Dot NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (58)
See it if when it wasn't a sitcom starring a black family, it was a great play about aging parents and their adult children
Don't see it if you have a parent suffering from Alzheimer's or senile dementia now, it would be too painful and truthful to watch
See it if You enjoy a entertaining, unusual, family play
Don't see it if You want everything tied up in a neat bundle.
See it if You're up for a bittersweet look at family and aging
Don't see it if You are offended by cursing...or just get over it and see it!
See it if you want to watch a show with a heavy plot line with hilarious content to make it less intense.
Don't see it if you cannot handle topics such as dementia or homosexuality.
See it if You want a clever, yet heartbreaking portrayal of a very three-dimensional family. Beautiful, emotional and thematically diverse.
Don't see it if You want something that pushes the boundaries of theatre. It's very worth seeing, but doesn't bring much new to the theatrical cannon.
See it if you want to see a heartfelt and very well directed comedy drama of family life. It's really a joy to experience the honesty and truth here.
Don't see it if Well..some might say it's a mess, but, so is life and facing hard truths of an aging parent. Too much love and truth? Come on people...
See it if You want to see a dynamic family drama that can make you laugh or at least smile
Don't see it if You can't stand preachy monologues
See it if You want to see an interesting family drama with some great humor
Don't see it if you prefer a very short tight script
Critic Reviews (24)
"'Dot' delivers plenty on the page as well as the stage, Domingo’s visceral bite coming through at every turn, but director Susan Stroman occasionally undermines the strength of the source material...'Dot' delivers an often heart-wrenching drama as one family, in its own imperfect way, tries to navigate the inevitable. Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease. Domingo respects his enemy, crafting a play that will tug at your emotions and inspire you to clutch your loved ones just a little bit tighter."
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"Regardless of all the warm-blooded talent involved in putting over Mr. Domingo’s patchily entertaining comedy, watching its charismatic central character deteriorating before your eyes as her loved ones attempt to deal with a foregone conclusion is far from easy, even when the play—loudly directed by Broadway A-lister Susan Stroman—is smothered in the feel-good bathos of a family Christmas gathering...‘Dot’ is basically a two-act, two-hour situation in search of a plot."
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"The Vineyard Theater’s production has a lot to offer, though when dissecting the whole play it is flawed...The cast excels in this work...Mr. Domingo, who besides being a playwright is a talented actor/singer/ dancer shows promise as a writer...I am glad that this play is out there."
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"Rollicking and affecting…Domingo knows how to write juicy roles for actors. In 'Dot,' all seven are given moments to gloriously shine…'Dot' is not yet quite in a finished state. The first act could use a little tightening, and there is a deceptive ending midway through the second...But no matter. Here is a play addressing what is becoming a familiar real-life family situation, and it does so in a manner that is very funny, very moving, and propelled by a wonderful team of actors."
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"Hard as it may be to envision a hilarious comedy about a family facing the mother’s descent into dementia, that’s exactly what Colman Domingo has written in his new play at Vineyard Theatre...There is much hilarity, but the underlying situation of Dot’s deterioration is no joke. During the second act, the play bogs down a bit with some didactic moments and some sentimentality. The ensemble cast work well together...Despite the play’s flaws, the overall effect is very winning."
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"While Domingo displays wit and compassion for his characters, too much of 'Dot' descends into familiar family-drama and sitcom tropes...That’s a shame because the play starts off so promisingly...But the script, acting, and Stroman’s direction become increasingly broad as more characters arrive...The characterizations contain sparks of verisimilitude, but they are drowned out by the play’s excesses."
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"Domingo has written an unsparingly honest play, one that sees family members talking to one another like only family members can. Directed by Susan Stroman, the pacing is terrific, and I could appreciate the way the conversations overlapped. 'Dot' is equal parts hilarious and devastating...'Dot' gave me that jolt of ferocity and authenticity I want in theatre; something meaty, with great writing and terrific performances. It's the first must-see new play of 2016."
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"Perhaps more meaning could have been wrung from Domingo’s writing, but Susan Stroman’s oddly-paced direction sucks all joy out of it. The actors do their best to give texture to flat caricatures...Overall 'Dot' feels out-of-touch, and its well-worn subject matter is too scantly examined to feel worth a play."
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