Breeders NYC Reviews and Tickets

"'Breeders,' though quite funny and thoughtful in parts, falters...Amusing for an instant, the parallels very quickly grow tiresome under Jaki Bradley’s less than light-footed direction. Worse, the satire deflates into whimsy. But things improve as the two stories, or at least the two pairs of actors, eventually start to interpenetrate...Giles has a good eye for satire and a twitchy ear for dialogue...What Giles hasn’t yet managed to do in 'Breeders' is transcend his cute gimmick."
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"Both nature and nurture take it on the chin in 'Breeders,' Dan Giles’s sly and keen-witted dark comedy...Scrappily directed by Jaki Bradley, 'Breeders' goes in unexpected directions: It includes a hilarious scene of deadpan violence, a soupçon of Greek tragedy and a kind of sex play I don’t think I’ve seen onstage before. At its heart is a cheeky inquiry into the naturalness of domesticity that transcends distinctions of species, sexuality and gender."
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"As the action of 'Breeders' shuttles back and forth between humans and hamsters, a feeling of ennui sets in: The decision to duplicate the conflict among differing species does little to add humor or dramatic interest. Mikey and Dean's endless, circular arguments quickly become grating...Bradley's direction does much to add some snap and pace to the action, but she can't prevent 'Breeders' from being an evening of neurotic fretting by four characters who hardly seem worth one's time."
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"Uneven but likable...The two narrative universes don’t really cohere. Still, the play has its entertaining and insightful aspects...There are plentiful comic one-liners and also sharp observations in Mr. Giles’ well-crafted dialogue...The tensions, concerns and sensibilities of the long-term gay couple all ring true, but interspersing these with the mildly entertaining hamster story feels like a strategic theatrical device that undercuts the main plot to no great effect."
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"A wonderfully quirky, elegantly crafted new play with some startlingly unsettling moments...It takes a lot to shock me, and shock me 'Breeders' did, on more than one occasion. Bradley’s direction does not shy away from these moments, allowing them the space they need to be fully understood. Thankfully she has some brave performers willing to take the risk...Giles’ play is smart. He doesn’t show all of his cards until the moment is right...This play is well worth your time."
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"A very funny play that commands frequent fits of laughter. However, at its core are Giles’ complex characters quietly suffering through their loneliness...Bradley is a good director because you don’t see her. What you see are actors with a clear understanding of the text, and a design team led by someone who empathizes with the play’s world and its complicated relationships...We are set free to laugh at the silly absurdity of our own complicated relationships and desires."
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"Giles has created a bunch of unique and very individuated characters...All while layering parallels of excitement, love, desire, frustration, and the nervousness that comes with the idea of approaching parenthood...The stories unfold seamlessly, skillfully shifting from one to another and somehow maintaining an authentic yet quirky tone that never seems to fall into ridiculousness...But like the bedroom scene that didn’t need to be there, the play lacks a big emotional payoff."
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“Giles's dialogue, deftly humorous on the page, too often fails to register on stage in Jaki Bradley's languorously directed production, played for quiet naturalism at such low energy you want to offer even the human characters nutrient pellets. There are cute moments scattered through the generally static action but the actors, despite the apparent honesty of their work, need more comic charisma to satisfy the play's demands.”
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"So on it goes for 85 minutes with the actors repeatedly turning the couch unit as the couples quarrel about how newborns will affect their relationships. There’s no denying that the concerns are valid, and Giles cannot be criticized for addressing them. He does a fair job along the way, but it’s in a repetitive way...All four actors throw themselves vigorously into their roles...Giles allows himself to dilute his intentions by going a get too giddy as he weaves his merry way."
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"An amusing and well-acted comedy...Giles makes his rodent characters as fascinating and compelling as the human ones. The result is sometimes a lark, but just as often the comedy overlays a smartly observed, seriously philosophical look at relationships and how they function...Giles’s simple story holds a variety of canny observations about life...Happily, director Jaki Bradley keeps the various elements modulating smoothly as the story encompasses some unusually grim moments."
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