Judgment Day

See it if Great performances. Great story full of twists. Epic larger than life scale sets. Dark and full of pathos.

Don't see it if It drags at times but mostly briefly.

See it if You enjoy large scale productions. The staging is really great and so are the performances. Good story w/ some dramatic scenes.

Don't see it if You aren't looking for drama and prefer something light.

See it if If you like a entertaining story and a huge production. Fantastic lighting and sound effects. Well acted show.

Don't see it if If you do not like big production plays.

See it if you want to see a taut, intense, powerful morality/cautionary tale about truth, guilt, loyalty & mob mentality, staged on an epic scale.

Don't see it if u want a subtle, intimate, small-scale production; u want to avoid another wake-up call about the effects of absolutism/"fake news"/mob rule

See it if cutting edge scenography or a brilliant script by an important 20th century playwright who is little staged here would interest you.

Don't see it if you’re looking for an intimate drama: This staging goes as high as the sky & across a broad horizon.

Also I admire the script of Ödön von Horváth’s “Judgment Day” enormously. Bare-bones spare, there are no descriptive passages, no longueurs, no one tells stories or offers explanations; personal histories are a few (disputed) facts. Short sticks of back-&-froth dialog advance the scene, 7 of them, that fit together as inexorably as a moving machine—one that finds exciting theatrical form here in enormous modules that move across the huge armory space, white blocks of scenery (wall, archway, etc.) that shift with every scene & suggest Albert Speer on wheels or 3D de Chirico, brutal, alienated. 17 scurrying cast members create a small-town populace on the eve of Hitler’s rise, a composite character as important as any Greek chorus. The domestic drama of desire, disappointment, bad luck, cowardice & murder unfolds with several twists, somewhat dwarfed in these surroundings & that’s the point. Fate, an uncaring cosmos, a shifting social order beyond anyone’s control rule here.... Read more Read less

See it if chance to see rare production staged in huge space, interested in von Horvath & issues of guilt & blame, to see the power of the mob,

Don't see it if not a fan of loud noises, huge sets being slowly dragged across theater, people lost among the sets, don't like stories of infidelity, guilt

See it if you want a story experience on massive sets in a huge space over 7 scenes in 90 minutes that are wonderfully lit with excellent sound.

Don't see it if you want something light - this is heavy on morality subjects with many thought provoking issues that we have in today's world.

See it if simply scripted scenes representing grand philosophical concepts like truth, guilt & justice with Biblical references hold your attention.

Don't see it if the ponderous predictably & illogic of grand opera w/o the justification of magnificent vocal music fails to appeal. Stiff performances, too

See it if Morality (Remember?) fable from the then '30s for the relevant now of the truth and consequences of responsibility and quivering vox populi.

Don't see it if A testament to the directing and the acting that the story isn't dwarfed for the back row by large set piece and cavernous performance space

See it if Excellent ensemble work. Interesting staging. Great lightning including train effect.

Don't see it if If you want something light and cheerful. This is highly stylized and totally serious and dark.

Also Interesting to see such a massive stage and how they used it.
90 minutes, no intermission so although it is somewhat dry and seems like a fable, not a fully realized story, at least it is not too long. The Armory is a cool venue, not like a usual theater, fun to see it.... Read more Read less

See it if expansive staging w/what seems like ever changing sets; great sensation of movement as the trains go by & great lighting

Don't see it if space swallows the production, everything seems lost-is this the idea? some tension but mostly stilted & slow; couldn't wait for show 2 end

See it if You like really big Broadway type shows outside of Broadway

Don't see it if You are looking for something new and fresh

Also I had no idea what to expect because I have never been in this building before. From the second I walked in I felt like a little kid. I couldn’t believe how big the space was. Just about everything about this show was great The set, the sound, all the visuals and the acting. I didn’t think the actual play itself was bad but it was just above average. I really like plays that take place along time ago but still hold up today. I was a little bit confused at the end of this because I didn’t understand why the main character did what he did?
I’m really glad I saw this and I hope in the future they make good use of the space... Read more Read less

See it if You appreciate edgy theatre.

Don't see it if You like traditional storytelling.

See it if you enjoy anything in the armory that makes great use of that wonderful space

Don't see it if you expect more than just two dimensional characters acting out a simple story

See it if You enjoy moralistic stories re-envisioned performances solid, no breakouts, amazing sets

Don't see it if Traditional theater is your preference. This show borders on the avanti garde

See it if interested in a 1937 morality tale by a young German playwright in an epically staged production. Deals with guilt, blame, mob mentality.

Don't see it if looking for something light. Serious subject matter with resonance to current political climate.

Also The fascinating set, lighting, & sound are on a grand scale which makes great use of the cavernous space, but also has the effect of almost overshadowing the players & thereby distancing the emotional component.... Read more Read less

See it if dark, large scale production on group behavior with lack of individual responsibility; haunting lighting, sounds & forest scenery on sides

Don't see it if don't want very large scale scenery - 2 gigantic blocks that are moved/turned to create different scenes; don't want morality play

See it if Interpretation of German play about culpability of community in crime. A warning posing as a play.

Don't see it if Strong cast declaims rather than acts. Enormous sets intentionally dwarf actors. Intentionally lacks subtlety.

See it if You like interesting staging. A 1937 play by German writer warning about mob mentality, group guilt, Excellent acting. Lots to think about.

Don't see it if You are looking for light fun drama. This is serious stuff. I’ve seen several Park Avenue Armory productions; this was the least spectacular

Also An event. An experience. Sound and lighting extraordinary.

See it if you enjoy morally-complex dramas that make you leave the theatre questioning the ways in which you behave and judge others; ambiguous works.

Don't see it if expecting utterly shocking or contemporary-feeling work laden with complex twists. Although a bit dated, Judgment Day feels quite fresh.

Also The Park Avenue Armory’s mobile seating and staging configurations always make shows feel larger than life, immersive, and imposing. Judgment Day’s mutable design suits the space, but some of the show’s integrity is rooted upon intimacy between characters as much as it is an ambitious work echoing witch-hunt themes of The Crucible. In short, it’s uneven work, but I was engaged until the end, thinking I had it all figured out and being surprised at moments—sometimes pleasantly, sometimes not. It’s also a treat to see Luke Kirby as Stationmaster guiding his trusting, adoring townspeople to—where?. He’s charismatic, tense, and stunning in the role. This timeless-feeling 1930s play makes us consider guilt, ignominy, trust, perception, and integrity in our own lives. I can’t help but want to interpret it as allegorical, too, with people waiting on a platform, poised for heaven or hell. Maybe every town is a purgatory. We wait for something to happen that leads each of us to a judgment day.... Read more Read less

See it if great staging of an old play that is relevant today. great use of the space.

Don't see it if more flash than substance. characters versus people.

See it if you want *brilliantly-staged* play evocative of Ibsen's ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. Serious, heavy-handed look at truth/responsibility in society.

Don't see it if you want something light; this is grim (but gripping) tale of taking responsibility for mistakes which lead to tragedy. Masterful staging.

See it if you like a drama that addresses human behavior as individuals & collectively, Watch us delude & lose ourselves when part of a mob.

Don't see it if Shows that explore the human psyche don't intrigue you.

See it if truly the tableaux and the brooding moving gigantic scenery was worth the price of the ticket

Don't see it if but the allegorical plot is too simple--and although visually stunning, I kept wondering why all this?

See it if You are interested in seeing a Horvath morality play that is given a massive, albeit cold, staging.

Don't see it if Fails to elicit much genuine emotion or earned empathy.