Consider the Lilies

See it if you want to see the masterful Austin Pendleton in a play he feels strongly about, as well as a solid performance by Eric Joshua Davis.

Don't see it if you're looking for a cohesive plot or a well written female character, and you have no patience for themes that take you in multiple circles

Also The play needs editing, and serious thought needs to be given to the way the one female character is written, as well as the way other women referred to in the story are depicted. That in particular was pretty biased and off-putting. There are several red herrings in the plot that go nowhere, and the ending doesn't ring true at all.
P.S. this is billed as a world premiere, but I found a review for a production in Minneapolis in 2013 also starring Davis. http://www.citypages.com/arts/consider-the-lilies-requires-patient-viewers-6770171
Sadly, it doesn't seem to me that the script has improved much in the interim.... Read more Read less

See it if Gay alcoholic artist struggles with self-doubt and obsession with handsome agent. Austin Pendleton is a treasure. Eric Davis fine as agent

Don't see it if Seems like an early draft. Two minor characters could be cut. I also liked Peter Collier as the cocky young artist.

See it if you like Austin Pendleton.

Don't see it if If you like a play to keep your interest and not keep repeating the same theme.

See it if A full- performance by a master actor/director intrigues you

Don't see it if You expect a fully polished neat ending type of play

See it if You're an avid fan of Pendleton & up for a repetitive, unresolved, nearly 3 hour mellow-drama with art-world clichés; rarely rings true.

Don't see it if You expect a developed exploration of the author's disjointed program statement regarding art & identity, self worth & conformity.

Also A play that explores the aging artist coping with the loss of his artistic faith, his sense of self-worth, identity, validity & mortality is an interesting & worthwhile premise & may be out there somewhere, but this unfortunately is not it.

Unfocused & too long by half, the play suffers from amazingly poor staging, the actors alternately, even simultaneously placed behind & visually blocked by a sofa for much of the first act, the static set & flat bright lighting having no relation to the actors. The actors in turn never quite inhabit or relate to the space, which would have been better served by less furniture & a focused dramatic use of light.

The one-step-forward, one-step-back action & script presents every starving artist cliché, an uninformed depiction of the real working life of visual artists, who rarely speak of their art, only their work.

Only Peter Collier's hip young painter shines in this well intended play which, like the lillies, neither spins nor works.... Read more Read less

See it if You love Austin Pendleton and can sit through two and a half hours of slow moving mostly drivel to find a few good lines in his scenes

Don't see it if You want a well-edited, well-directed and well staged production - most of thus is really slow and lacking in theatrical substance

See it if AP fan, no cost or friend/relative in cast.

Don't see it if Playwright poor director. Contrived situations prevail. 2:45 unduly long given material. Same material covered in every scene. Laggard pace.

Also Boring play; needs 30 minutes cut. Theatrical Ambien.

See it if you might be interested in a story about an aging "bitter, bisexual alcoholic."

Don't see it if you don't like Austin Pendleton or want to see something light.

See it if Great acting from Pendelton and Davis; visual arts truths are woven together with questions of love, gay identity, friendships, parenting,..

Don't see it if if you do not have the patience to follow a complex story to develop and mature. in a slow motion.

See it if You are an August Pendleton fan. Like gay artistic men dwelling on the meaning of their lives.

Don't see it if You don't like long plays that desperately need editing and cutting.

See it if You enjoy great actors doing their thing: Austin Pendleton, Peter Collier, and Liarra Michelle all shine. Some interesting concepts at play.

Don't see it if The script still needs work. Further development -- and cuts -- are necessary. It would help if the playwright were not also the director.

See it if you want to see an attempt at a serious, complex, psychological relationship play and want to see what Pendleton is up to

Don't see it if overly long, tedious, not believably, not well written or staged

See it if see it for Austin Pendleton's performance. He does the best he can with overwritten material and aimless direction.

Don't see it if you expect a great play. The play itself needs lots of cuts and playwright Stuart Fail does him self no favors by also directing. It's long.

See it if you want to see the writings of a exciting new american playwright.

Don't see it if The play is complex and takes awhile to get going but second act makes it worthwhile.

See it if This play, shown at a small off-Broadway theater, deserves a production in a larger venue. Austin Pendleton delivers a masterly performance

Don't see it if You need action, or if you don't appreciate great acting

See it if You want a good but unintentional laugh.

Don't see it if You don't mind sitting through a mind-numbingly badly written and atrociously acted play, and calling it a play is generous.

See it if you like stories that parallel real life situations (the very sad and the happy)

Don't see it if you dont like long shows or gay themes (it deals with homosexuality, I dont mean it's flamboyant and sassy)

See it if you want to take a chance on some great acting by Austin Pendleton

Don't see it if you tire easily from too many subplots in over a two hour play.

Also This play could really work with some good editing