In a Word NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (51)
See it if you like absurdity w your psychological dramas, exploring effects of loss/grief. Sad subject, but play's not devastating or too emotional.
Don't see it if Don't want to work a bit to follow the story & creative turn-of-phrase. 1 actor plays multi-roles (really well!) It's a fresh, modern take. Read more
See it if you want an interesting dialogue, which keeps you intrigued till the end, when the story finally reveals itself. Justin Marks was great!
Don't see it if you don't like intense plays about a families loss.
See it if enjoyable show. excellent wordplay within a touching story. well acted by all 3 performers. really well staged too.
Don't see it if you are sensitive to a story about a missing child. you want simple straight forward dialogue
See it if You want good theatre
Don't see it if You only like musicals!
See it if You like family drama told in a unique and quirky way. Great writing and acting.
Don't see it if You don't want thought provoking drama.
See it if you can deal with a non-linear and non-realistic plot; this show involved make-believe characters which existed only in the mind of the mom
Don't see it if you want a totally realistic plot and characters; you don't care for non-linear plots; you don't care to think too much.
See it if you like challenging pieces in a unique theatrical language involving sound and action, an excellent performance by a recent Julliard grad
Don't see it if you don't like plays where secrets are only hinted at until final moments, deliberately confusing style that keeps one wondering
See it if You appreciate non-linear storylines, clever language, darker themes, small cast shows
Don't see it if The subject of autism or losing a child is hard for you to watch. You want something light with straightforward plot. Wordplay confounds you Read more
Critic Reviews (14)
"It’s Yee’s sharp perception that loss is often accompanied by uncertainty and confusion; and that at such times words can change their meaning and lose their power...Both the playwright and director Tyne Rafaeli seem more interested in driving home those feelings in us than solving the puzzle of the story for us...I suspect that what I’ll most remember from 'In a Word' is not the hint of a cogent story, nor even the semblance of psychological insight, but Lauren Yee’s use of language."
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“A quality performance under Tyne Rafaeli's delicate direction…Lines of dialogue with words bearing particular resonance are woven through the script as markers, often serving to trigger recollections that instantly shift us from the present to the past…Rafaeli's production unfolds in a sleek West Elm-like living room designed by Oona Curley…Curley also did the evocative lighting, with one particular moment showing a ghostly Tristan staring through the doors…The effect is, in a word, haunting.”
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“‘In a Word’ is an emotionally raw, true, painful and often funny new play. It accomplishes a great deal in 80 swift minutes. It tells the story of Fiona and Guy, a couple that lost their son two years ago, and they haven't been able to really talk to each other about it. Anger, guilt, frustration and self-preservation have thrown up a wall of silence between them. Lauren Yee has written a wonderful play where the words are important and critical and yet still not always enough.”
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"This play delivers an introspective of what it can be like to work with and raise a mentally challenged child. At first, we are confronted with the heartbreaking situation of parents who have had their adopted son kidnapped and a mom who seems unable to move on with her life. As the play progresses, we become less empathetic as we get a clearer picture of the circumstances of the household and of the mother's true relationship with her son. The play is well-written, fluid, and makes you think."
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"The script takes off at breakneck speed in Lauren Yee’s new play, and Tyne Rafaeli’s direction keeps the dialogue flowing with technical precision...Lesser America has produced a show that evolves with every moment, and moves like music. Perez and Ramadei keep us guessing at their true intentions, living distracted lives searching for each other. Rafaeli leaves us with a final image that we won’t soon forget."
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"It is a satisfying experience to listen to the wordplay, and link scenes, sentences and phrases together to understand the story...Director Tyne Rafaeli has kept the transitions tight, and the result makes the show easier to watch...All three leads create complex relationships within the short time frame...Although the actors take a minute to settle into the world of the play, once they are there, 'In a Word' is an engaging and quirky piece of theater, and definitely worth seeing."
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