Coriolanus NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (131)
See it if you like to see Shakespeare set in present day political climate but keeping old style language. Great acting makes it easy to understand.
Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare. Even though this is set in modern day America it still sounds like old school Shakespeare.
See it if you want to see a lean, accessible, powerful, adroitly acted production of a rarely seen tragedy; to witness WS's universality & relevance.
Don't see it if you haven't enjoyed Red Bull Theater's take on classics in the past. Perhaps this isn't for Shakespeare purists & traditionalists.
See it if Ferocious, steamrolling, streamlined adaptation of Shakespearean power play. Acute direction and hypnotic lead performance engrossing
Don't see it if A little battle fatigue as well as overwrought Trumpian metaphors can slow proceedings
See it if You've never seen this Shakespeare before -- it's an exciting, fast-paced version that's relevant to our time.
Don't see it if You're not in the mood for Shakespeare, war, politics, or blood.
See it if You want a Shakespearean drama that is relevant to our elections. You want great acting & staging. You want a thought provoking drama.
Don't see it if You don't want to see a political drama. You don't like verse plays. You want contemporary dialogue.
See it if you want clearly spoken & understood Shakespeare delivered by superior company with grim takeaway of the state of the human beast & politics
Don't see it if you can't rise 2 challenge of listening 2 well spoken heightened language with depressing takeaway 'you can't please anyone any of the time'
See it if You like contemporary staging of WS, want a challenging and intense theater experience, can appreciate stagecraft with minimal sets/props.
Don't see it if You hate WS, don't enjoy plays with topical relevance, don't want to think, want elaborate production, don't like politics or strong POV.
See it if You are a Shakespeare fan -Patrick Page, Lisa Harrow, Steve Spinnella a rare cast -in a modern version of a story about power, hubris,family
Don't see it if You expect elaborate sets, traditional costumes, comfortable seating for hours. Cannot keep up with the bard's language. Read more
Critic Reviews (21)
"You don’t have to squint too hard to discern unsettling contemporary relevance in the Red Bull Theater’s gripping new production of Shakespeare’s 'Coriolanus'...Setting this play in a simulated America of today carries greater weight...Fortunately, Mr. Sexton’s streamlined production won’t just have you sitting in your seat bemoaning the troubling future of our country. It will also hold your attention in its own right, through simple but forceful staging and superb acting."
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"Though distinct parallels emerge between Shakespeare’s late-period tragedy about electoral politics in 493 B.C.E. Rome and our current situation, you’re not required to draw any. Given that this complex text has been condensed, you’ll be busy just tracking the action. There’s plenty of it in this visceral production...Johnstone, rippling with vigor, plays the conflicted title character."
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"Shakespeare’s seldom-done late tragedy about elections...takes a topical and timely leap to the present day in this provocative new production. Canadian actor Dion Johnstone makes his Off-Broadway debut and commands as the trash-talking warrior who’s unstoppable on the battlefield but an epic fail on the campaign trail. Coriolanus is a hard guy to like, but this invigorating Red Bull revival goes down easy."
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"Invokes the spirit of Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party, with commoners getting up in arms over what they perceive to be a corrupt and rigged society. A scene where a ballot box is smashed apart with a baseball bat is especially disturbing. Although it is rarely staged, 'Coriolanus' is a solid and straightforward drama, and Red Bull deserves a lot of credit for having the foresight to bring it back into the public eye at this very moment and for presenting it with such vitality."
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"Few playwrights have understood the dynamics of political power so thoroughly, and Sexton's mordant staging has an undeniable, unsettling timeliness...The shattering of the fourth wall is rarely as effective as it is here; this 'Coriolanus' is staged as a town hall meeting in a democracy that is quickly becoming unhinged...Sexton has assembled a cast especially skilled at conveying these cutthroat maneuvers and set to deliver the dialogue at a fast and furious pace."
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"For fans of Red Bull's work, this production of the bard's late tragedy does not disappoint...Director Michael Sexton conducts the play at a fever pitch...While Shakespeare's language remains blessedly intact, expect to see contemporary costumes and references to our own looming and contentious presidential election. Red Bull has gathered together a winning team with a great ability to bring Shakespeare's words and the play's themes to pulsing life."
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“So many characters switch loyalties at such breakneck speed that it often
becomes a blur of blood, guts and shouting. No such problems with the Red
Bull Theater’s production. Director Michael Sexton plows through the text
with his modern dress production, taking no enemies, relating the exciting
story of Caius Martius—later Coriolanus—making each and all of its bloody
turns crystal clear. He mines the political aspects of the plot, deftly
dovetailing them with today’s headlines.”
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"In its first half, Sexton’s production is an exciting mix of bloody combat, political drama, and wry comedy. In its second half, the uniformly excellent cast delivers a series of heartbreaking scenes...The modern trappings of 'Coriolanus' provide the audience some extra food for thought, but even in togas, its cast would be well worth seeing. Their exceptional work, driven by director Sexton’s brisk pacing and intelligent staging, is like red meat for hungry Shakespeare lovers."
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