Afterplay
Closed 1h 0m
Afterplay
86

Afterplay NYC Reviews and Tickets

86%
(35 Ratings)
Positive
94%
Mixed
6%
Negative
0%
Members say
Great acting, Absorbing, Intelligent, Great writing, Thought-provoking

About the Show

Irish Repertory Theatre presents Brian Friel's play about the later lives of two of Chekhov’s enduring characters: Sonya from 'Uncle Vanya' and Andrey from 'The Three Sisters.' Part of Origin’s 1st Irish Festival.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (35)

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536 Reviews | 279 Followers
100
Absorbing, Exquisite, Fine acting, Intelligent, Masterful

See it if you enjoy exquisite acting, especially from Dermot Crowley. The writing is intelligent. You need to know something about the characters.

Don't see it if you are not a fan of Chekhov, and do not know who these characters are and from what plays they appear.

50 Reviews | 20 Followers
100
Absorbing, Great acting, Intelligent

See it if This is a deeply touching play whose universal themes eloquently address life's challenges, vulnerabilities and small victories

Don't see it if You prefer big, flashy productions

380 Reviews | 138 Followers
97
Delightful, Entertaining, Great acting, Great writing, Must see

See it if you like great theater.

Don't see it if you dislike Chekhov or haven't read/seen any of his plays.

194 Reviews | 136 Followers
95
Great acting, Great writing, Melancholy but not without humor, Chekhovian

See it if you believe that magic can happen when two great actors sit on a stage and speak a great playwright's words.

Don't see it if you don't like Chekhov, or you're such a Chekhov purist you can't stand the idea of someone else writing a play about his characters.

151 Reviews | 19 Followers
94
Absorbing, Great writing, Intelligent

See it if You enjoy two old pros commanding the stage

Don't see it if You don't remember your checkov

774 Reviews | 246 Followers
90
Absorbing, Intelligent, Profound, Relevant, Romantic

See it if You want to experience two older people struggling with fantasy vs. reality and other issues. Wonderful dialog and acting.

Don't see it if You prefer something brighter or bigger. This is a "slice of life" with a lot to say. You don't need to be familiar with Chekhov.

761 Reviews | 165 Followers
87
Great acting, Enchanting, Resonant, Thought-provoking, Ambitious

See it if You enjoy stories about strangers who form an intense connection, wonder what happened to famous literary characters after play is over

Don't see it if You find static, 2 character plays tiring, not a fan of Brian Friel, cannot fathom subtlety or nuance, don't like having to listen

349 Reviews | 57 Followers
84
Topnotch acting, Intimate, Ruminative, Affirming, Literate

See it if You wondered what became of characters once their play ended. Has the young persona essentially changed or not? What is the value of hope?

Don't see it if Revisiting literary characters isn't appealing. An exercise more than a play, we eavesdrop on Sonya & Andrey made human by master actors.

Critic Reviews (8)

The New York Times
October 2nd, 2016

"Brian Friel’s melancholy, pocket-size play...Mr. Friel had been compared to Chekhov, with his gentle humor and reflective, subtle writing. That's certainly on display here. Nevertheless, the hourlong 'Afterplay' is a minor work by this Irish master, and could seem slight were it not for the superb pairing of Dermot Crowley and Dearbhla Molloy. Their dialogue sounds extemporaneous, their monologues genuine and heartfelt. Just as important, each listens to the other with visible compassion."
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Time Out New York
October 3rd, 2016

"Friel's one-act is infinitely gentle...'Afterplay' winds up as a mere atmospheric exercise by comparison, best enjoyed by those who know the sources. It is exquisitely executed, though. Joe Dowling's production gives Molloy and Crowley plenty of room to stretch, so even these miniature portraits feel lived in and real. Crowley in particular gives us a marvelous rendering of a man realizing that melancholy itself might be the grounds for a new friendship."
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Theatermania
October 2nd, 2016

"The Irish levity of Friel's dialogue, directed with palpable heart by Joe Dowling, makes for an enjoyable back-and-forth. But the piece doesn't truly capture our imaginations until this carefully laid groundwork of exposition reveals an organic bridge between the two protagonists. Sonya and Andrey make an ingenious pairing for Friel's joint epilogue...Even if the story of Sonya and Andrey is not resolved in the way we'd like, we appreciate the chance to greet them again."
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Lighting & Sound America
October 8th, 2016

"Friel was no purveyor of audience-baiting gimmicks, and his sensibility has led many to call him the Irish Chekhov. If 'Afterplay,' which can be enjoyed as an accomplished late-career chamber piece, proves anything, it's that these two playwrights, who lived decades apart, saw the world in remarkably similar ways...Friel's script is catnip for actors, and, under Joe Dowling's remarkably detailed direction, those fine Irish actors form a double portrait of middle-aged survivors."
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Talkin' Broadway
October 2nd, 2016

"This is ultimately a one-joke play that becomes more and more unsupportable in its thinness as its gag is explored. Without a production and actors operating at the highest level, it would seem a lark more deserving of your laughs than your concerns. Even with them, as here, it's teetering on the edge. But it doesn't fall off, because Dowling, Molloy, and Crowley are determined to find enough truth in it to keep it upright."
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W
October 3rd, 2016

"Brian Friel has written an immensely delicate piece. The first time one hears the name Vanya, it’s difficult not to wonder whether the play is an exercise, something the playwright might’ve created to amuse himself. By virtue of its unfussy truth and superb performances, however, the writing captures and holds attention...I can’t imagine a more balanced pair of actors...Director Joe Dowling has a light touch with serious subjects and skill with slow revelation."
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Blog Critics
October 17th, 2016

"It is enjoyable to see how Friel has allowed these characters to whisper to his intuition about where they might be after Chekhov’s ink dried on the last pages of both plays...Friel’s exercise is a human character study that is both witty and poignant...The able director Joe Dowling and the superb cast lay bare in this beautifully rendered production whose concision and acutely threaded authenticity are a breath of fresh air."
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Irish Central
October 3rd, 2016

"There are bright echoes of Samuel Beckett in Friel’s mordantly funny script and in Dowling’s nimble direction...Crowley is pitch perfect as the by turns proud and pretentious concert violinist...Molloy is ideally cast and gives such authoritative line readings that she becomes the still center of the show, the eye of its storm...It’s just two people meeting in a tea room but nothing less is at stake than their happiness, their sense of themselves, their past and what’s left of their futures."
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