How to Transcend a Happy Marriage NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (199)
See it if like Marisa Tomei or Lena Hall; it's definitely racy and different than almost anything out there. Definitely for adult audiences
Don't see it if don't like discussions of sex and non-traditional relationships
See it if you are discontent with monogamy and curious about polyamory. This domestic drama has surreal/poetic touches that will keep you thinking.
Don't see it if you want a linear play without a "what-is-going-on? second act feeling/thinking. Not many answers but lots of questions explored here.
See it if you're up for a story about a polyamorous situation and how others react to it.
Don't see it if you don't have an open mind.
See it if You like seeing plays with some interesting ideas that pushes the envelope. Some good acting, even if the scenarios feel a bit too forced.
Don't see it if you aren't into seeing sexual norms questioned and want a more conventional, less modern play.
See it if one good act of a two-act play is enough for you. The second act doesn't quite work, but Ruhl deserves credit for ambition if not execution.
Don't see it if you expect a play to have a consistent tone throughout, or you're uncomfortable with frank sexual talk and drug use.
See it if you think Lincoln Center is rewarding... no exception here. Tomei and Weigart are on-pointe, Hall is engaging. Well worth a night-out.
Don't see it if a little same-sex PDF is not cool w/you. Subject matter is clear, but your loss if you miss seeing this show. Story/theme is SO much more.
See it if You are interested in issues regarding polyamory, open marriage, bi-curious, permissive parenting, veganism, ethical carnivores, hunting etc
Don't see it if You want a neat, tidy show
See it if You enjoy a great ensemble cast with a quirky story premise that is fun and interesting and definitely a little odd.
Don't see it if You need your story to be straightforward. The oddness adds to the appeal here.
Critic Reviews (35)
"One of the great joys of Ruhlian drama is luxuriating in its complex nest of ideas...Ruhl’s dense tissue of quotations makes familiar concerns feel new...Metwally and Weigert, the standouts among a strong cast, negotiate this dangerous territory best, providing a beating heart for their characters that doesn't exist on the page...For all the play’s variegated pleasures, however, it’s hard not to wish that such talented artists would begin to look beyond the walls of the privileged few."
Read more
“Ruhl skillfully transports the audience into the experiences of the characters and induces an intense level of reflection on their journey…Ms. Ruhl finds the poetry and music in these characters' tumultuous experiences that bring intellectual and emotional understanding of their growth and change…If you are a fan of Sarah Ruhl’s work, you will definitely find this play worth seeing. The cast is excellent, the directing (by Rebecca Taichman) is unified, and the writing is authentic."
Read more
“An intriguing new comedy…Ruhl's comic yet earnest mix of contemporary fact and timeless fantasy is matched by Taichman's buoyant staging and grounded by Tomei's warm and yearning George. As presented here, polyamory complicates things (think of the logistics!) but also satisfies the human animal's omnivorous nature and spiritual longing to be part of something bigger. Striving for transcendence, George discovers that magic and meaning were in the neighborhood all along.”
Read more