Pulitzer Prize-winner Stephen Adly Guirgis ('Between Riverside and Crazy') begins his residency at Signature with a revival of his darkly comic meditation on redemption and faith. More…
Angel Cruz is a 30-year-old bicycle messenger awaiting trial for the death of the leader of a religious cult. Inside Rikers Island, a terrified Angel is befriended by a charismatic serial killer named Lucius Jenkins. Lucius has found God and been born again, and now, Angel's life and the course of his trial will be changed forever.
See it if an intense play about the criminal justice system, faith and morality. great writing and staging, spectacular performances.
Don't see it if a lot of profanity. a lot of discussion of religion that may offend some or turn some off. more than a little moral equivalency.
See it if you are interested in seeing a powerful production that explores crime, justice & redemption. No easy answers, but lots of food for thought.
Don't see it if you are easily offended by profanity, or are not interested in shows that deal with the criminal justice system.
See it if you like dark humor and lyrical language (which isn't to say it isn't profane at times, but it's poetic profanity).
Don't see it if naturalistic plays aren't your thing or you don't like monologues or plays about prison.
See it if You enjoy stellar, emotional acting.
Don't see it if you don't enjoy deep plays about why we are here on earth.
See it if The language is so powerful as is the acting. There's tension and suspense. Great set. Didn't want it to end
Don't see it if You don't like drama
See it if You want powerful drama. Based however, on misrepresentation of the law as irrational and unjust, as is sadly standard in film and tv.
Don't see it if You are disturbed by law manipulated to appear unfair, if you understand doing so undermines the rule of law. Very dangerous.
Also Enjoyably dramatic, but a lack of intent to kill means Cruz committed ... Read more Read less
See it if You can take long monologues on religion, guilt, and non-redemption. It's a downer -- everyone fails in some way. But it's well-acted.
Don't see it if You dislike prison plays that don't resolve. There is a lot of talk but it seems to come to nothing.
See it if you want to experience the expert cast delivering their awesome monologues. They are a joy to behold !
Don't see it if you don't enjoy thought-provoking plays.
See it if You enjoy intelligent theatre
Don't see it if You can not follow dialogue closely
See it if the Grey of the Black and White of right and wrong, G-d and justice, confidence and humility, seems worth shading.
Don't see it if You think prison is where you go to be forgotten.
See it if You like good acting and staging of a good, not great play.
Don't see it if You aren't interested in prison dramas or prefer lighter fare.
See it if You like well written law procedurals charged with thoughts current and provocative.
Don't see it if You are disturbed by profanity in pursuit of the sacred.
See it if you appreciate great acting, great writing and well thought out ideas delivered to perfection
Don't see it if No reason not to see it
See it if You like well acted, well written dramas that raise more questions than they answer.
Don't see it if You think you would dislike a play that largely involves debates about crime, punishment, guilt and redemption.
See it if you're open to a play that starts as an exploration of the prison system and ends up meditating on divine justice and redemption.
Don't see it if you don't want to see criminals (even heinous ones) humanized, or have little patience for complicated conversations about religion.
See it if you love superb writing and acting you love intense drama
Don't see it if you want something light and fluffy you are offended by language
See it if You want to think about humanity and what is meaningful. Great acting, incredible monologues. Very moving and really makes you think.
Don't see it if You have no compassion for others and think everything is black and white. It will challenge your thinking about what you believe and know.
See it if you like drama that is edgy and powerful. Theatre that is thought provoking and topical.
Don't see it if You want something light and entertaining.
See it if can accept complex, disturbing, fully developed criminal characters in a jail house setting. A talkative dreamlike tale of character flaws.
Don't see it if the clichés of corrupt and sadistic cops mistreating prisoners will stop you from listening to the stories of the other characters
See it if You like thought provoking drama with a little bit of humor.
Don't see it if If you want all the questions answered.
See it if you care to see human beings grappling with questions of meaning and morality; freedom and imprisonment. Profound and beautifully acted.
Don't see it if you aren't interested in the human soul.
See it if You love amazing writing full of lots of heart supported by amazing performances by a tight ensemble
Don't see it if You're not into religious themes and stories of redemption.
See it if you enjoy a fast-paced and fascinating story
Don't see it if you prefer light musical theater
See it if you want to see commanding skillful acting, a master class in playing multi-leveled complex characters, both enduring and repulsive.
Don't see it if you dislike prison plays, the f-word used more than w/ Mamet, disturbing accounts of violence, and esoteric writing that leaves one unsure.