A Simple Art
Closed 1h 30m
A Simple Art
68

A Simple Art NYC Reviews and Tickets

68%
(25 Reviews)
Positive
52%
Mixed
40%
Negative
8%
Members say
Quirky, Ambitious, Clever, Confusing, Thought-provoking

About the Show

New York Neo-Futurists present a true-crime piece examining the 2014 murder of Father Eric Freed, who was the high-school priest of playwright, director, and performer Alex Vlahov.

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Member Reviews (25)

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754 Reviews | 124 Followers
65
Confusing, Quirky, Funny, Ambitious, Disappointing

See it if experimental theater that breaks down the usual concept of performance interests you.

Don't see it if if you expect a story to be acted. This is read from documentation. Inexplicable activities like making toast & playing LPs occupy the cast

don
506 Reviews | 1000 Followers
85
Clever, Entertaining, Intelligent, Quirky

See it if a tale worth telling. clever use of props etc. free toast and coffee all 3 actors a credit to interpretative acting

Don't see it if some repetition. maybe more songs etc of the times.... but these are minor

563 Reviews | 194 Followers
55
Disappointing, Indulgent, Confusing, Good idea, poor execution, Ambitious

See it if You like plays based on real events. You enjoy multi-perspective storytelling. You want to support an experimental theatre company.

Don't see it if You want a clear narrative story arc. You don't like meta elements. You don't like stylized acting. Read more

484 Reviews | 130 Followers
70
Quirky, Different, Docu/personalstory, Heartfelt, Good use of media

See it if want experimental storytelling with meandering details of the murder of a priest told by 3 member cast playing all characters +free coffee

Don't see it if you hate experimental theater, being offered coffee & toast, using your imagination, want to see action rather than being told about it

435 Reviews | 61 Followers
50
Slow, Dizzying, Banal, Disappointing, Excruciating

See it if You enjoy sophomoric theatre that seems to last for hours but only an hour and 10 minutes minutes...you need a snooze

Don't see it if If there's something good on TV like LEAVE IT TO BEAVER

426 Reviews | 99 Followers
72
Absorbing, Ambitious, Relevant, Clever, Edgy

See it if You are not distracted by drab house, no staging, untrained youth delivering a mesmerizing, beautifully integrated tale.

Don't see it if you are not interested in a recreation of a murder filtered through the vision of one who knew the victim and whose life was changed. Read more

291 Reviews | 708 Followers
70
Ambitious, Thought-provoking, Resonant, Indulgent

See it if you enjoy very personal true crime stories and you're open to documentary style storytelling in which the 4th wall does not exist.

Don't see it if you're expecting traditional storytelling; you're sensitive to depictions of violence & police mishandling resulting in tragic consequences. Read more

379 Reviews | 69 Followers
65
Funny, Confusing, Quirky

See it if you like unusual presentations, audience interactivity or are interested in fringe original work.

Don't see it if you prefer traditional theater and a logical sequential storyline.

Critic Reviews (3)

Theatre is Easy
June 7th, 2017

“Audience members shouldn’t expect the safety of a fourth wall and a clear-cut Aristotelian narrative. Instead, this is a piece where Neos do what Neos do best: keep you alert with their thought and movement deviations; effortlessly incorporate intersecting perspectives; make you cry, think and laugh all with the same thought; and always leave you wanting more. There are no accidents on this stage. This is clearly a studied piece, the fruit of labor, but it can get confusing. Embrace it.”
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R
June 8th, 2017

“The New York Neo-Futurists' gem of a small piece, ‘A Simple Art,’ explores the death of a small-town priest to tell the world how stories affect us all. The excellent three-person ensemble uses recordings, music, documentary styles, maps and emotions to lay out the story of Father Eric's murder. Then they use that story to reach the humanity and shared emotions of us all in a touching, humorous and charming way.”
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The Huffington Post
June 4th, 2017

"This kind of story is where the Neos’ mastery of theatrical experimentation shines...One of the greatest strengths of the piece is how it manages to incorporate all three performers, and stretch the scope of impact and influence outside of the immediate story. And yet I found myself wanting to know more...All in all, I found 'A Simple Art' to be engaging, creative, and thought-provoking, and I am left feeling like true crime theatre is something I would love to see more often."
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