Martin Luther On Trial NYC Reviews and Tickets

76%

(45 Ratings)

Positive

75%

Mixed

18%

Negative

Members say

Thought-provoking, Absorbing, Intelligent, Great acting, Clever

About the Show

Fellowship for Performing Arts presents a return engagement of this courtroom drama, which alternates between witnesses speaking to the impact of Martin Luther's life, and scenes from the events that shaped him.

The judge is Saint Peter. And the prosecutor is the Devil. Luther’s beloved wife, Katarina, defends him as witnesses including Adolf Hitler, Sigmund Freud, Rabbi Josel, St. Paul, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Pope Francis take the stand. Even as 2017 marks 500 years since Luther ignited the Protestant Revolt against Rome, he continues to spark intense debate. The audience is the jury in this exploration of one of history’s most explosive personalities, and the religious and political controversies he unleashed.

Show-Score Member Reviews (45)

Absorbing, Intelligent, Thought-provoking

See it if You are a protestant or are interested in the life of Martin Luther

Don't see it if You are against religion

Intelligent, Thought-provoking

See it if you enjoy being educated while being entertained.

Don't see it if you are not interested in historical figures and philosophical discusssion. Read more

Clever, Entertaining, Great acting, Ambitious, Absorbing

See it if you like original theatrical concepts, political history, intense acting, historical Christian theory & themes that challenge your thinking

Don't see it if you want lighthearted mindless bubble gum theater. Or if you are offended by representation of Satan and Hitler inciting reflective thought

Absorbing, Clever, Intelligent, Thought-provoking

See it if you like an imaginative, clever play about religion with good acting and staging

Don't see it if you don't like plays about religion with opposing viewpoints

Intelligent, Thought-provoking, Relevant

See it if theology and philosophy

Don't see it if the above

Disappointing, Overrated

See it if You are interested in Martin Luther and don't know much about him

Don't see it if You want an intellectual, thought provoking play about Luther

Ambitious, Well acted, Pontificating, literally, Thought-provoking, Attempts at profundity

See it if you want to consider among other things whether Martin Luther fought the Catholic Church or fought God.

Don't see it if a theatre with haze and smoke makes breathing difficult.

More a history lesson than a drama

See it if You're interested in learning a little about Martin Luther in this, the 500th anniversary of the 95 Theses.

Don't see it if You want a historical drama or even a legal drama. Read more

Critic Reviews (10)

For a previous production

"Funny as hell…Spellbinding storytelling…A fascinating, dynamic, and complex portrait of the man whose schismatic reading of Scripture changed history…McTaggart’s compelling performance captures each naturalistic nuance and epic passion in a way that scales the character’s convictions and contradictions to Shakespearean dimensions…A magnificent production…’Martin Luther on Trial’ belongs among the great plays about major figures in religion."
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For a previous production

"The staging is impeccable, the acting is first-rate, the script is amusing and, to the extent you can say this about a play which has Hitler, Freud, Lucifer and Pope Francis talking to each other, historically accurate. Then why did I walk out of ‘Martin Luther on Trial’ so dissatisfied? In the end, it may be for the same reason Gertrude Stein didn’t like Oakland: there’s no there there."
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Trailer

Creative team

Fellowship for Performing Arts