Cost of Living NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (214)
See it if In relationships w/ disabled people and their caretakers, the stronger person isn't always who you might think. Deep themes, great acting.
Don't see it if You do not want to see severe disabilities, sexual issues/nudity, exploration of vulnerability and who needs who.
See it if excellent acting and creative staging make an appealing combination..
Don't see it if a slightly contrived and confusing plot spoils a good night out. There are two stories played with weak but surprising points of connection
See it if you enjoy plays that explore new subject matter, use actual disabled people to play such roles, depict touching relationships
Don't see it if if you need to see the connections between the characters from the start, don't like graphic depictions of disabled bodies or onstage nudity
See it if moving use of disabled but highly skilled actors, affecting play about characters disabled physically or emotionally
Don't see it if many parts of script unexplained or improbable, two separate stories individually compelling but do not cohere theatrically
See it if Majok's intense look at disabilities both physical & emotional Great acting from the 4 leads rendering them all both heartbreaking & selfish
Don't see it if Plot takes a radical turn midway through & hurts dramatic believability. Author goes political (leaving behind psychological) & drama sags
See it if 9 shows with revolving stages...The question of loneliness always gets to me. A comp. of a 70% and a 75%. Good acting. Sets always great at
Don't see it if The two tales do not a play make. .
See it if you are interested in how people with emotional and/or physical disabilities navigate their world. Some very powerful and memorable scenes
Don't see it if you're looking for a comedy. The play is uneven and a little slow in parts, but the excellent acting smooths out the ripples. Worth seeing
See it if you enjoy good theater and exploring important topics usually ignored on Broadway - in this case folks with disabilities.
Don't see it if you want a big show with music that you don;t have to think too much about.
Critic Reviews (34)
"Slams the door on uplifting stereotypes...Majok has engineered her plot to lead naturally to moments of intense and complicated pungency...As long as the play doesn’t try to nail down its doublings, it remains immensely haunting. Bonney’s staging helps keep the tension aloft...When Majok aims for conventional cause and effect, that complexity suddenly flattens. 'Cost of Living' almost doesn’t recover. That it does is largely thanks to the cast, which is as powerful as any now on a NY stage."
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"There is a scene in Martyna Majok’s 'Cost of Living' that I will never forget...It’s a moment of sad, sexy, vulnerable beauty. Nothing else in 'Cost of Living' quite equals this scene...Although Majok raises salient issues of physical and economic disadvantage, the play is uneven, and the brief final linking of its two halves feels forced. It is inspiring and encouraging, however, to watch its two disabled actors push the boundaries of their bodies’ visibility onstage."
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"Featuring superb performances from its four-person ensemble, the drama provides a piercing look at the obstacles faced by disabled people and the human condition in general...The play is not without flaws...It's confusing in its structure and chronology...But the characters, dialogue and situations resonate with emotional truth...Under the pitch-perfect direction of Jo Bonney, Williams and Abraham deliver deeply affecting performances."
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“A bittersweet play…Sullivan is a riveting performer with a load of attitude…Jo Bonney’s carefully calibrated direction allows for smooth transitions in the shifting relationships between clients and caregivers…Sullivan gleefully guides Ani from savage insult to insult…By toppling old prejudices, Majok forces us to revisit our easy assumptions about people who really don’t want to be called ‘differently abled’ and caregivers who could use a little love themselves.”
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"A deeply human depiction of life with disability...The weakest aspect of 'Cost of Living' is that it never coalesces particularly well, the distinctly individual story lines feel like separate entities with a forcefully joined conclusion...But there's still a whole lot to savor, namely the way it doesn't condescend to any of the characters...Majok mines their senses of humor, diverse personality traits, and opportunities to be both likable and hateful...Sullivan is particularly excellent."
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“Although Martyna Majok's plays have been performed around the country, ‘Cost of Living’ appears to be her mainstream New York debut. Not only does she make difficult material theatrical, her ear for dialogue is impeccable. With intense and arresting performances by Jolly Abraham, Gregg Mozgala, Katy Sullivan and Victor Williams, ‘Cost of Living’ is a window on a world that will be new to most theatergoers. It has a great deal to teach all of us.”
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“Everyone should see ‘Cost of Living.’ It’s moving and heart-wrenching and will even make you gasp in parts. But is it a great play? I find myself as conflicted as its characters…Majok gorgeously draws four fascinating characters, all of whom capture our empathy, and the nuanced and sophisticated performances make this an evening well worthwhile...The play feels as though its 'wheelchair-themed,' and lumping these two characters together just feels crass."
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"As the stories blend and meld, Martyna Majok’s point is succinctly evident. Needs may be extremely different, but we are all bonded by a commonality–the need for and to love. The play can be inconsistent and confusing at times, but the humanity is never lost...Jo Bonney directs this powerful cast with great sensitivity on Wilson Chin’s turntable stage."
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