Molly Sweeney
Closed 2h 30m
Molly Sweeney
80

Molly Sweeney NYC Reviews and Tickets

80%
(100 Ratings)
Positive
88%
Mixed
11%
Negative
1%
Members say
Great acting, Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Great writing

About the Show

Keen Company presents Irish master storyteller Brian Friel's ("Dancing at Lughnasa," "Faith Healer," "Translations") contemporary drama about the unexpected consequences of a medical miracle. 

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Show-Score Member Reviews (100)

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50 Reviews | 18 Followers
100
Laughter and heartbreak, Great writing, A memory play, Three characters speak but do not interact, A gem of its particular kind

See it if you can be quiet and listen to strikingly distinctive actors embody hope and joy, prideful ambition and submissive desires to please.

Don't see it if you need action and changes of scene to pay attention, rather than voices full of melody and Irish lilt telling you a darkening story. Read more

116 Reviews | 53 Followers
95
Masterful, Great writing, Intelligent, Great acting, Absorbing

See it if U appreciate the great master storyteller Brian Friel & his always riveting characters. U are a fan of Keen Company’s impeccable works.

Don't see it if U dislike heavy literate works filled with dated yet artful words. U prefer fluffy rather than intellectual dramatic. U are impatient. Read more

84 Reviews | 12 Followers
90
Profound, Intelligent, Great writing, Great acting

See it if for the performances and the words. Easy to pay attention. 3 points of view. Fantastic storytelling.

Don't see it if you want a traditional play as the characters each tell their sad tale about the same issue and events while revealing personal flaws.

257 Reviews | 26 Followers
90
Moving, Profound, Riveting, Intense, Absorbing

See it if you like monologs that tell you everything you need to know about the characters without having them interact; you like well-written pieces

Don't see it if you don't want to see a play consisting entirely of monologs; you prefer comedies or musicals

114 Reviews | 9 Followers
86
Spare, Original, Instructive, Absorbing, Clever

See it if you wish to understand how a blind woman's recovery of some vision leads to tragedy as depicted separately by three different characters.

Don't see it if you do not like spare plays where each character tells his or her perspective on a story and there is little action on stage.

NS
273 Reviews | 200 Followers
84
Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Great acting, Absorbing

See it if 3 character show, of monologues, discussing pros/cons of a 40+ woman undergoing vision restoring surgery. Fascinating considerations. A+

Don't see it if You like characters to interact, do not wish in depth experience. Gaining vision seems a no brainer, then you hear all the pros and cons.

374 Reviews | 40 Followers
82
Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Great acting, Great writing, Absorbing

See it if You want a thought-provoking play about issues around medical intervention and its unintended consequences.

Don't see it if You don't like a 100% talking play dealing with life issues. You want something light or a musical.

246 Reviews | 18 Followers
81
Profound, Great acting, Clever, Absorbing

See it if Thoughtful, well written play about the human condition

Don't see it if a play told entirely in monologues with no action or interaction between the characters

Critic Reviews (7)

The Wall Street Journal
October 25th, 2019

"‘Molly Sweeney’ Review: An Eye-Opening Experience: In Brian Friel’s play, a blind woman has her sight restored by surgery, only to see that her life and relationships aren’t what they once seemed."
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Theatermania
October 28th, 2019

"Not Much to See, but a Lot to Listen to, in Molly Sweeney: Brian Friel's play about a woman who regains her sight gets a Keen Company revival."
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Lighting & Sound America
October 24th, 2019

"As if to prove the adage about the Irish and their gift of gab, in 1994 Brian Friel wrote Molly Sweeney, a play that talks itself into a standstill… it's a prose piece for the theatre, and it runs out of breath long before it is over."
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Talkin' Broadway
October 23rd, 2019

"It requires a good deal of concentration from the audience, but the rewards can be considerable. The Keen Company's revival directed by Jonathan Silverstein makes a persuasive case for a work that many critics have said succeeds more effectively as a book than as a play."
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New York Stage Review
October 23rd, 2019

5/5 Stars "Friel was not only prolific but also profound, though never showy. In the award-winning 'Molly Sweeney,' he remains commandingly quiet when speaking from the stage."
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Theater News Online
November 4th, 2019

"Even with good acting, a play told entirely in monologues can be difficult to make lively."
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Broadway Blog
October 28th, 2019

"A solid revival…under the...direction of Jonathan Silverstein....Although well-performed, the work… eventually drags as the wordy passages accumulate over nearly two and a half hours. Without the give and take of inter-character discourse, what might have worked in 90 minutes grows static."
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