American Moor (Red Bull Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets

82%

(143 Reviews)

Positive

89%

Mixed

11%

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Thought-provoking, Absorbing, Relevant, Intelligent

About the Show

This drama takes audiences into the audition room as an African-American actor responds to the demands of a white director presuming to better understand Shakespeare’s iconic black character, Othello.

From the show:

Keith Hamilton Cobb’s AMERICAN MOOR is the award-winning, tour-de-force new play that takes audiences behind-the-scenes and into the audition room as an African-American actor responds to the demands of a white director presuming to better understand Shakespeare’s iconic black character, Othello.

A passionate and poetic exploration, AMERICAN MOOR is an essential look at the experience and perspective of black men in America while challenging the capacity of theatre to make all people fully visible and embraced.

Member Reviews (143)

Cliched, Repetitive, Slow, Contradictory, Great acting

See it if You want to see a solid performance of a myopic text.Cute use of pedantic wording to try to give a vague Shakesperean ambiance to the script

Don't see it if The writing is very repetitive and often contradictory and hypocritical. Read more

Overly long, Great acting

See it if You enjoy 1 person shows and themes dealing with race.

Don't see it if You dislike 1 person shows. This one felt like it was a little too long.

Angry, Excruciating, Slow, Relevant, Indulgent

See it if Mostly a monologue, that attempts to draw a parallel between African American struggle for self-expression, and the Othello character.

Don't see it if Repetitive one-dimensional soliloquy by a resentful aging actor, who wants more creative freedom, spurred to rage by a bad director.

Dramatic, Intelligent, Edgy, Absorbing, Ambitious

See it if you enjoy expanding your perception of material that you believed you knew. This is a study of acting, being Black in American and Othello.

Don't see it if you don't know & are not interested in knowing Othello. You are looking for a light entertainment. You don't like a challenge.

Intense, Disappointing, Too long, Angry, Slow

See it if Actor wanting to play Othello and the director coming head to head about it.

Don't see it if Its repeat it self over and over. It would have be more powerful shorter.

Lecture-like, Heartfelt, Pedestrian

See it if you need to see every consideration of the character Othello or the relationship of today’s black actor to the historically problematic role

Don't see it if you’re expecting deep insight into the character Othello or the relationship of the contemporary black male actor to the problematic role. Read more

Resonant, Thought-provoking, Great acting, Edgy, Ambitious

See it if Author/actor Cobb dominates this semi-solo evening of performing Shakespeare's Moor in today's 'woke' environment Illuminating & powerful

Don't see it if Justifiable or not, Cobb's righteous anger often overwhelms the piece to a point of alienation It becomes as toxic as Othello's own jealousy

Thought-provoking, Relevant, Intelligent, Absorbing

See it if A one man outstanding performance by the writer himself. So relevant today re: past treatments of plays. Who is the real Othello ??????

Don't see it if Really a one person show. although another actor is involved Racial problems tackled..

Critic Reviews (14)

"In ‘American Moor,’ an Insider’s Guide to ‘Othello’: A new play argues that no one knows more about Shakespeare’s great tragedy than a man “born black in America.”
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4/5 Stars "Cobb is as compelling a dramatist as he is a thespian; the play is disquieting, perceptive and often bitingly funny. Having spent more than 30 years trying to appease others, Cobb demands that the members of his audience, especially the white ones, see him and meet him where he stands."
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3/4 Stars "Keith Hamilton Cobb delivers a compelling turn in this deeply felt meditation on Shakespeare and racism."
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"Seeing Othello Through a Black Actor's Eyes in American Moor: Keith Hamilton Cobb's play about theater and race in America has its New York premiere at the Cherry Lane Theatre."
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"Keith Hamilton Cobb's Breathtaking Exploration Of American Theatre's Intrinsic Racism, 'AMERICAN MOOR': A black actor, a white director, and a character named Othello"
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"Cobb's text and performance, especially as guided by the director, Kim Weild, expands the argument in a way that implicates us all…as this remarkably rich and rewarding evening hurtles toward its wrenching conclusion, Cobb makes us see the absurdity -- and the resultant sheer waste -- of our failure, after so many years, to hear what must be heard."
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3/5 Stars "Keith Hamilton Cobb Turns an Othello Audition Red Hot: The playwright/actor questions how effective any understanding between the races can be"
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“Cobb is titanic in this piece bringing his resonant voice and impressive physical presence to bear on the most famous classic role for a Black actor in the canon as well as his thoughts about race and the theater.”
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Trailer

Creative team