"Script is informed and well structured, smoothly delivering exposition through credible dialogue...The director has a tough dynamic to achieve and he deals with that by having his actors yell a lot. He does keep the tension high, however. The plot delivers a couple of satisfying surprises for the audience, but the blunt ending would benefit from a little more stagecraft."
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"It’s not enough to save the flawed writing...Author Michael Ricigliano has written a literate piece, but one that just doesn’t hold together. Director John Gould Rubin compensates by keeping the pace fast and the action sustained, moving his actors around the stage with a deft hand."
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"A skillfully written, directed, and acted gangland drama set in a deserted warehouse in New Jersey...'A Queen for a Day' is a strong, nicely claustrophobic journey through the criminal underground. The playwright, Mr. Ricigliano, Jr., was a lawyer prior to his drama career, and he weaves a logical argument here. It’s certainly bleak and tragic, a bit more than just melodrama. This critic was happy to leave and walk into the sunlight."
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"When the play finally gets where it's going, or when it attempts to depart from generic expectations and 'gangster tropes,' it isn't all that surprising, largely due to the play's inability to show rather than simply tell...The characters spend so much time shouting at each other that shouting quickly loses any gravitas or fear inducing possibility, and the most effective moments creep in when everyone finally just calms down and listens."
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"'A Queen for Day' certainly does not cover new ground. It often feels like a parody of the “bada-bing, bada-bang” brand. The 90 minute show will presumably appeal to followers of the leading men and hard core fans of the mobster genre. But for the rest, you can simply, “Fuggetaboutit.”"
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"'A Queen For A Day' is a great night out for anyone who loves to quote the line 'I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.' It’s even a riveting play about identity and what it means to truly love. You’ll leave the theatre contemplating the real meaning of family and not in a Hallmark Christmas movie way."
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"Miss 'The Sopranos?' Do you hanker for more stories about modern-day wise guys? If so, familiar faces and mobbed-up content can be found at 'A Queen for a Day,' a new drama. The 90-minute play ends abruptly and it would benefit with a coda, but Ricigliano writes some meaty dialogue and the actors chew on it believably."
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"A solid production. Ricigliano Jr.’s writing was very tight and well done, and while it felt drawn-out and predictable at times, his plot twists were surprising while still being realistic to the world and plot he created. It’s definitely a production worth seeing, regardless of whether or not you’re a 'Sopranos' fan."
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