After the Blast NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (77)
See it if post-apocalyptic works that infuse all that makes us human, displacing most "sci-fi" elements to the borders of the story, sounds alluring.
Don't see it if eschewing anything even slightly moralizing--here, about how we're destroying our environment; losing ourselves in technology; losing touch. Read more
See it if you like post apocalyptic stories. This one is well crafted and beautifully acted, especially Cristin Miliotti.
Don't see it if you really don't like post-apocalyptic tales
See it if thought provoking play envisioning a micromanaged world below ground after a nuclear holocaust. the female lead gave a terrific performance
Don't see it if you are looking for a light or funny play
See it if you like exploring issues of mental health and dystopian futures.
Don't see it if you prefer large shows with elaborate sets. Read more
See it if you want an apolitical, sensitively-written, plausible (if somewhat bleak) vision of the future, w/an authentic relationship at its heart.
Don't see it if you can't face another fictional post-apocalyptic drama in this real pre-apocalyptic atmosphere; you can't endure a long, cloying ending.
See it if you like post-apocalyptic stories and excellent acting.
Don't see it if you dislike stories about in/fertility.
See it if you love Zoe Kazan's work or are fans of the talented actors. You are up for a slow, smart foray into post-apocalyptic living conditions.
Don't see it if you have no patience for dialogue-heavy, slow burning dramas. Read more
See it if You want to see a beautiful and poignant take on a dystopia underground after earth is rendered inhabitable. Moving and ultimately uplifting
Don't see it if You hate dystopias on stage and human-robot relationships. You are disturbed by questions of the use of life after nuclear winter kills all.
Critic Reviews (21)
"Almost every scene runs on too long, particularly in the first act. The play eventually just runs out of steam and ends rather abruptly which is a shame because it contains much of interest. The premise is fascinating, the cast is appealing...Director Lila Neugebauer, who seems to work best with ensembles, doesn’t seem at the top of her form here."
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“Kazan’s in impressive command of both the text, which is smart and witty, and the subtext, which is heartwarming and inspirational. But credit also must be shared with the sensitive staging by Neugebauer...And still even more praise must go to the excellent cast...’After the Blast’ has its longeurs but they're leavened by its humor and by the play's resolute conviction that the sacrifices we make today are necessary...but also so that we can make life worth living for the people we love now.”
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"I applaud the decision to include a robot as a major character in a stage play, but the execution of this bot’s design and locomotion is lackluster...The clunky design prevents an emotional connection to Arthur, robbing the play of the dramatic impact it could hold...Kazan has a good ear for dialogue and an impressive skill for creating a universe and doling out exposition, but much of the plot in this play is predictable...However, the performances are exquisite."
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"The stage is so close and their expressions so visible that the excellent, very natural performances of Milioti and Jackson Harper feel intensely intimate...The play feels beached between a dark portrait of post-apocalyptic life and a relationship on thin ice, and a comedy about a cute robot entering the domestic realm. It settles, far from detrimentally, for being all of those things and at a time when the possibility of the end of the world feels disconcertingly present."
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"Kazan’s play piercingly probes gender dynamics, which have remained stagnant...Kazan’s carefully constructed script is peppered with delightful moments of comedy and social commentary. Passing mentions of the self-described Singles Compound and Anna’s weariness with writing clickbait puff-pieces add moments of levity and criticism. Seeing a complicated woman who is difficult to understand, both written and played with compassion, is a rare thrill."
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