Marjorie Prime
Closed 1h 40m
Marjorie Prime
80

Marjorie Prime NYC Reviews and Tickets

80%
(63 Reviews)
Positive
86%
Mixed
11%
Negative
3%
Members say
Great acting, Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Clever

About the Show

Playwrights Horizons presents a story about a family coping with the loss of a loved one through the use of a "prime:" an exact replica of the deceased who can learn to interact in human-like ways.

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Member Reviews (63)

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982 Reviews | 343 Followers
90
Ambitious, Clever, Profound, Thought-provoking, Relevant

See it if you can. A powerful exam of identity and memory. What makes us ourselves? And what will happen with AI? Well acted, skillfully written.

Don't see it if you dislike sci-fi stories. MP takes place in the near future. I liked it so much I saw it twice. A couple of scenes could have been trimmed

635 Reviews | 237 Followers
83
Clever, Slow, Thought-provoking, Funny, Great acting

See it if You like plays about what the future could hold in store.

Don't see it if You don't like intimate new plays that are slowly paced.

488 Reviews | 316 Followers
91
Absorbing, Ambitious, Great acting, Intelligent, Intense

See it if incredible acting and a sci fi storyline

Don't see it if You don't want to see a somewhat depressing quiet show. But it will make you think. And you won't forget it!

479 Reviews | 262 Followers
80
Absorbing, Great acting, Great staging, Intelligent, Original

See it if you are interested in thought-provoking new plays written by one of our very best young playwrights.

Don't see it if you are not interested in thought-provoking new plays.

470 Reviews | 113 Followers
93
Absorbing, Edgy, Great acting, Original

See it if You love Lois Smith, sci-fi and great acting. You want to be touched at frank discussions of death.

Don't see it if You don't like sci-fi and don't want to suspend disbelief.

402 Reviews | 86 Followers
85
Clever, Great acting, Thought-provoking

See it if you like considering implications of future technology and enjoy clever, well-thought out playwriting

Don't see it if you don't want to think about death, aging, or mortality. You want to see a cheerful and joyous play.

304 Reviews | 105 Followers
68
Absorbing, Slow, Intelligent

See it if you like Black Mirror and Robot & Frank.

Don't see it if you like gritty scifi.

197 Reviews | 530 Followers
88
Absorbing, Original, Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Intense

See it if Extremely original, thought provoking and well acted. The plot unfolded in three acts, each more riveting than the last

Don't see it if You want something light, fluffy and happy

Critic Reviews (28)

The New York Times
December 14th, 2015

"Impeccably directed by Anne Kauffman, with acting to match by a cast of four, this production keeps developing in your head...It initially has the look and feel of a featherweight work — of a cool, low-key domestic comedy of ideas, built on a single ingenious gimmick. But at some point, you realize that it’s been landing skillfully targeted punch after punch, right where it hurts."
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Time Out New York
December 14th, 2015

"An intriguing scenario but mainly an elegant study of memory as both escape and prison...The structural trick of Harrison’s play (not to give too much away) is the slow proliferation of Primes, which both palliates and sharpens the tragic chapters of Marjorie and Tess’s past. Time will tell if A.I. ever becomes a reality, but the human parts of Harrison’s smart, lovely play are built to last."
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New York Magazine / Vulture
December 14th, 2015

"A startling and profound new drama...It’s true that 'Marjorie Prime' is fundamentally a realistic work, and a brilliant one at that...That in this production they are rendered natural as well, despite the amusing technological frame through which Harrison explores them, is the result of the superior ensemble acting of the cast, under Anne Kauffman’s beautifully balanced direction."
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The Hollywood Reporter
December 14th, 2015

"'Marjorie Prime' is sometimes frustratingly slow and schematic; it's the sort of play that is probably more satisfying to ponder over afterward than to watch. But it resonates with deep feeling, philosophical intelligence and empathy not only for its human characters, but also for its artificial ones. Staged in measured, understated fashion by Anne Kauffman, the piece is wonderfully acted by the ensemble."
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Variety
December 14th, 2015

"'Marjorie Prime' envisions a day in the near future when we’ll be able to program robots to serve as humanoid companions for the old, the infirm and the lonely. The play, premiering at Playwrights Horizons with Smith in the cast, is also a sensitive study of family dynamics, which makes it all the more engaging."
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New York Theatre Guide
December 15th, 2015

"This is a play of ideas and, as such, there is more discourse than there is dramatic action, and characterizations do not run especially deep...Time is intentionally fluid in this work but, under Anne Kauffman’s otherwise thoughtful direction, leaps of many years feel more disjointed than they should be."
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New York Daily News
December 14th, 2015

"Under the direction of Anne Kauffman, the acting is seamless. And this carefully calibrated 70-minute meditation on morality and memories exerts a gentle but insistent tug. But it doesn’t doesn’t dive deep enough to make a lasting impact."
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Theatermania
December 14th, 2015

"One of the more impressive aspects of 'Marjorie Prime' is how Harrison calls upon spectators to be active viewers. Rather than deal in specifics, he provides context clues for us to piece together the timeline and personal histories ourselves...It works here because the dialogue and performances are so strong, it's like we're viewing these moments firsthand...Thanks to the expert cast and wonderfully sensitive writing, it's a supremely emotional moment."
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