Confusions
Closed 2h 5m
Confusions
82

Confusions NYC Reviews and Tickets

82%
(24 Ratings)
Positive
96%
Mixed
4%
Negative
0%
Members say
Clever, Great acting, Funny, Entertaining, Intelligent

About the Show

Part of 59E59's Brits Off Broadway fest, Alan Ayckbourn's 1974 collection of five comic playlets explores the sexual politics of '70s Britain.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (24)

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431 Reviews | 129 Followers
95
Clever, Funny, Great acting, Terrific direction and staging, Intelligent

See it if You like Ackbourn, you love idea of 5-1 acts.Cast is brilliant, the combo of plays interesting & fun, director has just the right touch.

Don't see it if You have trouble understanding British accents, don't like farce, want very serious drama, don't appreciate small bits of staging/acting.

536 Reviews | 279 Followers
95
Clever, Versatile cast, Ingenious design, Intelligent, Hilarious

See it if you are a fan of Ayckbourn. If you want to see the U.S. premiere of a play written 40 years ago—and acts as a model for some earlier works.

Don't see it if you do not know anything about the British class system. Or if you like to be hit over the head in order to understand humor.

170 Reviews | 162 Followers
92
Great acting, Hilarious, Intelligent, Must see, Profound

See it if u love English theatre & Ayckbourn's take on our foibles. The hilarity comes w/ the sadness & pain of human relations. The five actors shine

Don't see it if u don't get the English or you think funny can't also be truthful & painful. Two people sitting next to me never laughed & left at break.

140 Reviews | 33 Followers
91
Clever, Delightful, Funny, Quirky, Great writing

See it if You like British theatre and appreciate great dialogue and humor

Don't see it if You don't like small productions

271 Reviews | 47 Followers
84
Great writing, Great acting, Funny, Entertaining, Quirky

See it if you enjoy the work of Alan Ayckbourn, & are in need of an evening of light comedic fare performed by a versatile cast.

Don't see it if you need more heft and complexity to your shows.

180 Reviews | 367 Followers
83
Delightful, Entertaining, Great acting

See it if you enjoy a series of unrelated short plays about dysfunctional relationships and the failure to understand / connect with each other

Don't see it if you dislike farce, silly humor, or short stories without much character development

238 Reviews | 33 Followers
83
Clever, Entertaining, Funny, Great acting, Intelligent

See it if you like British comedy in the slapstick fashion. 4 episodes that leave you laughing throughout the show. Mom talks to all like children.

Don't see it if you can't understand English dialect or dislike British humor.

89 Reviews | 34 Followers
82
Great acting, Hilarious, Clever

See it if you enjoy Alan Ayckbourn's entertaining and intricately wrought scenarios about personal relationships. Directed by the playwright himself.

Don't see it if you don't appreciate skit-like plays or British humor.

Critic Reviews (30)

The New York Times
June 13th, 2016

"They’re trifles by his later standards...But these five one-acters allow you to see clearly the basic building blocks from which Mr. Ayckbourn constructs his more complex works. And even the silliest of them is steeped in the critical yet compassionate sensibility that is uniquely their creator’s...One of the primary joys of ‘Confusions’ is watching chameleon performers change identities with wigs and accents, while locations are transformed by the rearrangement of simple pieces of furniture.”
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The Wall Street Journal
June 16th, 2016

"Funnier than just about anything else to be seen on a New York stage right now 'Confusions' is a dessert platter, five sketches about various aspects of middle-class life…The six talented actors handle their multiple roles so resourcefully that you’re likely to come away thinking you saw at least a dozen different people cavorting on the tiny stage...Has there ever been a playwright who directed his own works more skillfully and imaginatively? I doubt it."
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Theatermania
June 9th, 2016

"With this production, Ayckbourn achieves his original goal. The five actors brilliantly transform themselves into each role with a mere change of costume. Expert farceurs, they draw huge belly laughs from the play's centerpiece, 'Gosforth's Fête,' which proves the highlight of the evening. While there's a dusty quality to it (the porno-groove incidental Muzak doesn't help), it's solidly enjoyable."
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BroadwayWorld
June 10th, 2016

"It's the stuff that great theatre is made of. The stories in 'Confusions' are timeless snapshots of real life that perfectly capture human foibles. They showcase Ayckbourn's remarkable gift for dialogue and his keen understanding of relationships...The cast captures their roles with complete authenticity. As the five actors play multiple parts, they prove their diverse talents...The show's characters are wonderfully developed, and the company doesn't miss a beat."
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Lighting & Sound America
June 21st, 2016

"Even if this is a middling example of the playwright's work, there are many priceless moments and one should never pass up a chance to see a company from the Stephen Joseph Theatre, of Scarborough, UK directed by the author himself. For some reason, American actors have never quite gotten the hang of Ayckbourn's comedies, and this production offers a master class in his distinctive comic style."
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TheaterScene.net
June 11th, 2016

"Human behavior in all its complexities is dramatically rendered with depth and humor in a boldly theatrical and inventive manner...Ayckbourn is also the director and his staging farcically mines every bit of verbal and physical comedy with slapstick, sight gags and props...The captivating performances by the extremely versatile company matched with the excellent writing makes 'Confusions' thoughtful and very entertaining."
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CurtainUp
June 9th, 2016

"It's a period piece, but interesting for the way it contains the seeds of Ayckbourn’s style and ideas ready to burst into full bloom...The best thing about it is to see the subtle thematic connections that more often than not make these essentially separate one-acts feel like parts of a unified whole...Billington's waiter is so funny in ‘Drinking Companion’ that you'll be glad that his character will carry over into the next and best play, ‘Between Mouthfuls.’"
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Theatre is Easy
June 8th, 2016

"The five intertwined skits that comprise Ayckbourn’s 'Confusions' are by turns hilarious and poignant. Fast-moving and deftly acted, the five-character ensemble whips through a myriad of scenarios...'Confusions' is entertaining, and although a few sharp barbs about gender and monogamy are exchanged, there are more laughs than insights. Overall, it’s a fun piece of theater."
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