Boesman and Lena

See it if Two discarded apartheid slum dwellers trudge through life, angry at the world and each other. Haunting poetic language.

Don't see it if You don't want to stew in desperate abandonment. I was mesmerized & saw the human condition in them.

Also Something that's been used too long. The old pot that leaks, the blanket that can't even keep the fleas warm. Time to throw it away. How do you do that when it's yourself? -Lena
***
There was something else in that fire, something rotten. Us! Our sad stories, our smells, our world! And it burnt, brother. It burnt. -Boesman
***
Sometimes loneliness is two... you and the other person who doesn't want to know you're there. -Lena... Read more Read less

See it if Fugard's poetic prose & dynamic lead performances make this bleak existential drama bearable Apartheid is just metaphor for its universality

Don't see it if Overwritten (about 20 minutes worth) w/political themes becoming a little forced Lena feels a bit more complex (character-wise) than Boesman

See it if you’d like to see 3 powerful performances in a beautiful production of an important play from 1 of our playwriting giants.

Don't see it if 2 uninterrupted hours of intensity would put too great of a strain on you.

Also On the night I saw the current Signature revival of “Boesman and Lena” all 3 actors gave intelligent, detailed, meticulous, powerful performances. Zainab Jah’s Lena was an emotional volcano, simmering or roiling for much of the time & erupting at frequent intervals. But in this production it also hit me that some of the writing is ever-so-slightly stilted, a little too presentational to feel truly lived, & Boesman, flatter than Lena, seemed a bit more like an instrument to Lena’s personal revelation than his own man. But that’s what sharp revivals like this one are good for, giving theatergoers a chance to resituate themselves in relation to a great work. Anyone interested in thrilling acting or in the inestimable Fugard’s body of work will want to see this.... Read more Read less

See it if Credit due for the acting. Minimal set meets the story-line. The smaller signature site works. Partner gave it a much higher rating.

Don't see it if Depressing. My rule of thumb. 90 minutes NO intermission, 105 minutes a MUST intermission. (91-104 Director/Writer discretion see ALSO

Also 2 hours without one is not the best for the Signature audience During the final scene (maybe 3 minutes) Ngaujah's voice is completely lost.
Of the 6 Fugard works that we have seen ,this is my least favorite. (It was true for the original as well)... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy Fugard, like plays about apartheid in South Africa or intense character studies about those impacted by apartheid

Don't see it if Do not like Fugard or plays about apartheid, unfamiliar with South Africa’s class system, dislike loud arguments, violence against women

See it if So. African dysfunctional couple forced into indigence fight the label of "the white man's rubbish." Lena carries the brunt of his abuse.

Don't see it if Afrikaaner spoken here without subtitles. Threatening violence. Two hours without a break. Slow. Someone not allowed to take a bow.

Also "He walks in front.I walk behind.We used to be side by side.""I am from this Earth, not in this Earth."... Read more Read less

See it if moving; audience stunned by tragedy of characters uprooted, dehumanized by apartheid; Zainab Jah amazing Lena trying to retain her humanity

Don't see it if play starts slowly on moonscape mudflats where Boesman/Lena 1st appear but soon stage filled w rage/conflict offset by small acts of grace

Also (1) Violence: Boesman beats Lena and is generally abusive towards her. This shows insidious way in which apartheid causes the abused to turn on each other. (2) Spark of humanity: Nonetheless, in feeding & comforting very poor black man whose native language she does not understand, Lena shows her empathy/need for connection/core dignity amid the most inhumane conditions. (3) Importance of home: Lena in incantatory manner repeats/tries to remember the path of journeys that she and Boesman have been compelled to take as itinerants after being evicted by whites from their paltry homesteads. In this way, this play written 50 years ago - showing how devastating a loss of home can be - resonates in this age of mass migration of refugees uprooted by war and other atrocities. (4) The Art: The play is beautifully directed by Yael Farber, including use of sound to evoke primal feelings & a moonscape-like set to underline the desperate fate of the characters.... Read more Read less

See it if you’re looking for a break from light, fluffy theatre. This is a slow, thoughtful show with terrific performances.

Don't see it if you prefer escapist theatre and are just looking for a fun night out.

See it if you want to see tour de force performances. Very impressive. I don't even know how the actors can sustain such performance levels nightly.

Don't see it if You want to be entertained, this felt like work. Felt like the audience was being assaulted too. That said, important message and play.

Also I am a fan of Athol Fugard's work and first saw his plays at the Yale Rep in the 1980s so I was very excited to see this one that I had never seen. Re the tone of the play, I've never seen such sustained fighting in a show, there was no let up and no humor. Very unpleasant and difficult to watch because there was nothing else going on for two hours. I know it is an old play, but if they are going to cut the intermission in this performance (which makes some sense to keep the focus), they should also cut some time from the play too. I realize they don't do that, but this play called out for that treatment.... Read more Read less

See it if you love great acting; enjoy plays of substance w/words being more important than action; set sparsity reflects human condition of the time.

Don't see it if you want an uplifting, fast paced, colorful story, a happy ending/ something fun. The acting is terrific, and the story painful.

See it if you want to see a new interpretation of a classic play. Also, a stunning performance by Zainab Jah.

Don't see it if you can't sit for two hours. Also, if you are not interested in how apartheid treats displaced people.

Also Kudos to the Signature Theatre for resurrecting this classic play and interpreting it in a new light.... Read more Read less

See it if You feel compelled to be able to brag that you've seen all of Mr. Fugard's plays. This is an endurance test.

Don't see it if You appreciate Mr. Fugard's notable work. As soon as I get home I plan to shower to remove the actual dirt from the play set off.

See it if you want to see the great performances and an intelligent play.

Don't see it if you don't want to see a sad and painful show dealing with apartheid and the displacement of people. If you're looking for a light show.

See it if ...you are very familiar with the history of South African apartheid. This play was a master stroke of its time.

Don't see it if ...a play that has, at its center, a physically abusive relationship between a man and a woman disturbs you. I found this hard to watch.

See it if a show written about apartheid but relevant to a variety of issues today including abuse & refuges, homelessness; very emotional dialogue

Don't see it if verbose monologues during a 2 hour intermission-less play, physical abuse against a woman; want something uplifting

Also Not my favorite Fugard play. (Doesn't come close to Painted Rocks.. or Master Harold. But his dialogue is moving, insightful & intelligent.
Mention of bulldozers made me think of the bulldozers at Calais (The Jungle).
Even a character (the male) that you will probably not like has important things to say.
This could not have had an intermission without losing its impact but could have been trimmed.
Amazing performances especially considering the loads they carry.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Fugard plays. Staging and props are interesting.

Don't see it if you want a plot. Man and woman meander around desert-like land looking for somewhere to sleep. Lots of yelling. Nothing much happens.

Also Seems like a copy of Waiting For Godot, but nearly as good.

See it if you enjoy the playwright's works. You enjoy an intellectual play. You HAVE to pay attention the entire 2hrs.

Don't see it if you want to feel involved in the story. Great acting, but the consistent tone made me lose focus often. Lack of intermission - ouch!

See it if How to feel seen when stuck in a sh*t loop of a life as a couple carries more and more burdens. Suffering happens without hope.

Don't see it if Domestic violence (man hitting woman) or apartheid are triggering. Another depressing, older "slave play" by a White man.

Also Ticket from box office for $40.
Disclaimer: never watched/read this play before, so this is my first experience of it.... Read more Read less

See it if a story about the inhabitants of the South African mudflats sounds like an interesting evening in the theater.

Don't see it if this is your first professional actor production of the show after only knowing it from the college production your three friends starred in

Also I had many expectations I carried along with me into the theater to see this production. I have seen a number of the playwrights other plays over the last 30 years, but not this play. In fact my ONLY reference to this play was the production in college in which three of my friends starred in. Needless to say, but I remember the college production to be an almost completely different story than the play I saw upon there on stage tonight being performed by this professional group of actors. In this case, time made me remember the plot of the play very differently. In fact, in my college production, the character of the Old African was actually portrayed by a black woman. It ACTUALLY worked, if I do say so myself. This production was HARD for me to watch because of the brutality heaped on both the character of Lena and the Old African and what I NOW know about the history of South African. Oh well!... Read more Read less

See it if You are a Fugard fan. Appreciate an intense production of this "everyman" tale.

Don't see it if You can't abide dialogue laden dramas between two characters.

See it if Brilliant theater ... so much to unpack. Flawless performances and exquisite production. Must see ... “Freedom is a long walk”

Don't see it if Run don’t walk.

See it if Surreal Godot-like exploration of apartheid’s effects on poor black couple untethered to time, place or even common language;links to today

Don't see it if Intense but at times slow moving two hours without intermission. Although poetic language is beautiful it can be hard to follow

See it if if you haven't seen this rarely produced Fugard play; superb acting about valuing or not valuing human beings in any era. Deeply emotional.

Don't see it if you can't tolerate 2 hours of profoundly demanding drama including some in untranslated language with no intermission.

See it if very good acting is important to you; Fugard's view of South Africa is meaningful to you even if painful

Don't see it if you prefer fun or funny plays; you like musicals or comedies; you have no interest in a slow-moving play

See it if you love Fugard and want to see everything he wrote and you can appreciate great acting even in a play that is "lesser Fugard".

Don't see it if you don't want to be depressed. This play is absolutely a relentless "downer"!