty improv with selected audience;

Don't see it if However, the main plot and msg are cliched, jokes bit forced; the interactive app experience is fun, but also distractive in a dark theatre

See it if A queer boy’s self-identity exploring journey; great concept falls flat; occasional sparks between the young lovers; they fixed the AC..

Don't see it if Still warm tho. Amateur theatre: weak writing & directing; confusing movement as scene change; 2 actors hardly audible in small studio..

Also They say it’s 100min. We were trapped 8-10pm, which caused me missing my later show. No intermission, or ppl may not return.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re into ancient Greek story; kudos to the leading actor; low cost but efficient production

Don't see it if 2.5 hrs in a warm theatre; script needs trim;

See it if Gay themes, drag, gay parenting, quirky and fun,

Don't see it if Many twists, small set, open relationships, poor child and parent relationships

See it if Songs based on ordinary working ppl’s oral history; broadway veterans in cast; numbers close to finalé are deeply moving; efficient staging

Don't see it if In talkback, it’s revealed that the show is a result of 2-week rehearsal, a usual case for Encore!, which leads to lyrics-holding onstage

Also It’s more like a well-staged cold reading, than a full fledged production; tho the actors are all good (the youngest one needs more vocal training), it isn’t worth the price of $35+ .. Broadway stars also need rehearsals to shine.... Read more Read less

See it if high energy, real chemistry ensemble; great directing from Saheem Ali; based on a gay-activist murder 2010 Uganda; standing ovation by all

Don't see it if You’re not into LGBTQ stories or things happening in a foreign country;

Also This is my second time watching a play directed by Saheem Ali (last time was FIREFLIES produced by Atlantic). Both are deeply moving. Some of the cast were in African Mean Girl, which is also a superb production. Will keep track of these talented artists.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re interested in first black female baseball player’s biographic story; impressive set and lighting; great cast; somewhat humorous

Don't see it if problematic writing: didactic, lack of conflict to drive the story forward; baseball terms; Neither feminism nor racism fully discussed

See it if You want to see “Podrick” in GOT up close; devoted (lots of sweat) acting; about toxic masculinity;

Don't see it if You are not used to Scottish (or is it Irish) accent; round theatre; seats are too close to actors, audience are forced to engage; very loud

See it if Miranda’s moving autobiographical score/lyrics are brought fully alive by the ensemble — and I’m living every moment with them!What a bless!

Don't see it if Would have given them 100 if the sound system weren’t that shitty.. it hurt the artists’ vocal chords! Duets’ harmony is sometimes off-pitch

Also However, I’m fully absorbed by their truthful & visceral acting/living, so that I care about the flaws no more. Sad that the show ends tonight. Feel lucky that I got the chance to watch it.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to watch archetype-acting (fool/maid/midwife) reaching its peak, all 3 actors are brilliant; you are familiar with Shakespear’s tex

Don't see it if Overly-ambitious writing; trying to make it both farcical and sophisticated; too many cultural and political references that can be confusin

See it if You’re into Chekov produced as farce; Nina is top-less in her 1st scene; Dorn ripps off his lover’s panty & puts on head;

Don't see it if beauty of Chekov’s subtext is ruined by expressed aloud; you can see all the “works” done by the actors rather than being in Chekov’s world

Also In the first 10 min, the forced giggle of “Marsha” made me wanna escape; the most truthful moment was when the ceiling leaked, twice! Actors reacted to it with wit. The director’s interpretation of SEAGULL is too unique to deliver.... Read more Read less

See it if You admire any one of the star-cast (the “father” got applause before he spoke); you like self-indulgent white-male savior story for racism

Don't see it if script too dated; the Alabama Accent somewhat hard to grasp; after being “spoiled” by off-broadway & downtown theatre, this work seems banal

Also Rear mezz seating is partial-viewed!! The toilet line was the most chaotic I experienced... Read more Read less

See it if 3 teenagers’ survival under flawed parenting; chemistry between 2 leads is deeply moving; smart lighting & scene change; laughter with tears

Don't see it if The sword-fight scene between father & son is too far-fetched, doesn’t fit the realism tone of the play;

See it if It’s DOPE, man! Reveals the dark side of music industry, provokes thoughts about “originality” of an artist; Great casting of 3 leads

Don't see it if If hip-hop or EDM is unbearable to your ears; you mind sitting too close to actors (it’s an intimate setup, 2 rows of chairs on 3 sides)

Also Sebastian (the male lead) is multi-talented. The collaborative “improv” moment between two “musicians” is deeply moving.... Read more Read less

See it if you have wondered whether socially defined “success” will lead to happiness; powerful chemistry between male leads; great atmosphere control

Don't see it if Everything happens in La Mama’s basement theatre, staircases may be problematic; 1hr40min without intermission, need big bladder

See it if You care about “American’s identity/image through foreign eyes”; a satire smartly staged in a restaurant/bar; partly moving, mostly funny

Don't see it if $12 minimum bothers you; a montage of many cliched stereotypical dialogues/plots (but somewhat works at the end); high cold stool hurts ass

See it if Actresses are so young, yet talented.. give Shakespeare’s words justice. Smart directing and staging with surprises; solute to lady Macbeth!

Don't see it if you mind blind casting (high-school party girls portraying all characters); you’re a Shakespeare purist; the ending is a bit confusing;

See it if You’re into classic, action filled musical; you love everything composed by Sondheim

Don't see it if You mind loud noises/gunshots, all white cast, cramped seating

See it if 2 ppl’ monologues, each playwright handles one character - the victim’s mom’s part is better written and acted; simple but affective;

Don't see it if The set is plain: 2 chairs + 1 projector; designed to have no real confrontation between 2 actors, so no resolution, only resonance;

See it if You’re into classic broadway razzle-dazzle; talented cast (tho some miscasted), esp. the supporting characters; you miss Cole Porter’s music

Don't see it if You want a sophisticated story.. the most exciting numbers (eg:TooDarnHot) have little connection with the plot; even$39 rush isn’t worth it

See it if you like complex, non-linear stories that pushes the boundaries of the subject of how we perceive memory loss. Amazing minimalist set.

Don't see it if Wish there was more of an emotion arc with the characters relationship. Didn't see it necessarily anywhere; abstract and sometimes confusing

See it if You’re into LGBTQ theme or American immigrant stories; esp. relatable to Chinese in America; great set design;

Don't see it if Unbalanced acting.. the father-son relationship looks a bit superficial; some actor aims for laughter and misses the subtlety between lines

See it if You’re familiar with the archetypes the actresses portrayed; you like comical dramatic performance in tiny venue;

Don't see it if You mind being cramped in tiny seat; you do not appreciate stereotypical depiction of “lesbian”, “Latina woman”, etc..

See it if An autobiographic solo show about a wife’s traumatizing experience; based on true events.. solute to the actress’s bravery;

Don't see it if Acting is moving but not masterful, the shift from one character to another is understandable but not graceful/truthful enough;

See it if Great for a first preview. An innovative angle telling the story of false incarceration. Provokes thoughts of justice system. Nice casting.

Don't see it if Portraying the main antagonists as purely evil diminishes the credibility.

See it if You’re into doll-related horror films; this is not horror, but close - disturbing, bit horrifying, kept me alert for 1.5 hr; strong acting

Don't see it if You don’t want to deal with infant death, child abandonment.. dark issues; uncomfortable seating & strong AC & long queue for toilet;

See it if The rise of a British newspaper by selling topless girl on “page 3”; straight play with musical elements; High energy cast & lavish set.

Don't see it if Characters don’t feel real due to writing; story not relatable; good acting alone cannot keep one interested for 2hr45min; AC very strong

See it if Kudos to cast for covering all acting/singing/dancing without swing, esp. the lead Will Roland for his extreme vulnerability and high energy

Don't see it if Strong 1st act but banal 2nd act; plot not unexpected, songs unmemorable; may re-traumatize ppl who felt hard to fit in; music quite loud..

Also The story reminds me of Little Shop of Horror.. a LOT!! Troublesome toilet arrangement - men’s in the basement, and women’s 1st floor, long queue;... Read more Read less

See it if Shabby space saved by 4 talented young actors (mostly nyc debut) ; great casting; covers lots of elements: love, competition, family..

Don't see it if One bulb burnt and created smoke but unplugged on time; no chemistry between the two “falling in love”; many stairs to basement toilet..

Also Provides some insights of the bottom of Hollywood food chain, but nothing unexpected; the girl playing “Liz” is a great comedian who cracks the audience up with her “audition scenes” :)... Read more Read less

See it if You know Chekov’s Uncle Vanya well - this is a witty adaptation, with side roles/plots added to make it more relatable; Pendleton is magical

Don't see it if There’s one weak link in today’s ensemble; 2hr20min may be too long for some; Chekov purists may hate this interpretation; tempo a bit slow

See it if Classic literature acted out by an experienced actress; 70 min monologue of female sexual experience; contains nudity and strong language

Don't see it if stream of consciousness; no plot/conflict; audience dozing but dare not fall asleep cuz too close to stage; uncomfortable seatin in basement

See it if Vocal sounds programmed by the great “witch/healer” (played by McLean) into multi-track music as accompaniment while talented women singing

Don't see it if If you hate feminism; dislike any digitalized sound in musical piece; or are not interested in all female cast; The ending is bit abrupt.

Also Poignant msg - “We should take control of our body” - expressed in refreshing way; McLean’s composing for musical theatre is avant-garde; casts are young (college students mostly) but super talented!!
It’s only the 1st preview. With some adjustments (esp. with the ending) this show can go far with its unique music.... Read more Read less

See it if Care about gay life’s different stages; smart plot and affective storytelling; with twist in 2nd act;

Don't see it if Ending is a bit weird; set is bare; ppl in front row can block the lower half of actors’ body;

See it if You ever doubted your identity, esp. gay or black man; it’s an autobiographic musical, with writer/composer as lead.. salute to his talent

Don't see it if Lyrics are written to confront/provoke.. “AIDS is punishment” for eg.; entertaining start, then turns more self-loathing till end;

Also It’s like seeing the artist peeling off his clothes, skin, flesh in front of you, until you see the bone. Overloaded with personal truth. Could be overwhelming. Some numbers are written with heavy belting, and the artist can hardly mange it.
I understand the show is written as a self expression, but maybe the creator can cast a more capable singer so his messages are more efficiently delivered?... Read more Read less

See it if like war themes, comedy, cheeky and playful characters, revolutionary themes, history, nice sets, great acting

Don't see it if slow second act, loud noises, darkness

See it if Life of the poor in Dublin, 1920s, during the Irish civil war; impressive acting from “Juno” & “Mrs Tancred”; singing is in full character

Don't see it if You’re not Irish, the story may feel irrelevant and the accent too strong to comprehend; the ending is not strong enough; the acting uneven

Also Got a $55 ticket through Show-Score, seating is good (2nd from left, 3rd row), but isn’t worth the price compared to so many “free” shows that have resonated more strongly..... Read more Read less

See it if A smart deconstruction work of Shakespeare’s words; great chemistry between the duo; affective minimal staging; sincere/insightful talkback

Don't see it if Shakespeare’s words are too foreign; you mind all-around studio space with 1 row of chairs each side (super intimate with the actors);

See it if Smart, political puppet musical; 2 leads each play 2 roles (very different! how talented!); the content/lyrics are thought-provoking

Don't see it if 2hr15min is too long for you; you get offended easily by political/religious jokes (the old lady next to me “escaped” during intermission)

Also Glad I found this gem through Show-Score before it closes on 5/25. It won 3 TONYs for a reason. Don’t miss it.... Read more Read less

See it if Live shooting of 3 actors setting up cardboards with sketches on; would have recommended to kids if it wasn’t trying to sell political msgs

Don't see it if Bad storytelling is bad storytelling, no matter what form it uses; “actors” so busy with moving props that the plot is never fully developed

Also The theatre company is based in Edinburgh. If this is a Fringe show, I would have escaped after the first 10min (or less), after too many footages wasted on the “environment”: squirrel, dog, butchers shop, bar, restaurant... This form of art could have fitted kids’ theatre if it hadn’t involved political strikes or sudden death of sister (how? Murdered?)... Read more Read less

See it if into ghosts/ paranormal; ethnically diverse cast; use of foreign languages; dark themes

Don't see it if easily scared; the theatre is pitch dark, with occasional loud noises - ghostly sounds/images

See it if You like solo shows; one actress reconciles with an “accidentally” revealed fact; script touches upon social-status, feminism issues..

Don't see it if Lacks a climax; The middle 30ish min of this 70 min show is insipid; Ending is great tho; Acting is bit monotonous, partly due to writing

See it if Sexually provocative (security checks ID at door); talented actors (eg. opera singer who does acrobatics) with various skills; unique form

Don't see it if No story; lots of skin; drinks’ price sky high ($20+ cup of wine); pungent smoke almost triggered asthma; started 15min late; Venue too far

See it if You’re into classic plays; efficient scene changing with a rotating platform, while actors sing tunes of the era (the program provides info!

Don't see it if You’re more into new relevant works; you dislike melodramatic acting style; 140min is a bit too long; 3 gender neutral toilets cause traffic

See it if You want to be surprised how good an off-off-broadway production can be; strong cast, esp. the female leads and the boy; impressive 1st show

Don't see it if You dont wanna sit on cold chair for 2.5 hrs; the sound effect is mediocre (long echo); Kushner’s book is a bit outdated..

See it if You love any experimental form; talented actors except the lead (he’s a much better musician than an actor); great live jazz band;

Don't see it if Want a well-directed believable storytelling; the playwright should have done more historical research; too much standing/disco time

See it if You’re curious about topics rarely discussed in public; an effort to normalize BDSM behaviors, tho bit superficial; intriguing set design;

Don't see it if You don’t want to see sexual or BDSM scenes; the relationship of the gay couple is better developed than the straight one; abrupt ending

See it if You’re into humanity hidden behind absurdity; great acting by leading actors (gosh the pace is fast!); full house with standing ovation

Don't see it if You’re not into downtown experimental theatres; you prefer realism works; you only enjoy happy stories

See it if You like to see fanciful kindness acted out on stage; cast is great, the youngest being only 19; 90 minutes with 10 min intermission

Don't see it if You don’t like short scenes that are not fully developed; you don’t like “feel-good” kind of play; high-rising staging, avoid 1/2 row!

See it if Catchy tunes; brilliant kid-actors with strong vocal capability; a fairytale for grownups; my partner watched it 3 times

Don't see it if You’re only into realistic scenes; you’re not interested in the biographic story of the creator of Peter Pan.

See it if Standing ovation to all 5 actors; portray “parents” truthfully; script condensed with high energy; 90min passed in a sec.

Don't see it if You’re not interested in parenting problems and its aftermath (school bullying for eg); 90min without pee break is too much for you;