Young potatoe

See it if you like family dramas that show the effects a bitter divorce can have on children

Don't see it if You will be bothered by a play that needs to be edited by at least 20 minutes

Also I really love the subject matter of this play. It’s almost the same play as “all the Natalie Portman’s” I enjoyed that one a lot more.
The first act is better than the second act but it goes on way too long. Most of the first 20 minutes could be cut out of this.
I really liked how the first act ended.
Something really crazy happens between the brother and sister near the end of this. I feel like if they were going to go for this dramatic scene they need it to explore it a little earlier in the play. I also think the play should have ended with just the girl on the stage and the last two minutes should have been cut. I think it would’ve been a more empty feeling which I think the playwright wanted us to feel... Read more Read less

See it if you like old school family dramas that feel like Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams wrote them a long time ago

Don't see it if You are hoping for a happy and cheerful piece of theater

Also I’m not sure if this is a really good thing or a really bad thing but this play very very closely resembles Arthur Miller’s “all my sons “.
The acting and the set are amazing! I love family dramas like this.
There are two very small parts in this play. One of them is the priest at the very beginning and one of them is an insurance agent in the middle of the play. I’m so curious as to why this role was not played by the same actor. I always find decisions like this interesting and fascinating.
This perfect little theater is a great place to get an up close and personal look at this really well done drama... Read more Read less

See it if You like avant-garde theater. This show is certainly not traditional in anyway

Don't see it if You’re going to be bothered by a very weird and nontraditional beginning that turns into more of a traditional play as a piece moves along

Also This is another one of these plays that I didn’t love but not because it wasn’t well done but mainly because it’s not my type of theater. This is very nontraditional. The lighting and staging was interesting but I prefer more of a set.
I think some of the writing was over done.
60% of the way through it turned into more of a traditional piece of theater and at that point I started to enjoy it a lot more... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an incredible performance by one of the greatest living actresses

Don't see it if You don’t like non-traditional plays. It’s not a secret they tell you before the play starts that she is lip-synching the entire time

Also O’Connell is one of my favorite actresses and if it was anyone else in this I probably would’ve been too scared to see it. I’m so so glad I saw this. It’s unlike any other piece of theater that I ever witnessed. Even now as I’m writing this review when I think about what this is about I don’t understand why it would be excellent. It just is. It’s so well done and so courageous of the playwright to take a chance like this and it must feel so great that it’s paying off.
Even though it was basically one actress sitting on a chair I felt like I was actually watching the whole thing happen I could actually picture all of the other characters and even see them sometimes in my imagination. Very well done and highly recommended... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a playwright take a humongous chance and succeed.

Don't see it if You have trouble with gritty dramas that tackle subjects a lot of playwrights don’t have the guts to tackle.

Also William M. is a God. I applaud him in every way possible for taking such a huge risk and pay off is there for me. When he wrote extremities in the early 80s I can only imagine how crazy that was at that time. He really stepped up his game tackling a much riskier subject.
I know a lot of these reviews say that the play is unrealistic. I could debate that but I want to focus on what this play is really about. It focuses on a sick and troubled person who has an addiction to something you’re not allowed to have an addiction to. You couldn’t write a more hateful character and yet by the end of the play I felt so bad for him and could relate to what he was going through. All three of these characters are troubled in their own way. This is very dark and depressing. I loved every minute of it. I loved watching the audience squirm and try to force laughter because they didn’t know how to act.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy family dramas. This realistically shows the struggles of an African-American family

Don't see it if You will be bothered by one of the characters having an “Imaginary friend”

Also Years ago from what I understand, plays always had an intermission. Now it’s more likely they don’t have them. I always find it interesting when a play has an intermission to determine if it was needed and if it was used correctly. This is the perfect case of a great use of an intermission. The first act built to a very strong finish. Going into the intermission you were at the edge of your seat and it ended with a very dramatic moment.
Going into the second act you always wonder if a playwright can finish strong. There were three different moments when this play could’ve ended and the playwright kept going for more and it worked!... Read more Read less

See it if You are OK with good acting, an interesting set and good lighting. And don’t care about the plot

Don't see it if You’re going to be annoyed that you have to follow three different scenes happening simultaneously

Also I am annoyed, upset and angry. I don’t understand why anyone would write a play like this.
It’s unacceptable that you’re asking the audience to focus on three different things going on at the same time
I really enjoyed the set but I don’t think I should have been exposed to it as I was walking into the theater and taking my coat off. I should’ve been hit with it as the play started.
I think some of the stories would’ve been interesting if they were done as a straightforward play but it was impossible to focus.
Some of the actors were also playing multiple parts.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy well written and interesting characters

Don't see it if You will be bothered by a play that doesn’t clean anything up at the conclusion

Also I don’t like it when the ending of a play is handed to me on a silver platter but I do need much more than what I got here.
These seven characters were written with perfection. The actors playing the parts were incredible. Just before the seventh (last)character appears I wanted more and more of what I was getting and the playwright gave me a twist before I needed it. This is incredible and great play writing. It felt like I was being set up for one of the greatest plays of all time. And then the last five minutes we’re just A big disappointment
These characters are so good I could’ve watched them for five hours. I have so many questions and wanted so many answers and didn’t get anything I wanted at the end... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a play where three former classmates discuss an incident that happened 10 years ago

Don't see it if You are going to be bothered by costume, props and a set that doesn’t make sense

Also From the very beginning I was lost. I assume the point of the first scene, before any of the other characters arrive was for us to learn that the character on stage was immature and needed to grow up. I don’t understand why he was spilling beer, only drinking half of his beer, dumping the beer on his body and then throwing about 20 empty beer cans from a duffel bag on the hotel room floor? If they were trying to establish him as an immature drunk, the play should’ve started with the beer cans already on the floor and him drinking a beer not wasting beer.
Overall this was poorly written, poorly directed and poorly acted
It always drives me crazy when there is unprofessionalism involved. I was waiting for my friend to come out of the bathroom after the show and all the actors ran to the lobby. I heard one actor asked three different people if they liked the show.
If you’ve been to this theater you know the heater sounds like a hospice patient a few breaths from death.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a story about a family’s struggles in dealing with a mentally disabled family member

Don't see it if You will be bothered by some unusual staging

Also I really enjoyed the concept and the idea of this play. I don’t feel like it moved me the way that it should have.
I’m not going to say that I didn’t like the staging but I think the unusual staging may have taken something away from the emotion I should have felt watching this story unfold.
I thought they did a really nice job of showing both sides of the controversy and how a family is “supposed to” handle a situation like this... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a great idea from a playwright about the future of the world

Don't see it if You are expecting this to be polished and ready. Definitely needs a bit of a rewrite. Should be much shorter

Also I really like the idea of this play and I think it would fit perfect as a one act that’s part of a short play series.
I was getting into it and then it just kept going and going and going.
I don’t think the producers are doing a really good job of explaining what this play is about. I think if they did it might interest more people.
Without giving anything away it’s a basic story of a couple where both people are competing for something, one of them gets it and promises they will bring the other along for the ride. Then we see how greed takes over.
The three actors did a very good and believable job.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to feel like your eaves dropping in on an American family

Don't see it if You are bothered by endings that are not very clear

Also I really wanted to give this a higher ranking. The acting was perfection. It really felt like all four actresses left their blood sweat and tears on the floor.
I think I know the message the playwright wanted to get across but the last six or so minutes of the play were a bit confusing and I’m still thinking about it. We all love thinking after we see a great piece of theater but this is one of the shows that I really wish I could’ve seen with a few people who I consider to be smarter than me when it comes to the theater. I would love to talk about this not because I feel like I need to be spoonfed but just so I could understand what other people felt. I’m really concerned for this production because I think a lot of people who are not theater lovers may be a bit disappointed and only remember the ending and that would be a shame because this was so solid throughout... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a young playwright on the rise.

Don't see it if You are old and grumpy and don’t feel like laughing and having a good time

Also This isn’t going to be the best play I see this year but it will definitely be one I remember for a long time. Nothing is better than going into a play not expecting much and just being blown away!
For what the playwright and director were trying to accomplish I believe they perfected it. The cast was spot on. Everyone did a great job. I was laughing from the very beginning. I enjoy hearing audience members cringe it makes me so happy!
I’m really disappointed by some of the low reviews I feel like this playwright is giving young people like myself who enjoy theater hope that the theater will live on forever.
I always think it takes balls when someone doesn’t write a play for older people
Only thing that bothered me was the use of the lamp near the end. And I’m only saying this because I thought the fight choreography was so well done earlier
I had a friend visiting me who never sees theater and now he is hooked... Read more Read less

See it if You love playwrights that just write amazing words

Don't see it if You are bothered by accents. Also there are lots of monologues in this

Also This is almost perfection based on what it was. I typically do not like plays have monologues. I also don’t like when during the monologues and actor starts to play multiple roles. But the writing is so good I would like to get my hands on this script and just read all those words again.
Both actors were perfect they not only looked like they should but they dressed that way as well. They moved two little boxes around on stage and made you feel like you were with them on their one day adventure.
This is a very emotional roller coaster ride. Yes it does deal with abortion and the eighth amendment in Ireland but it is not shoved down your throat. They really let you feel something for both sides.
The one thing that would’ve taken this play to the next level, and this is not giving anything away, would be In the last scene if an actual four-year-old girl walked out on stage with her daddy. That would’ve made me emotionally lose it... Read more Read less

See it if Want to see a play that deals with the aftermath of a school shooting.

Don't see it if You are expecting a big lavish production. This is very much blackbox theater.

Also “The thing with feathers”, Scott Oregon’s last play was one of my favorites of 2018. I had this play on my list of plays to see from the moment I found out about it. I will admit that my expectations were very high and I was definitely disappointed by this.
I thought the first scene was incredible. The acting was perfection. The detective looked, acted and even wrote like a detective.
The costumes and the lighting were great.
After the first scene I felt no emotion from any of the characters and I just didn’t care one bit about anything that was happening.... Read more Read less

See it if You are willing to take a chance on something weird and unusual. The writing is excellent.

Don't see it if You don’t like being scared. It’s not only keeps you at the edge of your seat but it is truly scary

Also Typically five minutes after a play ends I know exactly what I’m going to score it and what I’m going to say about it. That is not the case Here. I’m almost afraid to write my review because I have a feeling it could change over the next few weeks and months. These are all positive things because I know this will be one that I will be thinking about for a long time. Other than “woman in black” and Todd Robbins “play dead” I don’t ever remember being scared before at a theater. There’s a big difference between being on the edge of your seat and being scared. And this gives you both feelings which are great!
All the performances were great. The lighting and the direction we’re also great. I typically like bigger sets. But all the characters were very well written and I didn’t mind the minimal set at all. I do not like solo plays so I’m really glad this was not presented as a solo piece. Unfortunately I’ve not seen anything by this playwright but hope to see more in the future... Read more Read less

See it if You are hoping to get a real insightful look as to what it was like for the Temptations as they rose to fame

Don't see it if You are expecting a light and fluffy musical. This is very much a drama with some really sad moments

Also I don’t see many musicals so it’s probably not that big of a surprise but this is the second time I’m saying this in one week, this is my new favorite musical.
I was skeptical about seeing this because I know Otis Williams is alive and had a lot to do with putting this together. I was terrified that he was going to make himself look like a perfect angel and make the rest of the band look bad. There was a bit of that but I was pleasantly surprised.
The Most interesting thing about this is if you know nothing about the Temptations you will still enjoy this. If you are a big fan of them like I am you will also enjoy it... Read more Read less

See it if You like a murder mystery type play

Don't see it if You are expecting something new and fresh. This was good but a bit dated

Also Like most Broadway plays the acting, staging and set were all amazing. I don’t typically talk about direction a lot in my reviews but I do want to give props to the director. I thought they did a great job bringing out everything they could from a script that is a bit outdated
I really loved the picture they painted as the play was ending.
I was at the second preview and happy to see that all of the actors were very prepared... Read more Read less

See it if You like really big Broadway type shows outside of Broadway

Don't see it if You are looking for something new and fresh

Also I had no idea what to expect because I have never been in this building before. From the second I walked in I felt like a little kid. I couldn’t believe how big the space was. Just about everything about this show was great The set, the sound, all the visuals and the acting. I didn’t think the actual play itself was bad but it was just above average. I really like plays that take place along time ago but still hold up today. I was a little bit confused at the end of this because I didn’t understand why the main character did what he did?
I’m really glad I saw this and I hope in the future they make good use of the space... Read more Read less

See it if You like family dramas with a comedic twist. Two great performances by legendary actors

Don't see it if You are sick and tired of sitting in the worst Broadway Theatre in New York City.

Also It runs 2hours and 20 minutes. One entire scene should be cut out of the play. It’s the scene where Brian comes home from a night out and brings a guy he met at the bar into his parents home. What is this 1960? It’s like they just forced this scene to show what it’s like to be gay. The scene does not help the play move forward. It felt forced.
Other than that one scene I think everything else works. All of the acting was great. It’s almost impossible to stage a show in this uncomfortable theater but they did as good as they could.
I think all of the characters were incredibly believable especially the older couple. This is a subject that isn’t talked about much but there are many older couples that stay together for the sake of staying together. this was an interesting subject to explore... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in a play that focuses on Nazi Germany in the 1930s

Don't see it if You are bothered when actors break the fourth wall. A big part of this play is the character of the playwright who interrupts the play

Also I didn’t see the original so I don’t know this for sure but I’m assuming that what the character of the playwright tells us during the interruptions are true. Assuming that is the case I cannot imagine this play without those interruptions and rewrites. My score would probably be somewhere in the 30s
The play would have been better if they cut out most of what was written in the mid 80s and he just looked back at history from a 2019 perspective
The acting was great and the set was interesting but as is the case for most three hour plays it’s entirely too long... Read more Read less

See it if You Like plays that deal with very sensitive and usually not talked about subjects

Don't see it if It will drive you crazy knowing there are many things of this play that we, the audience, do not need to see

Also When I think about the topic of this play it makes me think I should love everything about this show. But there were so many things missing. The whole point of the second scene was to show us what it may have been like for the older brother when he was 15. This should have either been done with a real 15-year-old actress or this scene should have been cut completely and we should have just heard the details of what happened when he was 15 while he was telling this story to his brother. This way we could visualize exactly how it happened.
Plays like this are really frustrating to me because the idea is amazing. Nobody ever touches subjects like this. There were parts of it that were brilliant but the acting was uneven and the stage was absurd. I have no idea why there was a random statue on the stage in the first scene?
It’s also almost 2 hours long with no intermission
All three scenes could have been cut this should not have been any longer than 40 minutes... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy a tribute show where the performer gives his own take

Don't see it if You are expecting a typical play or musical. Or if you are hoping he will play the songs exactly as bowie did

Also Unlike the other tribute show I saw this week, this performer put his own take on things. Song choices were great. The storytelling was great. He has a great voice And an excellent piano player .
Very warm in the basement so make sure you take your coat off before it starts... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy perfect and realistic family dramas that will keep you captivated for three hours

Don't see it if You are looking for something light. I can’t imagine anyone seeing this play and not being emotionally moved to tears

Also Last year I saw Lewiston and Clarkston. These were my first two Samuel Hunter plays. I loved both of them. I believe this is not only better but perfection.
Every word he writes is mesmerizing. Every character is incredibly believable. I came from a small coal mining town in Pennsylvania so I can tell you firsthand that every character in this play was completely real. But you don’t have to be from a small town to appreciate this play. All the acting was incredible across the board. But the performance by Edmund Donovan may very well be the best performance I’ve ever seen on a stage in my entire life.
Just about every one of the negative reviews complain about the staging. I liked the staging but I don’t really care about it. I will go back and see this again with a blindfold that’s how incredible it is. I beg you if you’re reading this to go see this play.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a performer play 10 or so Paul Simon songs exactly the way he played them

Don't see it if You are looking for something original. If you are expecting to learn something new about Paul Simon you will be disappointed

Also There was nothing good or original about this entire show. I’m not a big fan of cover songs. At the very least if you pay tribute to someone like Simon you should at least try to put your own spin on some of the songs. The stories that the performer told about Simon were very basic and brief. I learned nothing new about him. There was nothing interesting with the lights. The performer had no wardrobe. There was supposed to be some stage design. There was a screen with a projector but it looked like a five-year-old from the 1990s made a PowerPoint presentation. After he played what he called his final song he said he was going to do something extra at the end and as he started to loop some of the music he realized that his bass was not working. It was clear that a cable was bad. He finally figured this out, started again only to have the same problem. This was how the show ended. I thought this was opening night but it wasn’t. Did they not sound check?... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a theater piece that shows a positive and uplifting ending to a school shooting

Don't see it if You have already seen several shows in the last five years about school shootings. This is probably the most over done subject in theater

Also I thought the character of the custodian was interesting but the playwright did nothing to explore her or any of the other characters in this play.
Did the school shooting really happen because a student found out about the sexuality of another student?
I don’t think any of the acting was good but I don’t blame the actors I think it was more of a directors issue based on the below average staging of this production... Read more Read less

See it if You love horror and want to support it no matter what

Don't see it if You are expecting a thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat

Also I’m giving this some extra points for the attempt. I love horror and I love someone making an attempt at it but the only theater I’ve ever enjoyed that is horror based is “the woman in black”... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a play that deals with the struggles a family deals with trying to get immigration

Don't see it if It will bother you to see a play with so much potential fall a bit short

Also This is one of those rare plays that I really like but feel extremely disappointed leaving the theater. There is a ton of potential here. The outline of the play and all the chapters are excellent. But the sentences within the chapters are far from perfect.
During the anniversary scene and what I will call the close call scene both of these tender moments should have been a knockout punch to make the tears fall from your eyes. The scenes were well done and well acted but they missed an opportunity for the knockout.
At times they did capture perfectly the struggle of what this family was going through but there were other times that it was missed... Read more Read less

See it if you like old classic theater with a modern shake up

Don't see it if You are like me and have trouble comprehending old piece of theater

Also Sometimes I see plays that I don’t like and I know they are bad and I feel like no one would like them. That was not the case here I pretty much liked everything about the production except the actual play itself. The acting, staging, direction, lighting and sound were all excellent. The problem was I didn’t care one bit for the actual play itself.
This is my issue though.
A few times a year I try to challenge myself and go outside my comfort zone by seeing an old classic, a solo play or a musical and I usually end up regretting it because I typically don’t like these pieces of theater.
I don’t watch movies so I’ve never really seen anything regarding Dracula. I just didn’t really care for the story... Read more Read less

See it if You like good plays about really messed up and dysfunctional people

Don't see it if You are looking for a light piece of theater

Also I don’t consider myself to be a very smart person when it comes to the theater. When I decide to see a play after reading the description I try not to remember what the play is about. I also never look at any of the reviews and I’m glad I didn’t in this instance. My friend who I saw this with told me she knew where this was going at intermission and she said she was right after the play was over. I had no idea at intermission where it was going and I’m glad I didn’t but if I read all of these reviews it would have given me way too much information that I didn’t want to know about. Sometimes it’s good Not to be smart lol.
I typically don’t like a narrator for the sake of having one but I thought this was incredibly worked into the play I also don’t like it when one actor plays multiple roles but they almost poked fun at this and made it a part of the show and it really worked for me. I just love subjects that some people are too scared to tackle... Read more Read less

See it if You have the patience to sit through a long first act knowing that the payoff will be there in act two

Don't see it if You’re not interested in plays that don’t take place in the real world that we live in.

Also When I look at a playbill and see that the playwright and the director are the same person I always get concerned that there are not enough cooks in the kitchen. I believe that is the case here. I feel like this playwright loves this play and didn’t want to budge on anything so he decided to direct it himself.
The second act is incredibly crafted and while I do believe you need the first act to set this up, the first act definitely needs a lot of editing.
I hope if this play moves somewhere new the playwright is smart enough to bring someone else on board.... Read more Read less

See it if You like dramas that take place a long time ago but deal with issues that are still relevant today

Don't see it if You tend to be impatient. Act one is incredibly long and it does take a long time but the payoff is worth it

Also It’s very rare that I see a play and root for the characters that the playwright wants me to. This playwright got exactly what they wanted from me.
J.a. Morrison was perfection the way he interpreted the character of guy.
I always like it when a play makes me think about both sides of an issue, this certainly did that.
The only issue I have was with the first act. I feel like 15 or 20 minutes could have been shaved off of this. It’s still needed to be a two act play but it didn’t need to be two hours and 30 minutes.
The nice thing about act one was you knew it was going to lead to a big pay off and it certainly did... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in a play that shows the repercussions of what it’s like to be a teenage girl with an abusive father

Don't see it if You are expecting a different take on a subject that’s been done many times in the past

Also The shoe is there and so is the shoelace but somebody needs to put the lace inside the shoe and tighten it up.
Even though the subject has been tackled many times in the past, something much more interesting could have come out of this.
The only reason an intermission exists is because were supposed to be surprised by the character that appears at the end of act one. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. This could’ve been edited a bit and made into a one act play.
I don’t understand why this took place in what I’m guessing, based on the props, was the late 90s? The jokes they used 10 years prior about the Terminator movie we’re not funny and made me shake my head
I don’t think a few of the characters needed to appear on stage to get the point across.
Five minutes into the play we pretty much understand exactly what’s going to happen at the end. I will say that I was impressed by most of the fight choreography... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an old classic play that won a lot of awards a long time ago in a small theater

Don't see it if You are expecting a New York City quality show

Also A few minutes before I got to the theater I found out one of my favorite clients had passed away of cancer. That made me a emotional and I was expecting this play to pull everything out of me. I was worried that the acting may be below average but I thought the script would work but unfortunately it didn’t.
The three patients were written believably. Four of the five other characters were written and played annoyingly over the top.
I always get annoyed when I see an off off Broadway show in New York City and I feel like I saw a community theater show. I do realize this isn’t Broadway but when you go to the bathroom at intermission and bump into some of the actors that is unacceptable.
I thought the stage combat was terrible. It’s not that hard to teach someone how to slap another actor on stage.
This is general seating so if you see this show I would sit in the single row stage left.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy shows that poke fun at religion

Don't see it if You don’t like experimental and very over-the-top theater. There are loud and annoying screams and noises throughout

Also The only thing I liked about the production was is the smoke coming out of the tea.
There are some shows I dislike and I’m not sure if it’s because they’re really bad, meaning no one would like them or maybe I am just missing the point. I’m 100% positive on this one, I didn’t miss the point. Unless you are supporting a friend in the cast I don’t understand how anyone could possibly like this.... Read more Read less

See it if you like stories that take place in the mid-1800s

Don't see it if You are expecting this to be a funny farce

Also I didn’t understand what was going on in the first scene and I never caught up. You could tell by the uncomfortable polite laughs at the audience was not into it either. Quite a few people left at intermission. I’m not sure who’s writing all these positive reviews on here but what I saw tonight doesn’t deserve anything positive.
Not only did I not laugh I didn’t even come close to smiling. I was annoyed by every character.
They opened up the set in the second act but completely wasted what they had in the first act.
I was expecting a farce but it wasn’t even close to being funny. On top of all of that it was 2 1/2 hours long.
Because of the terrible bathroom situation at this theater intermission was almost 25 minutes
This is really a shame because I saw two other shows that are a part of this Irish Festival one of them was life-changing good and the other one was great... Read more Read less

See it if You like cheesy old theater humor

Don't see it if You are looking for a well written comedy. It’s not that, it’s also not a well written drama in any fashion

Also There wasn’t much I liked about this. I didn’t really care about this person. I’m not sure if I was supposed to? I also don’t understand why the lead was played by a male in drag?
This definitely has a musical type feel to it even though it’s not a musical. The audience members were clapping after every scene. They were even clapping when the actors were lip-synching. And the audience did the most annoying thing an audience can do. They clapped for an actor who read off a list of things in order. I never understand this. Why are we clapping? Because the actor said all of their lines in the correct order?
I assume this is a new play but it has the feel for one of those old plays that are not funny anymore and should be put to rest... Read more Read less

See it if You are looking for a totally different theater experience

Don't see it if You are not a fan of one person shows

Also I thought the actor did a really nice job playing several different parts.
I respect them for trying to do something completely different. But it didn’t work for me.
The show I saw was the first performance and unfortunately it won’t get any better. Everything was done well for what they were trying to do but unless you’re into something completely different you’re probably not going to like this especially if you’re expecting a traditional play.
Leaving the theater I didn’t really feel like I learned anything new about the subject... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a one-man performance who not only sings but also does many other voices and impressions

Don't see it if You are expecting a traditional musical. This is more of a history lesson than anything

Also The performer did a tremendous job. It takes a ton of work to pull something like this off. This is not only about singing or impressions, there’s a lot of visual stuff to take in as well. The biggest issue that I had with it is it went in to many directions. He spent a lot of time talking about his family and I don’t think many people care about his personal family. I feel like the show should’ve been more focused on what actually happened during that time. I also didn’t love all of the songs he chose but the ones he did he did a pretty good job with all of them.... Read more Read less

See it if You love well written and well acted family dramas

Don't see it if You are bothered by thick Irish accents

Also Clancy and Nightingale are absolutely perfection as mother and daughter. This is only the fifth play I have seen this year and I’m confident this will be in my top 10 plays for 2020.
There is an anything average about this play everything is excellent or perfection.
I’m usually bothered when an actor has to sit on stage before a play starts. There better be a really good reason to have that actor out there before the show starts and this is a perfect example of when it works.
It doesn’t matter if you’re Irish or not you will see yourself and all of your family members in all of these well written characters.
My friends couldn’t believe I was going to Queens to see a play, I would go see this if it was on the moon!... Read more Read less

See it if You are taking a child between 5 and 10 years old

Don't see it if You are expecting something new or fun or original

Also I knew this was going to be a family friendly show, in the first few minutes I was hoping to get some Charlie Chaplin silent movie. But this was nothing close. I don’t understand how anyone could find this amusing. You get hit with water if you’re sitting in the center orchestra and a bunch of small pieces of paper fall on you, they are supposed to be snowflakes.
The props and the set were very minimal and I was expecting something big and flashy. The last 30 seconds of the play are the best part and the first 30 seconds of the curtain call but the curtain call goes on and on and on... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a family friendly magic show for all ages

Don't see it if You know magic and expecting anything original, creative or new

Also I could write an entire book on the show. I know a lot about magic. This show is exactly what I was expecting it to be.
The creator, Simon painter, is brilliant in what he created. It’s a well oiled machine. People come to this show because they know they’re going to see magic and illusion. People do not care about the individual performers and that’s exactly what Simon wants. They can pay the magicians a small amount of money while they make millions and millions of dollars. It’s really a shame. And the most disappointing thing about it is it’s a very cheap show. The audience should expect more than they get with this but most don’t know any better. There isn’t one new illusion. It’s all old recycled stuff... Read more Read less

See it if You like shows where you get to feel very tender moments

Don't see it if You’re not into festival type shows. Minimal set, very black box

Also I’m a big fan of live music. I was a little annoyed with the guitar playing during the preshow. But when it was pulled back it fit in perfect with the show. I could not imagine this show without the guitar. I thought all of the acting was really good and the cast worked really well together.
There were a few nice moments but it didn’t tug at my heart hard enough or long enough... Read more Read less

See it if you like this theater space. It’s one of my favorite theaters to see a show in the city

Don't see it if You are expecting a straightforward play. This involves three actors playing multiple parts

Also The title of the play informs us that one out of every two gay black men will become HIV-positive. That really is sad. If I were gay and black I would have protected sex. There is a scene in this play that absolutely drove me crazy. The main character is on the telephone and being propositioned and he is asked if he has a “dirty dick “his responses no he is clean. Then this character comes over to his place and just as they are about to have sex the character throws the condom on the floor. After they are done having sex the new character is not interested in any relationship so it’s almost made into a joke that it was OK to possibly infect him with HIV simply because he wasn’t interested in having a relationship. The audience also pulled a sheet of paper out of a machine before the show started with a number on it and that was never used in the play just a total waste of paper... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see two incredible veteran actors in a very small space

Don't see it if You are looking for a big flashy Broadway type play. The set is interesting but it’s very black box style

Also I almost passed on this show because of some of the reviews I read on show score. I was pleasantly surprised by this. I gave it a 68 and that is a perfect score for this type of show. There’s nothing wrong with it. The acting is perfect. The direction is perfect. The set is great. With the script they had and the space they had to work with they could not have done a better job. If this show was done with actors that were not perfection I think this show would be very hard to sit through. It’s definitely worth checking out even if the story doesn’t grab you the two actors put on one hell of a display... Read more Read less

See it if You are bringing a child to see their first stage experience

Don't see it if You are expecting any type of a story this is just a bunch of people painted in blue and playing the drums

Also The best way for me to describe this is the exact way that I described seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time. I said “wow look at that!” And then 30 seconds later it was just a big giant hole on the ground”... Read more Read less

See it if You are like me and don’t like or understand most musicals. I would consider this a great gateway musical. Very hard not to like

Don't see it if You are expecting the same old songs from the movie

Also This is the best musical I have ever seen. Let me get the negative out-of-the-way. I don’t like when shows start out having actors on the stage while the audience is walking into the theater unless it absolutely helps the script. It did not in this case I didn’t want to see all the costumes and actors as I was taking my coat off. I wanted that to be the big splash as the curtain dropped. It also breaks my heart as a huge fan of the old sideshow to see two actresses fake swallowing swords just as the show began. I was hoping they were going to make a joke out of it and show that they really didn’t swallow the sword but they actually took the applause from the audience. I called this stolen sideshow valor
The acting was superb. I’ve never seen acting like this in a musical. I was very surprised by all the new songs. I love current music and they did a great job making these songs their own... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a play that takes place over 100 years ago.

Don't see it if Do you have trouble understanding plays that take place along time ago. Two person play

Also I usually have a lot to say about everything I see but I was lost from the very beginning on this one. I had trouble following the story. When it was over I didn’t understand what I saw.... Read more Read less

See it if You like over the top, bazaar and farce type humor

Don't see it if You are hoping for a normal two act play. This is three acts and over 2 1/2 hours

Also The first act was terrible! I never leave plays early so I was terrified as to what would happen next. The second act involves all the same characters but it had to do with a completely different subject. I was amused by the dark comedy in the second act. The third act was more similar to the second.
I don’t think I’ve ever attended a play in my entire life that got that much better after the first act. I don’t think the second and the third acts are great but they are much better than the first act. The acting was very balanced and overall good. There wasn’t much to the set. I’ve never seen anything by this playwright before but he definitely seems like a weird dude... Read more Read less

See it if You love dramas that involve unlikable but well written characters in their 20s

Don't see it if You will be bothered by a play that is 2 1/2 hours that should not be this long

Also I get so frustrated when I come out of the theater and really really like a play that could be so much better with just a few simple changes.
If you like the play “heroes of the fourth turning” you will also like this. The major issue that I have with this is the first act is entirely too long! The best advice that I can give a young playwright is that when you think your play is 100% finished force yourself to chop off 10 minutes every time you cross over to a new hour. So if the play is over two hours long you need to cut 30 minutes out
I love good plays about bad people and that’s exactly what you have here. These characters are all whiny but it’s so fun to watch them. I thought all the acting was excellent I think tonight was the first show and everybody was great.
The other issue I have is with the very ending of the play.... Read more Read less