Butler NYC Reviews and Tickets

"Strand’s set-up in the extremely capable hands of the director and talented actors provides the foundation for the play’s humor, characterizations, future thematic tropes and key issues…Strand’s brilliant writing configures the steps that show how Butler arrives at the logic to override the Fugitive Slave Law. Though we know the ultimate conclusion, it is how Strand takes us there that is surprising and magnificent…The production is just stunning! 'Butler' is marvelous theater."
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“Playwright Richard Strand’s dialogue is funny and impressive. He makes brilliant use of what stand-up comedians refer to as ‘call backs’...This creates an attractive sense of coherence, a growing inside joke...This very appealing technique is delivered masterfully...It’s hard to imagine anything about the Civil War being funny, but this play, inspired by true events, has shown us just that in an intelligent, dramatic way.”
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"Adamson plays Butler as large as he can be and his transitioning from rage to compunction and back again is a joy to watch…Shepard Mallory, assisted by Williams’ bold and lively portrayal, is similarly contrary and sporadically aggressive, but the good sense of his plea contains a tempting compromise…Playwright Strand’s decision to put emphasis on comedy may have been risky, but 'Butler' loses none of its pathos in revelry."
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"These three fascinating characters are developed with precision and real depth...These conflicts drive a complicated and intriguing plot that is rich in imagery and figurative language and includes heartfelt drama as well as endearing comedy…Sterling’s Lieutenant Kelly is the perfect foil for General Butler’s bluster and these two actors make magic together on stage…Joseph Discher directs with passion and sensitivity and brings out the best in his talented ensemble cast."
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“‘Butler's' style is heightened for dramatic effect, its tone is mildly anachronistic, and its details conflated, so you have to take much of it with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, it’s a historical drama about something that actually happened that manages to be relatively faithful to its source material while being both informative and highly entertaining.”
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"What playwright Richard Strand has written is an unlikely blend of biography, Civil War history, drama and comedy that is both entertaining and informative…It hardly seems like promising material for comedy, but the play is very funny. The four characters are vividly drawn and well acted by the cast, all holdovers from the original production...Joseph Discher’s direction is seamless. It adds up to a surprisingly enjoyable experience."
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"An entertaining, meaningful drama…Sharp writing by playwright Richard Strand and superb acting create tension and sparks, enabling an audience to get caught up in what is clearly an anti-slavery treatise…Williams’s acting as Mallory is so winsome that one may especially root for him to prevail....’Butler’ provides plenty of food for thought, along with the fine performances, the issues raised and the humor that flourishes even when the stakes are so seriously high for so many."
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"Strand’s fine play takes a serious subject and illuminates it with insight, humanity, and humor…Adamson is splendid as Butler...Director Joseph Discher creates stage pictures as effectively as the cast inhabits their characters…There are moments in the latter part of 'Butler' when the thoroughly engrossed audience vocally reacted to a character–something rare in serious theater. We rose as one at the finish. Not, as is usually the case, like lemmings, but in support of a wonderful production."
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