If I Forget NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (407)
See it if great complex family dynamics. Recognizable characters. Moving absorbing stories. Interesting!
Don't see it if you don't care for dramas or jewish themes. It takes 20 min to get settled and then it's riveting to the end. Read more
See it if You want to see a show that takes you to some new conclusions in some rather well known territory. Great staging, acting, brilliant writing.
Don't see it if You're bored with human dramas, exploring what makes us tick or looking at yourself honestly and maybe not always liking what you see.
See it if you are fascinated w issues of Jewish identity. IIF is a funny, intellectual dysfunctional family dramedy that, ultimately, seems pointless.
Don't see it if you dislike when every character has horrible issues. Holly seems to be in a different play. I wasn't bored, but I wasn't enlightened.
See it if A well told family drama that asks tough questions. The script is superb, touching on some complicated themes very well.
Don't see it if You have a hard time with stories about the holocaust. If you are looking for lighter fare. This is not that, despite few moments of levity.
See it if Jewish family struggles with tradition vs. moving on. Individuals, family and community intertwine. Witty dialog and hilarious moments.
Don't see it if You don't want to think about values and the choices we must make. What is important to our identity? How free are we to decide? Read more
See it if You value character driven plays. An unhappy family must face their individual issues to survive as a family. Being or knowing Jews helps.
Don't see it if you want special effects instead of drama. Or if you are put off by philosophy. Ideas and dreams cross as the family members discover truths
See it if you like family tales filled with humor and drama, particularly Jewish families, filled with family secrets and revelations
Don't see it if you're not interested in loud, crazy discussions about family issues and Israel, don't enjoy realistic portrayals of teens or parents
See it if fine cast shows w humor/pathos how Jewish family battles thru practical issues/caring for dying parent & existential/Jewish identity, etc.
Don't see it if not robust as iconic portrayals of multi-generational family dysfunction in plays like Long Day's/Humans/August Osage; flat ending
Critic Reviews (37)
"'If I Forget' speaks to both the head and the heart...It isn’t perfect. The plot, which turns on a question of real estate, takes its time arriving and mostly hangs around to facilitate debate...Under Daniel Sullivan’s sensitive direction, the ripe interstitial music nudges emotion too obviously and the ending, which shifts the play into magical realism, makes its themes too explicit. But the script and the remarkable actors make you embrace the Fischers."
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"Directed by Daniel Sullivan, who has a gift for raising dialogue to its smartest expression, 'If I Forget' is ambitious and often very funny...Although some of Levenson’s plot twists are contrived, the play is fearless in its confrontation of Jewish self-image before a New York audience that surely includes many Jews...He gives us a lot to talk about, and a play to remember."
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"'If I Forget' can feel overstuffed at times. But it all works beautifully, thanks to the richness of the writing, the superb performances of an ensemble that doesn’t strike a false note and the impeccable direction of Daniel Sullivan...The razor-sharp dialogue makes the two-and-a-half-hour running time fly by...Some of the plot elements are admittedly not fully convincing...But for the most part, the play rings with stunning emotional truth...Each of the actors is outstanding."
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"Sharp and thoroughly touching...Levenson has already proven himself as a craftsman of compelling, poignant drama and his skills serve him well again here...Shamos, Walsh and Dizzia make those family bonds feel authentic...The setting and subjects they tackle really resonate...'If I Forget' succeeds both as a thoughtful family drama filled with wit and as a compelling dissection of the world we live in."
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"The problem with many, if not most, family dramas is that the families are so often hateful. Playwright Steven Levenson avoids that trap...Heritage means a lot to this closely knit family, which is what keeps us engaged in their quarrels...In the tradition of domestic drama, Levenson’s play involves a lot of talk and precious little action. But the talk is surprisingly gripping, especially when one secret after another is teased out of the siblings."
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"Brilliantly staged and at once funny and deeply unsettling...Levenson is such an expansive and gifted writer – and Sullivan so expert at drawing true-to-life performances from an extraordinary cast – that we never feel trapped in a situation comedy...In a stellar cast, Shamos blazes forward; this gifted actor is giving the performance of his career...This is the play of the season so far. I won’t soon forget it."
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"One character’s controversial and incendiary take on the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine conflict makes Levenson's work singular. There are some issues. Credulity strains at times — wouldn’t a professor wait until he has tenure before publishing a surefire hot potato of a book? Just asking. And the plot snowballs in the final stretch. Still, the excellent cast mines every bit of fury and humor. 'If I Forget' is whip-smart, bold and, finally, memorable."
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"A deeply absorbing, issues-oriented family drama that's likely to hit a nerve in both head and heart...Levenson captures the family dynamic with great ease. The dialogue is fluid and intelligent; and he manages to slip in some pointed laughs along the way...And thanks to a flawless ensemble, we're hooked from the very first scene right through to the bitter end...There aren't many plays that can twist your head around 180 degrees. But this one does, and most convincingly."
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