In "Fairview," the Frasier family is gearing up for Grandma’s birthday, and Beverly needs this dinner to be perfect. Plus, the radio’s on the fritz, her sister Jasmine is drinking, her husband Dayton isn’t helping, her brother Tyrone might not show up at all, and her daughter Keisha is being a typical teenager. As Beverly’s hostess-neurosis begins to get the better of her while her family acts like family, Keisha’s adolescent malaise starts to seem like maybe it could be something else.
See it if you want to be challenged--face to face (literally)--on societal racism. Solid acting/inventive directn bring multi-layered script to life.
Don't see it if you want a coherent work. Act 1 &2 are engaging (but too long). Act 3 is incomprehensible chaos. Too many ideas, chars, noises, gimmicks.
Also Fairview ends up an amorphous mess, although it starts out strong. The... Read more Read less
See it if A powerful, brilliant, dizzying manifesto on race. Shocking, uncomfortable, brilliant. Unique theatrical experience.
Don't see it if you can't handle confusion nor racial discomfort.
Also Yes, it is confusing at times and its crescendo can be very uncomforta... Read more Read less
See it if An excellent piece of theatre that tells a story non-traditionally. Keeps the audience engaged and thinking days after the performance.
Don't see it if There are confusing parts but that's the beauty of the show - it forces you to actively engage your mind and see the story below the surface
See it if A play that needs a lot of cutting and reworking. An interesting story on race told in a different way. Acting is good in this production.
Don't see it if If you dont care about a solid plot line or a real quality story. Show starts out well but gets lost at end of second act. 3erd act terrible
See it if Black actors play “white” roles & struggle with Euro culture. Zany fun w/ many creative surprises. Loved the satirical dancing & food fight.
Don't see it if You aren’t interested in race & cultural assimilation. You don’t like weird plays. The last scene fell flat for me. Confrontational.
See it if u want to see one of the most original, astute, penetrating, shrewd, enlightening and, yes, discomforting plays on race u may ever witness.
Don't see it if you refuse to get out of your comfort zone and face the realities of racism, cultural appropriation & inherent flaws in the human condition.
Also I cannot say enough (for fear of saying too much) about this brilliant... Read more Read less
See it if Drury's meta-dramatic theatrical piece on race & white privilege (both on & off stage) is dense, chilling, edgy & very funny (until its not)
Don't see it if Divided into three "acts", takes time & some confusion moving through them Seems to lose focus as events spin out of control but KO ending
See it if you’d like to experience the latest sharp, provocative, theatrical cry of the heart (& head) from a thrilling young voice in today’s theater
Don't see it if you are not willing to confront a firm (but respectful) reminder of how stifling white expectations can be for people who are not white.
Also A moment toward the end of Jackie Sibblies Drury’s complex, disturbing... Read more Read less
See it if you like the unexpected, interest in black playwright's take on racism & surveillance & victimhood, like to see 4th wall demolished,
Don't see it if expect a through story line, uncomfortable with issues of racism & audience involvement, could develop conflicted feelings
See it if As pure issue-oriented social experiment, this is fearless & unforgettable.The surprise stunt audible & implied commentaries are shattering.
Don't see it if As pure theatrical entertainment, the pacing, the structure, and the characterisations are lacking. A little too much of everything else.
See it if imaginative & hilarious absurdist send up of racial images/tropes defined by whites; unforgettable revelatory ending
Don't see it if you don't like absurdist plays; message at times is heavy-handed
Also This Pulitzer-Prize-winning play keeps u off balance about race. Initi... Read more Read less
See it if you want to see a remarkable, original, innovative play that has an incisive take on race and power and knocks you out theatrically.
Don't see it if you've buried your head in the sand and want to keep pretending that our culture doesn't have a problem with racism.
See it if See it for the reason I did — due to its Pulitzer Prize win, I thought I “had” to see it. I was wrong! Nice set though.
Don't see it if So much of this play did not work. I would not recommend it to anyone. If someone wanted to see it, I’d say “don’t.”
Also The first act was well done but stilted and weird. The second act you ... Read more Read less
See it if You’re looking for a seminal play about the racial divide — one that toys with form and style in new, interesting ways.
Don't see it if You don’t want to feel like you’ll need to digest a play for two days after seeing it. It’s definitely a “thinker”.
See it if you're interested in the effects of racism & privilege, wonderful acting, family dynamics, surprises & some audience participation.
Don't see it if you dislike being manipulated; a couple of scenes go on for too long; the ending is unexpected and poignant yet provides no answers.
See it if you want to see an interesting play by Jackie Sibblies Drury. The first two acts are gripping; the last act is a big letdown.
Don't see it if you are uncomfortable with plays about race as well as plays that have audience participation. You could feel very uncomfortable.
Also The last act is a big letdown, yet it includes the most important part... Read more Read less
See it if You want to see provocative theatre.
Don't see it if You want to see a well told story.
See it if you want to see a play that approaches racism through the sly use of metatheatrical devices.
Don't see it if you don't like genre-bending works, especially those that involve audience participation.
Also Apparently the impact of the final scene varies greatly with the audie... Read more Read less
See it if Relatively normal family life beginning, then racial questions and commentary, which descends to offensive nonsense and chaotic ending
Don't see it if Stereotypical behavior offensive to all, condescending and deliberately provocative in a bad way, exploits racism for no reason
See it if Black actors dance and argue around the stage before the tables are turned on the audience. It all changes in hilarious chaos. Unique!
Don't see it if Can't reveal much, but the white audience is made to fee uncomfortable. I caught on right away, found it hysterical, and enjoyed the ride!
See it if you're interested in a creative theatrical experiment that deconstructs race. It starts off like a sitcom, but then takes twists and turns.
Don't see it if you prefer to see a traditional play. Each of the 3 acts is quite different and ending may leave some audience members feeling uncomfortable
See it if You enjoy being challenged to think...especially about race and privelege
Don't see it if Non traditional theater blended with tradition and racial issues are not your cip of tea.
See it if you like new, challenging theater and to follow Drury who is sure to become an important playwright.
Don't see it if you prefer straightforward, easily understood narratives or are uncomfortable being challenged as a white person.
See it if issues of race presented in an extremely unusual & creative way; like having perceptions challenged
Don't see it if want something straight forward, no surprises; don't want anything with confusing moments or confrontational aspects
Also I wish I had seen this at SohoRep with its smaller audience seating in... Read more Read less
See it if Discussion of race (esp. Black & White) from the White gaze intrigue you. Interesting use of audience participation.
Don't see it if Acknowledging assumptions based on race is very uncomfortable. Mostly about Black-White dynamic, less so for other people of color dynamics.
Also Diversity: lead cast of a Black family (3 women and 1 man).