Bundle of Sticks

See it if you’d like a smart excursion into gender-bending that puts the (discredited) conversion therapy to cure gayness on trial.

Don't see it if girls playing boyz & being fully sexual about it might twist your shorts.

Also “Bundle of Sticks” is a smart, gender-bending indictment of “conversion therapy”—a discredited “medical” intervention to “cure” “gayness”. The master stroke here is that 6 women play 6 men, 5 “patients” & a “therapist”. On our contemporary stage women play men all the time, but here they strip down, show off their artificial penises & have frequent sweaty sex. Gender is ”performed” before our eyes. This prevents the proceedings, including heartfelt revelations & guys struggling with shame, from getting camp or sentimental. The audience has some distance on even the most harrowing happenings, yet the fine, engaging cast is so committed that we never doubt the overwhelming passions of their same sex love. The play tries to link conversion therapy & colonization, & that may be. But the short historical court scene that tries to nail the similarity, though powerfully played, is not compelling or clear & takes place long ago & far away. This is a small flaw; mostly the piece is a triumph.... Read more Read less

See it if Compromise rating. Fascinating view re the gay community Intar keeps its great history

Don't see it if Not for the easily disturbed. Location for Intar a problem for public transpiration but the growth of theater in the area will help.

See it if interested in conversion therapy in Australia, creative casting of no cis-gender males as the gay clients, treatment of indigenous peoples

Don't see it if Casting of trans- or cis-women in all male roles disturbs you, you don't think conversion therapy is bad, no interest in Aussie history

See it if Something very different in the form of gender bending at an underground sexual reorientation camp seems like a good idea for a fun evening

Don't see it if gender issue farce seems like a bad idea for a fun evening. The characters' back stories range from sad to deeply disturbing.

See it if Even if ur put off by the word experimental.This really isn't that.A pretty straightforward plot w/some magical realism&uncoventional casti

Don't see it if You're expecting to learn about conversion therapy. This is satirical and very funny but not reality based.

Also I didn't really get the connection between the conversion subject and the Australian history theme. It might have worked if the historical piece showed colonists trying to covert the natives to Christianity or their idea of civilized. Not sure but it seems like the playwright had two things they wanted to write about and decided to combine them into one play.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re a fan of the avant hard and the abstract

Don't see it if You’re tired of hearing how the white man is at fault for everything

See it if the idea of women actors wearing prosthetic male genitalia is appealing to you

Don't see it if you prefer your male genitalia on men

See it if you like LGBT theme & "experimental" theater. The concept is entertaining though not clear at tines while the acting is intense /inspired.

Don't see it if you expect male actors to portray the gay guys' roles as this is an all female cast, hence a full cast gender swap which i was not told of.

See it if You enjoy exploration and you are open to sexual content. This is a well Written, directed and acted play. Hats off to the women playing men

Don't see it if You are uncomfortable with sexual content, with women playing men, or if you are looking for light entertainment.

Also At first it feels strange but after a short while i was aware of how clever it is to have women playing men and how we can more easily be open to what they experience in this conversion therapy setting.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in a story based on the heinous practice of so-called conversion therapy for homosexuals.

Don't see it if You wouldn’t enjoy gender bending roles and lots of crude language.

Also This show is deep and extremely ambitious shedding some light on a terrible practice in a minimalist theater. I enjoyed the production, yet I was taken back by the nearly non-existent accent of the camps moderator. The stories of each character were full of pain and you really felt the strife they were experiencing.... Read more Read less

See it if You like experimental theater, actor/role gender swaps, emotional shows, queer theater.

Don't see it if You are homophobic, easily upset by simulated nudity/sex, prefer traditional theater, are unable to suspend disbelief

See it if you want to see an ambitious, low budget perrformance about conversion therapy.

Don't see it if you have a low tolerance for sexually explicit content.

See it if you're open to abstract, creative ideas and the expression of gender and theatricality.

Don't see it if you're easily offended/uncomfortable with implied nudity and sex.

See it if Experimental, lgbt, homosexuality, dark set,

Don't see it if All women playing men, hate speech/words, sexual themes, loud noises, accents

See it if You don't mind sitting through a 2 hour show watching amateur actresses trying hard to play gay male characters

Don't see it if You expect profound story and great acting. I really want to see this exact show but with all male cast or the actresses are playing women.

See it if you'd like to see horrors of a wrong-headed humanitarian practicing male conversion therapy in a quirky yet fun presentation, female-acted.

Don't see it if simulated sexual organs and sexual acts offend you or you do not wish to understand the history on which this play is based.

See it if You want to see perhaps the most unusual and daring show now in NY ! It is heart wrenching and very funny at the same time.

Don't see it if This is most definitely NOT a show for the average theatre goer. It is blatantly sexual and extremely graphic. Conversion therapy is hideous

See it if U already know what bundle of sticks is, like metaphor or machismo served up by women regarding Aussie conversion therapy, like INTAR

Don't see it if can't abide women playing men, each with large exposed phallus, hate Aussie accents, can't see forest 4 trees, C need 4 conversion therapy

Also Exposition on Psalm 21:9... Like faggots cast into an oven they shall burn furiously beneath the anger of the Lord... hence the Bundle of Sticks from the title and women playing faggots with large exposed phallus succumbing to gay conversion therapy in Australia... Read more Read less

See it if Want to see an interesting prospective of how gay conversion therapy is showed on stage.

Don't see it if If you find sex and genital prosthetics offensive, this isn’t you kind of play.

See it if So, I’ve seen a few plays at this theatre 🎭 company; they truly give a voice to the experimental, queer, feminine, and Latinx community!

Don't see it if The venue is a black box theatre 🎭, with old pipes, which can be a little hard to find, but, the staff is pleasant. The play? It’s totally

Also Out there. It’s set in an Australian bunker, with 6 non-cisgendered men- that shocked me, but, once I saw the costumes, I understood why. It’s equally funny and heart-breaking. Diverse cast. If you can suspend your disbelief and some pipe noise, I’d totally recommend... Read more Read less

See it if You like a strong cast in innovative story of gay conversion therapy

Don't see it if Depictions of intercourse or ersatz genatalia make you uncomfortable

See it if you care about LGBTQ issues, you are not easily shocked, you enjoy compelling performances and good writing

Don't see it if you are easily offended, you want to see a drama with a logical procession of scenes,

Also I think this is a great start but needs some polishing. For example, the story about the leader's colonialist grandfather seemed meant to relate to the story of the so-called conversion of gender preference but it was not made clear. Also what with the Aussie accents and some careless enunciation, not everything could be understood.... Read more Read less

See it if into a gender-blender (=more than bender) super-queer play about conversion therapy

Don't see it if avoiding the subversive

Also The playwright gravitates towards queer themes with a sense of activism - previous works I saw dealt with the love-life of "bears" and trans people in a Latin neighborhood. Here he connects conversion therapy with ethnic diversity and colonialism, alternating between the real and the surreal.

There are elements that feel predictable and even forced, but for the interested, they are overshadowed by the over-the-top queerness. The 6 male characters are played by females with shiny-fabric genitalia, and sexual themes are front and center. Total ridiculousness and moving emotional scenes live in harmony. While this play is a bit unfocused, the voice of this ongoing writer/director collaboration is clear and consistent.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like seeing experimental or out of the box shows that deal with homosexual issues.

Don't see it if If you would rather see a more traditional show and if you are uncomfortable watching extreme sexual scenes.

See it if you like visiting a heavy subject that is dealt with in a unique way, poetic and artful, this visit to Oz takes on conversion therapy.

Don't see it if you are not open to gender swapping or sexual subjects make you uncomfortable.

Also This production is a joy to watch, the staging is excellent and so are the costumes and performances. I enjoyed the audience enthusiasm and the choreographed moves. The conversion therapy camp that turns on itself, how people are bullied and tortured and ultimately humanity is the victor. Strong use of Australian Aboriginal symbolism and spirituality adds layers to the play.... Read more Read less