Desperate Measures
Closed 2h 0m
Desperate Measures
88

Desperate Measures NYC Reviews and Tickets

88%
(1066 Ratings)
Positive
97%
Mixed
2%
Negative
1%
Members say
Entertaining, Funny, Clever, Delightful, Great singing

About the Show

After a hit run at the York Theatre, this madcap, wild musical, set in the Old West and inspired by Shakespeare's 'Measure for Measure,' re-opens at New World Stages for an open-ended run.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (1,066)

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58 Reviews | 6 Followers
100
Hilarious, Intelligent, Great writing, Romantic, Quirky

See it if The writing was a great not to Shakespearean rhymes while still being very understandable for a modern audience. Hysterically funny.

Don't see it if Plot is very cheesy and corny, doesnt take itself too seriously.

393 Reviews | 101 Followers
100
Fun and entertaining, Sharply tongue in cheek, Terrific, memorable score, Outstanding ensemble cast and voices, Clever and original

See it if You're up for a fast, fun musical farce with a superb ensemble cast, memorable songs, great voices, orchestrations, snappy direction & sets.

Don't see it if Just go—fun, clever, entertaining, silly & relevant, a terrific musical update (and arguably an improvement) of Measure For Measure. Go. Read more

137 Reviews | 13 Followers
100
Clever, Delightful, Enchanting, Entertaining, Funny

See it if You enjoy fun, music, dancing. Based on Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, but in a way even we non-Shakespeare lovers can enjoy.

Don't see it if Well, if you don't like having fun at the theater, you won't like it. Some folks enjoy serious drama and this ain't it.

230 Reviews | 46 Followers
100
Entertaining, Great writing, Hilarious, Refreshing, Raunchy

See it if you like Shakespeare with a twist. This super funny script exceeded expectations.

Don't see it if the thought of yet another rendition of Shakespeare makes you sick, if you like serious thoughtful plays, or if you don't like to laugh,

63 Reviews | 9 Followers
100
Clever, Delightful, Entertaining, Funny

See it if You want to witness some hilarious and clever writing and captivating comedic acting. I didn’t expect it to be this FANTASTIC.

Don't see it if You will miss one of the most enjoyable off Broadway shows ever. It is really well done and hilarious.

60 Reviews | 13 Followers
100
Delightful, Great acting, Great singing, Hilarious, Great staging

See it if If you like seeing updated/AU Shakespeare plays

Don't see it if You want a serious plot Read more

120 Reviews | 12 Followers
99
Absorbing, Clever, Delightful, Entertaining, Funny

See it if you want to laugh

Don't see it if don't like comedy w/songs

65 Reviews | 19 Followers
98
Absorbing, Clever, Hilarious, Great acting

See it if Want to see a very funny show! This was the best off Broadway show I have ever seen. Loved it. Acting was great.

Don't see it if If you don't like comedy or musicals

Critic Reviews (49)

BroadwayWorld
June 22nd, 2018

“Hilarious and tuneful show...Cleverly written in rhyming couplets that flow easily into song...It’s all played for silliness and director/choreographer Bill Castellino's slam-bang production, framed by designer James Morgan's sight gag-laden set, takes full advantage of a strong singing cast that also sports excellent comic chops...This reviewer would put it above any of the new musicals that opened on Broadway this past season for those seeking flat-out musical comedy fun."
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Lighting & Sound America
June 14th, 2018

"After a slowish start that sets up the situation, 'Desperate Measures' expertly mixes high and low comedy...Surely the direction of Castellino played a key role in the light touch maintained throughout...The show's hallmark is its good taste. By taking the premise at face value and playing it for all it's worth -- but without belaboring it in the slightest -- everyone involved has achieved exactly the kind of breezy, beguiling entertainment that should be on tap at all times."
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Talkin' Broadway
June 13th, 2018

“Purely fun, but as the role of art as an invitation to activism becomes more essential than ever, there is little escape to be found in a musical in which a woman considers marrying an authoritarian figure as a better solution than fending on her own...The musical isn't without its charms, most of them coming in the form of Molina, who turns in a performance of such comedic precision that comparing her to Lucille Ball feels like somewhat of an understatement."
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New York Stage Review
June 13th, 2018

"A constant smile-inducer of a musical...A tuneful, amusing, constantly surprising score...There’s virtually no end of encomia that can be poured on the cast members’ heads…Ryan has a strong voice—who doesn’t in this ensemble?—but he also is physically adept, constantly using his body for clownish punctuation…More off-hand with Susanna’s commitment to faith than Isabella is in the Shakespeare original, but that hardly matters when so much good clean fun is on tap."
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New York Stage Review
June 13th, 2018

"A rootin’, tootin’, scootin’, hootin’ Wild West musical comedy that likely will tickle those customers whose lower funny bones are within easy reach. It’s an awfully broad show for my finicky taste...Wants to be nothing more than a pleasant light entertainment that spoofs melodramatic horse operas…Cultivating these dandy performances and nimbly staging their doings with speed and good humor, Castellino has shaped a trivial, tumbleweed affair into a modestly diverting attraction."
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CurtainUp
June 13th, 2018

"This clever and tuneful little show is better than ever on the larger stage...This cast is a wow! All inhabit their characters with impeccable comic timing and have vocal chops that do full justice to the ear-hugging songs and witty rhymed lyrics...Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who found 'Measure for Measure' to be the 'single exception to the delightfulness of Shakespeare's plays' would certainly find plenty to be delighted with in 'Desperate Measures.'"
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TheaterScene.net
June 14th, 2018

"Shakespearean spoofs are almost as old as Shakespeare himself, dating back to at least the Restoration period. Although the vast majority has faded into history, there are still some real standouts like the classic musical 'Kiss Me, Kate,' which thanks largely to Cole Porter is arguably even more enjoyable than its source material, a rare feat that the relatively new musical 'Desperate Measures,' now in its second off-Broadway run, also accomplishes."
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Theater Pizzazz
June 13th, 2018

"In addition to the cast's sterling performances under Bill Castellino's simple yet lively direction, and James Morgan's easy moveable sets, what makes the musical work so well is Kellogg's facility with rhyming dialogue (natural and rarely forced) and one of the most tuneful scores of recent vintage."
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