After the Blast NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (77)
See it if you are interested in very new-feeling theater. You like black mirror, the giver, ready player one, etc.
Don't see it if You don't like fantasy/the future. You don't care about stories about marriage or depression.
See it if You want to see excellent acting and great writing about post-nuclear human survival.
Don't see it if I honestly can't think of a reason not to see this!
See it if you want to see two excellent lead performances in a deeply touching and moving play about relationships, humanity, and mental health.
Don't see it if You shy away from darker subjects or you prefer larger more outlandish production values.
See it if you like cute robot companions; great acting; contemplation of intimacy and fatality
Don't see it if you want an action packed book
See it if You want to see fantastic acting in an engaging story. Very interesting and thought provoking throughout.
Don't see it if You don’t want to see a depiction life after a nuclear holocaust.
See it if You like the cast (Chidi from The Good Place is amazing but also the others). You like dystopian shows.
Don't see it if You are not interested in seeing shows about a possible upsetting future. You are triggered by stories dealing with fertility issues.
See it if you are interested in futuristic drama. Very deep thinking and view into the possibilities of the future. Must enjoy drama. if you like 1984
Don't see it if you prefer light and fluffy shows. this show deals with topics that may be frightful for some.
See it if you like stories about individual life in a post-apocalyptic society, where free choice is limited, and most experiences are simulated.
Don't see it if you dislike sci-fi, robots, or plays that take time to reveal their strength, but do see it if you appreciate fantastic acting.
Critic Reviews (21)
"Arthur, while claiming no emotions, wins over Anna's affection, asking numerous questions about her world with a naïve warmth...And even with Kazan's text leaning heavily on the human side, it's to Milioti's credit that she's never upstaged by this loveable piece of stagecraft...What began as another cautionary dystopian tale, cleverly draws the audience into a touching story of trying to find something real while surrounded by life's artificial sweeteners."
Read more
"Kazan has managed to write the rare play that is enhanced by its genre elements. Rather than serving as mere adornments, the sci-fi elements suggest a level of introspection rarely seen in modern plays...Anchored by Milioti's absolutely luminous performance, 'After the Blast' is a profound meditation on the nature of the soul, our relationship to objects, and our fear of connecting to those who are closer to us."
Read more
"Remarkably accomplished...At its heart, 'After the Blast' is a true domestic drama...All of this unfolds smoothly on Daniel Zimmerman’s minimalist sets under Lila Neubeurger’s expert direction, which makes the show’s 2 ½ hours feel far shorter...But Kazan deserves the ultimate praise for making us look deep into our souls and ask what we would do for love and what we would do to survive. I would hardly call 'After the Blast' a blast, but I would call it necessary theatrical viewing."
Read more
“Everything about this production supports Kazan’s vision beautifully. First and foremost, the superb talents of Milioti and Harper as Anna and Oliver. Every interaction between the two of them was natural, believable and focused. It was a master class that every acting student should attend. Neugebauer directed with a deft and subtle hand, keeping the pace crisp, accentuating the humor, and playing against the stereotype of a dark underground world.”
Read more
"Deals with this tension between reality and chosen illusions in its own provoking way, with equitable humor, empathy, and pathos. Kazan exhibits a formidable talent for writing...Some of the most poignant exchanges are between Anna and the robot, Arthur...Kazan is sensitively navigating the murky, ethical waters of what it means to deceive ourselves and the ones we love when faced with stupefying adversity."
Read more
"Perhaps the most surprising and daring element of 'After the Blast' is how natural this all feels...The play occasionally veers into melodrama in the second act...Kazan also waits too long to introduce the concrete specifics of earth’s fallout...At other times, though, she ties together strands of plot with surgical precision."
Read more
“The scripted head butting of cuteness and cuteless might appeal to some but not to others...It’s clear that Kazan is after the miscommunications that can accrue between two people who love each other trying to solve problems, but she doesn’t quite get there—even though Milioti and Harper and the five other supporting players, directed by the busy Lila Neugebauer are fine. That there’s only the slim hint of a premature resolution also doesn’t help.”
Read more
"An intriguing, engaging, and laugh-laced philosophical discourse with heart...Arthur provides a cannister full of laughs, yes; but he serves as not only a canny expository device—with Anna filling him in with knowledge and backstory—but as an emotional center of the play as well...Milioti does wonderfully as the desperate housewife...The play has been smartly directed by Lila Neugebauer."
Read more