YankeeLady36
See it if You like classics and haunting stories. Manville shines. Go for Richard Eyre's directing and the cast. I was shaken like I was supposed to.
Don't see it if It's very dark and intense, and the end might read melodramatic to some. But great production.
See it if I prefered it to the movie, I liked the bar setup and the tone of the whole show. The musicians were great. I saw it for Arthur Darvill.
Don't see it if It could have been a lot more. It kind of fell off in quality besides Darvill's performance. I didn't hate it, but yea, so-so.
See it if For any of the "Billys." Dance heavy role is so intense they cast 3 at a time. Easily the star. Good introduction to the Miners strike too.
Don't see it if You struggle with Northern British accents, know the movie too well, insist on memorable songs save one. Best for a lovely night out.
See it if For Hugh obviously, and bring your brain. You need to pay attention to when it jumps. Jez Butterworth doesn't let you rest. Fantastic set.
Don't see it if You don't want to pay attention and you need questions answered. Not a pretty wrapped up bow. Still worth it. If you can't handle flashbacks
See it if Delightful ensemble cast, funny and charming, with a classic story. Go for the epitome of classic drawing room romance, stay for the comedy.
Don't see it if You want something much more modern. This wasn't trying to be anything it wasn't. Nice to see a prof. take on this much performed classic.
See it if I'm still reeling from this play I think. When it finished my jaw was on the floor the rest of the night. Incredible drama. See it. Just go.
Don't see it if Does deal with adult themes and intense family drama, not the most pleasant of topics. But it's incredible. The movie did not do it justice.
See it if You're a fan of Madam Butterfly and great puppetry. Slightly confusing, but the inventive storytelling is definitely worth seeing. Original.
Don't see it if You'd rather go to a more upbeat show. You're not able to handle shows that are too out of the box. You're put off by more mature themes.
See it if If only for Sir Antony Sher. Wonderful, classic portrayal of Falstaff. Also for much of the cast. Very adept, appropriately moving and funny
Don't see it if You don't really understand why Falstaff is reveared or really dislike the character. Henry V has more action, Richard II has more drama.
See it if If you love any of the original cast, or are looking for a funny, modern, if slightly retold, happily ever after.
Don't see it if You're looking for better directing. This musical was so close to being amazing. It needs a lot of small fixes.
See it if You love historical epics and excellent puppetry. Very emotionally draining, but worth it. Ensemble shines. You'll forget they are puppets.
Don't see it if You're not prepared for a dramatic, gripping, emotional WWI tale. There are no obvious stars either, this is a true ensemble show.
See it if (saw the Nat'l tour) Modern style and phenomenal plot tore me apart. The characters are unrelenting. Respectfully handled. Wonderful.
Don't see it if It's beyond intense. Watch out if you have a history of mental health struggles. Potentially overwhelming. It's kind of the point though.
See it if You want classic theatre with a great ensemble. Pulls you forward all the way through.
Don't see it if You don't like intense, straight plays.
See it if 87- Emma Stone blew the roof off. 70- Michelle Williams didn't, sadly. Alan Cumming was phenomenal. Kander and Ebb classic; still a favorite
Don't see it if I found myself missing more of the choreography from the 2002 revival. But still worth it. Strong, emotional subject matter, be warned.
See it if I hesitate to really recommend it. There were parts that worked and the cast I was very excited about. Perhaps to see a Stoppard play.
Don't see it if Too disjointed. I was particularly disappointed by Maggie. Saw the actors trying to save it. The relationships felt as difficult as written.
See it if For the cast and writing. I love Nighy and Mulligan, but Matthew Beard has proven to be someone new to watch for. Well rounded characters.
Don't see it if You're made uncomfortable by their relationship. You're looking for something lighter.
See it if You like a straight up good musical with catchy rock music. Great balance of dance, dynamic plot, and entertainment.
Don't see it if Don't see the movie musical first. It got in my way watching this. Or if you're thrown by the civil-rights inspired plot.
See it if You're looking for a family show and you haven't actually been to Disney that much or seen their Broadway Lion King.
Don't see it if Underwhelmed me even as a kid. One of my favorite movies, yet the show didn't do anything interesting. Looked like a park-level Disney show
See it if To watch Ms. Rashad tear the roof off. Tarrell Alvin McCraney's writing. Wonderful, balanced ensemble. It's going to rip out your heart.
Don't see it if You don't tolerate religious characters. You don't want something so intense. But that'd be a shame.
See it if For Alex Haskell, Oliver Ford Davies, Greg Doran's work, as part of the Henriad plays, and the RSC. They know their stuff.
Don't see it if Leans toward the traditional, but not entirely a bad thing. The set is better used in their Richard II, I thought. Loud bangs: war play.
See it if You want a beautifully acted and directed take on a classic. A great example of Mr. Van Hove's style. Mark Strong will tear your heart out.
Don't see it if Watch out for the balcony seating. I had partial view unexpectedly. Don't bring children. You don't handle intense theatre well.
See it if If you want a well-executed production of Pericles. It's certainly beautiful and focused. The flaws are really within the play itself.
Don't see it if You don't like Shakespeare or are willing to bear with a show. It IS slow, but a good production of Pericles can be a bit tricky to find.
See it if You're a musical theatre/Shakespeare fan. HYSTERICAL show. I cried laughing. I'm exactly the audience. But the acting is wonderful too.
Don't see it if I'm hard pressed to not recommend it. I suppose of you like darker stories, don't feel like laughing, or disdain theatre? It's too much fun.
See it if You love David Tennant and/or Shakespeare at all. The acting is top notch. The set is not only gorgeous, but entirely useful to the story.
Don't see it if You really don't feel like brushing up on the Hollow Crown history beforehand. Knowing who's who just helps you relax into the actual play.
See it if I don't know, it's 1985? There are two stand out songs. Maybe as a first Broadway play or for a particular Phantom. It's not groundbreaking.
Don't see it if It's long past it's prime. You want to keep up with relevant theatre. You hate opera or Andrew Lloyd Webber.
See it if You love family driven dramas. Well acted, entirely relatable plot. Strong staging.
Don't see it if Not for kids. Story itself wasn't overtly interesting or mind-blowing. Ending wasn't as clear as I would like.
See it if If you like Shakespeare but are looking for something a little more acessible. You like British history. Costumes, staging were intelligent.
Don't see it if You don't want to deal with a huge story and cast. Must concentrate, it's a lot to follow. You're brand new to the history of the period.
See it if You like a classic dinner party of opposites, in this case racially and politically diverse, which sets off a firestorm punch in the gut.
Don't see it if Brace yourself going in. Slightly cliched in some areas, playing off stereotypes, but that's kind of the point. Appropriately intense.
See it if The writing and Wilson in particular are brilliant. Lovely, modern, play about the possibilities of love intertwined with string theory.
Don't see it if I read it before, helped prepare for the repetition. Also one of those plays where a blurb on the inspiration is useful. Complex structure.
See it if I think I had higher hopes , technically well executed, some really great acting, and the staging was epic. Writing did mimic Shakespeare.
Don't see it if I'm not sure what was off for me. I'm not sure I found it as interesting or believable as I hoped. I am a fan of Bartlett, usually.
See it if For theatre that grabs you by the throat and won't let go. Sam Shepard fans. Cast was great. I felt smacked in the face, but that's not bad.
Don't see it if Not for the faint of heart. Theatre was a bit large, but eh. If you don't like Sam Shepard. You want the happy vapid musical.
See it if You're a Hitchcock, physical comedy fan, or just want to laugh. I've seen it on 2 continents. Masterful 4 actors are technically brilliant.
Don't see it if I guess if you really take Hitchcock too seriously or are expecting something else. I fell out of my chair laughing. I'm a tough audience.
See it if You're a fan of the cast, Sutton especially. Music is fun, dancing is great. "Man in Chair" is a great role.
Don't see it if You're looking for something with more depth. It wasn't perfect. "Curtains," which was out around the same time, was much better.
See it if You like romantic retellings of dark Russian literature with a technological twist. I felt like the set was some kind of dream-space.
Don't see it if You hadn't read the source, like me. It felt a little too choppy, a little slow. I looked at my watch. It was a mix of effectiveness to me.
See it if You like modern stories of outsiders banding together or you love Julie White.
Don't see it if You don't like character driven works. It didn't quite manage to grab me like I had hoped.
See it if Musical literally changed my life. Established friendships. Taught me how to adapt a classic for our times. Beautiful and intelligent.
Don't see it if You think you're above it all and are not willing to stay open. Younger fans I've heard from find it clichéd. This ushered in all your favs.
See it if Hedwig MUST own the show. This review reflects NPH. Broadway turned rock concert. Lena Hall is a Goddess. Tonys were earned. Exquisite drama
Don't see it if Michael C Hall wasn't quite as successful. Purists of the original might be thrown by the changes. Conservative viewers won't like it.
See it if You don't have much to do. I wasn't even bored, I was straight up annoyed. Tony Yazbeck was under-used. Only notable was Alysha Umphress.
Don't see it if Most famous number was a throw-away. Set/costumes were boring and weirdly modern. Couldn't see actors staged in the audience 10 ft from me.
See it if You've somehow never seen this play. You're looking for classic comedy and an expert technically sound ensemble. Entirely well produced.
Don't see it if You've already seen a solid production of it. It's not nearly as funny without the surprises. I was appreciative of the effort taken only.
See it if You like Kiera, and are interested in dark, romantic tales. Judith Light had the strongest performance. Set was at opera level-spectacle.
Don't see it if Problematic show that I wanted to like much more. But the acting/writing was too uneven.
See it if You love Chekhov and/or Durang. Cast was very strong too.
Don't see it if Characters read a bit melodramatic if you don't realize what their inspirations are.
See it if You love Stoppard and are a massive history nerd like me. The staging was enormous. Still stays with me. Beautiful epic.
Don't see it if You don't care at all/know at least a little about Communism and where it came from. Avoid seeing out of order too.
See it if You love a fabulously produced musical. Excellent choices made the production soar. The signing was intelligently woven in and stunning.
Don't see it if Some complained about having to read cards onstage, but it needs it. I understand some ASL so it was easier for me to focus on the actors.
See it if You love any of the cast. Best part of the show is the acting. It's worth seeing. Even if you think you know this play, go.
Don't see it if You can't get a straight on view. I was stuck in a corner and had a massive sight line and sound issue. Skip if you can't handle long plays.
See it if You love contemporary, experimental productions of Shakespeare. Very well acted and staged.
Don't see it if You're looking for the traditional or can't handle an all-female cast.
See it if You like theatre that's out to change the world. Edgy, relevant production that won't let you ignore the state of education today.
Don't see it if Not for young children. You're in the mood for something fluffier.
See it if It's one of my all-time favorites. I've gone 3 times, different show every time. It's brilliant, another world stepping inside those doors.
Don't see it if It's really best to stay the full 3 hours ON YOUR FEET. Really needs- running, exploring the building alone, masked. There are 6 flights.
See it if You love Carole King. The music, the portrayal of Carole, and the "performances" of the songs were easily the best parts.
Don't see it if You don't like juke box musicals. I found the pacing in parts to be very slow. You like shows that take more risks.
Also This is still one of the better jukebox musicals I’ve ever seen. I lik... Read more Read less
See it if You like slightly dark comedy that that also makes you wonder how our minds really fall in love. Edgy, modern romance with real intelligence
Don't see it if Not for children. Possible trigger warnings for anyone with mental health struggles. You're good if you can handle Next to Normal.
See it if (In fairness I saw it in London) You have a young daughter. Matilda and the children are impressive. Especially Matilda. Tough role.
Don't see it if I didn't find anything amazing. It was average and the music was entirely forgettable. I was bored. I expected a lot more from the adults.
See it if You love new musicals, puppets, a bit of raunchy humor, and a lively ensembles. Still entirely relevant, still entertaining and hysterical.
Don't see it if You're conservative. PG-13. As they say "beware of puppet nudity." You much prefer traditional musicals.