Fish Men

See it if You like intense and intimate. The acting and script are superb. Plot can feel a tad slow but there is a solid payoff.

Don't see it if You don't like serious plays or getting up close and personal. This may taps variety of tough emotions.

See it if you want to see near perfect theater. Yes, its about chess but don't let that scare you. The acting is perfection

Don't see it if you want big fireworks on stage. This is 5 perfect actors and two chess boards but please don't let that scare you. see this show.

Also This was a free ticket from show score. My 5th free show and I was not expecting much. I keep giving these free shows a chance and I am so glad I did. This is the best show I have seen in about two years. There were 18 people that saw this show tonight. That is not right. I am trying to do what I can to get people to see this show. you will not be disappointed in anyway. I don't understand how you would not like this show. I don't see musicals, I love drama and this is drama at its best. I love to pick things apart and always try to find something wrong with a show. The only think I can say is when the Indian actor pours coffee, its not coffee, its water. That is it. Everything else is so perfect.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy dramas which give us a message without preaching; explore important life lessons; excellent acting and a dramatic ending.

Don't see it if you only like big Broadway productions; otherwise, no reason not to see this.

See it if you enjoy con men plots or stories of shared hardship and experiences accross cultures.

Don't see it if you will be dissapointed if not all character twists come through as believable in the acting.

See it if you appreciate well drawn, complex characters especially from cultures under represented on the NYC stage.

Don't see it if you have a short attention span and can't wade through the preachy, unnecessary dialogue in Act 1. Second act was tighter and rewarding.

See it if You want to see a play with chess as the foundation but many other relevant issue are being discussed. You want to see some great acting.

Don't see it if You want really light and fluffy. You don't want to hear about some intense issues. You don't want to hear about a holocaust survivor.

Also Don't think that you have to love or like the game of chess to enjoy this play. I enjoyed this play immensely. These men did a fantastic job and kept it moving. This play was so absorbing the time flew. These men did a lot of smack talking during the game and they also did a lot of talking about some serious issues. The writer did a great job on this project. I enjoyed the actors they were funny and very entertaining. The last scene was so intense and moving that it almost brought me to tears.... Read more Read less

See it if you like a drama about men getting together, in this case to play chess in the park.

Don't see it if you dislike plays that are too talky and too long.

See it if A great play that keeps growing in intensity. Edge of your seat and stays with you after its over.

Don't see it if You want a lighthearted evening of theater

See it if You like dramas about men's personal journeys and crossroads. This stellar ensemble won't disappoint.

Don't see it if You prefer lighter fare, but even so, you should break out of your pattern and see this exemplary play!

See it if You've wondered what actually happens in Washington Square chess games with added drama

Don't see it if You think chess can't be interesting.

Also The depiction of high level chess is accurate (a rarity). The people are believable and the drama is palpable.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an original, thought provoking, suspenseful play; excellent, 5 male diverse cast each brings something different;

Don't see it if you want a large production and staging; want a female voice

See it if There is a beauty and clarity that comes from the complexity of the story and the rapid exchange of ideas, in this play.Superb acting.

Don't see it if You only go for Broadway productions

Also It will not surprise me if this play may find a run in an Off Broadway theater. It is that good.... Read more Read less

See it if you like stories about humanity, inhumanity, and the effects of trauma; you love chess (it's fun to watch games and listen to chess talk).

Don't see it if you won't enjoy a script that at turns punches you in the gut with pure humanity but at other times pushes plausibility

See it if You can play chess, you like intense plots. You want to see a play that can make you think about holocausts, human nature and relationships.

Don't see it if You want a light theater. This is a very serious piece.

Also Wow, what can I say! This play will always make you want to know what goes on next because you can never predict. "Ninety-two" is so relatable, he is an aged man of wisdom who is always wandering around the park near your home and tell you endless stories about his past and his life experience as a part of history.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy a play that keeps ratcheting up the tension set in a park where chess hustlers look for easy marks.

Don't see it if you're not inclined to suspend your disbelief about unlikely events occurring in a setting where they're not likely to happen.

Also Chess is the main character here, perhaps a bit too much. Despite several improbabilities and implausibilities, the play’s serious messages about suffering and surviving are admirable and intermittently effective. I say intermittently because all the characters have grievances in their psyches, and in the course of their dialogues and monologues invoke more genocides than a college course could cover. You keep waiting for the next one to be brought up. It may be the case that we can never hear enough about genocide and injustice until they are eradicated; but it can also labor the drama. The playwright works hard at making his characters characters rather than mouthpieces and if he does not completely succeed, he does to a reasonable extent. The climax is tense, but melodramatic, and the denouement sentimental, as if to prove that “Chess Conquers All.” Nonetheless, this is a play worth seeing for its seriousness and clever use of chess as the medium of tension and conflict.... Read more Read less

See it if You want an intimate experience with a compelling, relevant and at times surprising story. Go with an open mind.

Don't see it if You don't like to be close to the actors. You don't like to think.

Also If you've been thinking about Intar, but haven't seen their work yet, this is a terrific play to cut your Intar teeth on.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in stories about survivors and what being one actually means.

Don't see it if you don't like intense situations, or want an elaborate set.

See it if you like dramatic plays. nice plot and character development - build up of suspense

Don't see it if see it

See it if you like great set design, intense character development, plot twists & raw depictions of racial tension/violence/historic trauma—and chess!

Don't see it if you want escapism or light/fun entertainment. Or women—it's an all-male cast & the women discussed are archetypal. It also felt a bit long.

See it if You like chess, New York, ever wondered about the lives of chess players in the park.

Don't see it if You don't like plays over 90 minutes that go into life philosophies.

Also This is a very good, solid, engaging, play. It does get a little clunky at times, trying to weave people's life stories into the context of the play, but it's so engaging, that can be forgiven. The actors are mostly very good, with Gardiner Comfort a particular standout as Belarussian John.... Read more Read less

See it if you can wade through the indulgent preaching of the first act to uncover interesting multi cultural life in NYC

Don't see it if you have no patience for chess or stories that take a long time to unfold.

See it if you like interesting writing,small theaters, and being very close to the action.

Don't see it if you're used to big Broadway shows, with all the bells & whistles.

Also I don't know much about chess, but found it very interesting, nonetheless.I had some apprehensions about being in such a small space, but those disappeared as the show progressed. There were only about 20 people in the audience the night I went. Because of all the positive reviews here on Show Score, I decided to take the risk. I was not disappointed.... Read more Read less

See it if Like small productions, black box style. If you like shows that tackle the same topic from different perspectives. Symbolism.

Don't see it if You need flashy and large spectacles. Don't like all male casts. Don't like shows that deal with darker issues. Don't understand chess.

See it if you love chess, you enjoy thought-provoking shows about vengeance and revenge, you enjoy show that question what is right.

Don't see it if you need fast paced spectacle, you're looking for a light comedic show.

See it if you enjoy fast, smart plays; very intimate and up-close setting; ensemble acting w quirky, strong characters. If you are a chess fan!

Don't see it if you want a big production, you have trouble following fast dialogue, accents; you want light and easy (though this play is funny too)

Also Most of the acting was strong, but the cast was uneven, including a pivotal role. The writing/plot veered toward the too pat and cliched toward the end, which was a disappointment, but the first act especially was very engaging. The chess games added not just a metaphorical layer to the story but also a very physical one, and the director and actors did a terrific job of staging the ongoing chess matches.

Also, because it was SUCH an intimate setting, I wish the theater would have warned us about the gun. I guess that's a spoiler, but honestly it was kind of scary to be so up close to a very real looking gun that is being pointed every which way, and I wasn't the only audience member cringing in alarm/discomfort.... Read more Read less