Girl From The North Country

See it if Like a tone poem with a Dylan soundtrack that magnifies the sense of loneliness,loss and longing among inhabitants of depression era hotel

Don't see it if It’s not a jukebox musical- not really a musical- it defies categories in its originality so don’t go if you want Dylan’s greatest hits

Also It’s elegiac in its evocation of mood and feeling with the most extraordinary ensemble and new takes on Dylan poetry... Read more Read less

See it if you love great writing (McPerson and Dylan), superb cast, great singing and have a bit of the Irish in you (even if you aren't Irish)

Don't see it if you expect a happy ending musical or Broadway glitz

Also I think this is the first time I have really understood the complexity and beauty of Dylan's music so thoroughly. And it is a real combination of geniuses to put McPherson in charge of interpreting Dylan. What an experience for the heart, head, and soul.... Read more Read less

See it if Remarkable casting; rich storytelling; smart use and styling of the Dylan song material

Don't see it if Most popular Dylan songs inspired audience members around me to sing along which is an obvious distraction; heavy story not for everyone

See it if you like the music of Bob Dylan and don't mind it being used in a weak, disappointing book.

Don't see it if you want to see a first class musical or prefer drama.

See it if this is a play w music - not a musical. Fascinating arrangements of Dylan. The singers & musicians are terrific.

Don't see it if the show is painful and sad, a lyrical evocation of the Depression that offers little in the way of hope. there's a bit too much fussing

Also around in the staging, people wandering the stage to no apparent purpose. I am a huge McPherson fan, but some of the plotting here is deliberately foggy and the lack of clarity can be annoying.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in human stories told with grace by amazing actors. It's a phenomenal night at the theater.

Don't see it if you are looking for a Bob Dylan jukebox musical. It's really it's own story. I forgot these were famous songs, they fit the plot so well.

Also Well done Conor McPherson.

See it if You’re willing to enjoy good singing and acting almost randomly put together; you love Dylan’s music in any context

Don't see it if You know Dylan’s repertoire and expect his music to be presented in some semblance of its original context. Want a great/uplifting storyline

Also Story felt a bit cobbled together around the music. Or was the music pulled in to fill out the story? Kept wishing the words to the songs made sense in the context... Read more Read less

See it if You love Bob Dylan’s music. Depressing story about the renters in a rooming house & family that runs it The town people add interesting mix

Don't see it if You are expecting happiness. This is not the story of Bob Dylan. Not interested in dysfunctional drama

Also Mare Winningham play a demented wife excellently. The music is great

See it if You know the music. Not knowing Dylan well, I felt at sea for much of the show, trying to figure out how the songs might comment on the show

Don't see it if You're expecting a traditional narrative, diegetic songs, or anything that feels "big." It's quiet, often lovely, and mysterious.

Also A tough one to score. I found it often lovely, but the play and the music didn't cohere for me. Mare Winningham, Jeanette Bayardelle, and Todd Almond all scored big points for me with their musical turns (the first two were also particularly wonderful actors--Almond simply had less to do). I've been listening to the London cast recording since seeing it, and I still find the music lovely, but I still haven't worked out how it comments on the play (or vice versa). I was left somewhat disappointed, but I can definitely imagine an audience for it.... Read more Read less

See it if you want a beautiful theatrical piece, that slowly takes you in and moves you.

Don't see it if You need spectacle when you see a musical.

See it if Not quite a musical or a play, but a beautiful theatrical experience. The intimate production looks gorgeous and the cast is excellent.

Don't see it if You prefer big splash broadway musicals.

See it if a man owns a boarding house on the verge of bankruptcy and makes some desperate choices for his family...

Don't see it if tone is unnecessarily depressing; the book doesn’t allow you to care for the characters; songs don’t compliment the storyline. Disappointed

See it if You want to see a perfectly told story through the poetic brilliance of Bob Dylan’s music. The cast is phenomenal! This musical is gorgeous.

Don't see it if You don’t want to feel every type of emotion towards the story told by the cast. You feel part of their lives in this intimate staging.

See it if you're ready for the rare jukebox musical that's sophisticated & smart. This is a heartfelt & artistic show. And the Dylan songs sound great

Don't see it if you're looking for an exciting show b/c I have to say, I found the plot kind of dull. My mind wandered during a lot of the book scenes.

See it if See it if you enjoy hearing Dylan's songs sung well.

Don't see it if Don't see it if you want the story to blend with the music and lyrics.

Also The lighting design and the movement director did a wonderful job. The band was talented. But I found the story rather common--heard it before--and found myself thinking of other things during the show. Some of the people around me liked the show; others thought it was so-so. The acting was very good, but none of the characters made me feel for them even though they had hard lives. When they sang, I felt they were out of character as the words they sang did not convey what was happening in their lives as closely as the words should have. I would have preferred two shows--one of Dylan's songs and another of the bleak life these people lived in the 1930s.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy the slower pacing and the unraveling of what I could best describe as an O'Neill play with Dylan's music. Muted, and haunting.

Don't see it if you are looking for a spectacle. No flashy sets or large-scale song and dance numbers. Strikingly Midwestern, with universal elements.

See it if you want to be bored and depressed at the time, or if you're a huge McPherson or Dylan fan.

Don't see it if you are looking for characters you care about, a believable story, or music that supports the show.

Also I'm not a Dylan fan, so I don't really know his music (and, more importantly, the lyrics). Perhaps if I did, the show would have appealed to me more, but as written, it was slow, uninteresting, and boring. Mr. McPherson has tried to do too much here. There are too many stories competing for time and song so you never get to know any of them well enough to care. It's nicely staged the cast is generally strong (although because they're singing folk songs, they seem to think that diction doesn't matter and it's frequently difficult to understand what they're saying - at least from where I was sitting). The arrangements are nice, but it's just not enough to make it worth jumping through hoops to try to get a ticket. Totally missable.... Read more Read less

See it if I loved this, though I can't say why. My friend hated it& also can't say why. It's slow & not much happens & I didn't like any of the charac

Don't see it if ters, but the singing is great and I enjoyed the story, or what there was of it. Not for everyone, but the music is great.

See it if you want to see a beautiful show set brilliantly and seamlessly to music by Bob DYlan.

Don't see it if you are looking for a jukebox musical of Dylan's music.

See it if you love great shows at the public

Don't see it if you prefer light musicals

See it if you want to see a beautiful piece of theatre a la Spoon River Anthology/Our Town. Dylan lyrics fit perfectly & the cast was heartrending.

Don't see it if you hate Dylan, want an upbeat, fast-paced, jazz-hand-y type of show. There are no bells, whistles, helicopters, or fluff here.

See it if You're a Dylan fan and want to see how his songs were incorporated into a drama--except they weren't. The songs brought the action to a stop

Don't see it if You want a coherent story in which the songs amplify the story, not interrupt it. Singing & acting superb, but the project was misconceived.

See it if You want to take a break and enjoy some good music. The singing is wonderful.

Don't see it if You want to see a real musical with a coherent story line.

Also I do enjoy myself, mostly because of the singing. The problem here is that I’ve seen jukebox musical before but this is the only one makes me wondering why on earth did these people suddenly begin to sing a song which ha only two lines of lyrics have something to do with the story.... Read more Read less

See it if You like Bob Dylan’s music woven into a Depressuon-Era story.

Don't see it if You don’t like Dylan’s music and are uninterested in the period of the early 1930’s.

Also Wonderful storytelling of ordinary struggles combined with Dylan’s earthy and beautiful music, sung by a very talented cast.... Read more Read less

See it if you're a Dylan fan, and would enjoy hearing his songs beautifully sung in arrangements you haven't heard before.

Don't see it if you want the story onto which the songs are grafted to be as compelling as the songs (it isn't).