See it if you would love to see the 50s sci fi puppet show your friends made at 10-years-old written, acted and directed professionally.
Don't see it if you think good theater has to be serious.
See it if You want to see sci-fi fable told thru really raggedy bear puppets. Among my group, consensus was "Dafuq did I just watch? Like it, though"
Don't see it if You don't want to see something weird, preferring a conventional stage experience.
See it if You are entertained by quirky, surprising and inventive theatre and can laugh easily at ridiculousness.
Don't see it if You don't like puppetry or unusual staging/story; and silliness irritates you
See it if you enjoy a silly story with great puppets. It is very fringe show like.
Don't see it if puppets are not your thing.
See it if you enjoy absurd humor and self-aware shows and want to see something lighthearted.
Don't see it if you want to see a moving production. or are particularly keen on space being a part of the show. it's mostly bears.
See it if enjoy very funny writing and over the top acting. the puppets and visuals are great.
Don't see it if monty python type humor or puppets
See it if You like British humor and interesting stories told through puppetry
Don't see it if You don't like puppets or bears
See it if You want some really good laughs in a refreshing show. Original and creative. Fun, inventive storytelling! You're open to silliness.
Don't see it if You take yourself or theater too seriously. You dislike puppets. Your humor is high brow.
"There are a lot of laughs, courtesy of Quinn’s writing and performance...Colley runs a well-oiled production with abundant props and actors doing triple duty; he keeps the antics absurd without them becoming silly or slapsticky. Sure, 'Bears in Space' is not a very deep or meaningful show. But the four actors are clearly having a great deal of fun, and so will you."
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"Picture four nutty, madcap and inventive performers who are darkly humorous...in this frenetic implausible story of non-stop freaky, surreal theater...The ensemble of bedraggled looking actors exude a charm that fits in just perfectly. You’ll laugh out loud at some of the bits; especially clever are the homemade drawings and cutouts that serve as shadow puppets. It’s all very makeshift and very bizarre and very brave!"
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"It’s a razor-sharp romp, a leave-your-grumpy-day-at-the-door good time, that doesn’t take itself too seriously but is excitingly professional, crisp and grown-up without being idiotic or slapstick...Don’t look for nuanced story craft from the Story Keeper. Enjoy the incredibly detailed and fine character work by the performers. Enjoy the sharp dialog by the writer Eoghan Quinn, who also captures your heart as Bhourgash, the would-be captain...And enjoy the wonderfully lo-fi production values."
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"The highest level of silliness that one can experience in the theater...The all-male cast of four take turns in puppetry and playing actual characters, each showing off their skills as great actors...The uncomplicated story serves the production well...These alternative Fab Four are clearly in confident control of the show, treating us to polished and thoughtful deliveries, all the while never taking themselves too seriously and allowing the story to flow in all its humorous glory."
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"It’s all well done, the actors are expert comedians and puppeteers, and there are effective shadow projections and McCauley’s amusing music, so, if you’re up for this kind of prankish theatre, ‘Bears in Space’ may prove a pleasant enough diversion. Moreover, surprisingly for this kind of show, it doesn’t depend on smut for its laughs. I generally love nutty stuff like this but ‘Bears in Space’ hit my funnybone so infrequently all I could do was grin and bear it."
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"The four actors are all appealing performers. The deliberately scruffy puppets and makeshift props are appropriate to the playful spirit...Struck me as less entertaining than it was meant to be. Douglas Adams did it better in his galactic 'Hitchhiker' series...I image it was much more effective in some tiny fringe venue. The audience was loving every minute of it, so I felt that I was the odd man out."
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"80 minutes of absurd (and absurdly creative) hilarity...Despite the abundant homage, there are so many creative and comedic touches to surprise and delight that the end product feels both fresh and timeless...Director Dan Colley has done wonderful things making the play interesting and accessible...The show never lags, never exhausts and delights without faltering in its tone or sacrificing character development for laughs...It has a big, silly heart and isn’t afraid to flaunt it."
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"Quinn is clearly gifted, fashioning a hilarious and weirdly touching sci-fi drama out of found materials and puppetry. It helps that the show features gifted performers with terrific work from Gleeson and a star-making turn by 'Love/Hate' newcomer Aaron Heffernan. Reviews that have called 'Bears in Space' silly escapist fun seem to miss or overlook the whip-smart critiques of contemporary political and social mores, because Quinn manages to smuggle in quite a lot of subversion."
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