MURMURS AND INCANTATIONS (FringeNYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets

86%

(11 Reviews)

Positive

91%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Absorbing, Great acting, Intelligent, Resonant, Intense

About the Show

Part of FringeNYC: In search of peace of mind and artistic truth, a gay New York performance artist confronts the ghost of his grandfather, a rabbi killed by the Nazis. A poignant, irreverently funny drama about the Holocaust, AIDS, and existential angst.

Categories: Drama, Multi-Media, Local. From Emerging Artists Theatre. Written by Dahn Hiuni, Music by Yuval Ron. Directed by Lewis Magruder.

FROM THE ARTIST:
MURMURS & INCANTATIONS is a new play by award-winning artist and playwright Dahn Hiuni. It tells the story of a gay, New York performance artist with creative block who fatefully travels to Poland in an attempt to revive his art career, only to be confronted by the feisty ghost of his grandfather, a rabbi killed in the Holocaust.

Harrowing, poignant and irreverently funny, MURMURS & INCANTATIONS explores the anguish and the responsibility of being an artist. It sharply examines the ways in which identity, cultural history and personal baggage affect, impede and shape the creative process. Theatrically, MURMURS & INCANTATIONS is groundbreaking in its meaningful incorporation of performance art into both the form and content of the play. MURMURS AND INCANTATIONS has a haunting original score by internationally renowned Israeli composer Yuval Ron (Academy Award-winning West Bank Story), set and costume design by Peter Hassler, and lighting and projection design by Mr. Hiuni. The full-length play stars Peter Levine, Isabella Knight, Joey Gambetta and Peter Schmitz and is directed by Lewis Magruder.

Member Reviews (11)

Resonant, Intelligent, Absorbing, Great acting, Great writing

See it if you're looking for a polished new play with serious themes, relieved by a good dose of humor, finely written & admirably acted.

Don't see it if you're seeking something merely escapist, but that while entertaining doesn't hesitate to touch on both the Holocaust and AIDS.

100

Absorbing, Exquisite, Great acting, Entertaining, Thoughtful

See it if you want a thought-provoking and exciting theater experience with great acting and great writing.

Don't see it if you aren't open to a painful exploration of loss, forgiveness, and redemption.

Critic Reviews (2)

"Making a tight knit of multiple stories, Dahn Hiuni’s 'Murmurs and Incantations' also includes moments of levity, courtesy of Ben’s sassy gay best friend, the boundary-pushing Lane (played with pep by the versatile Schmitz). The play takes Ben and the audience on a two-hour journey through distance and time, as Ben delves into the two great tragedies of his life, and offers a gentle testament to the power of art as an act of honesty, witness and survival."
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"It is a refreshing feat seeing a play that is elegantly written, skillfully directed, and eloquently performed. The story is told with simplicity and grace. Schmitz’s portrayals are both vivid and distinct...The transitions between scenes under Lewis Magruder’s direction are seamless and without disruption...My only suggestion is to improve the projection of Ben performing at the monument so that this technical feature aids the storytelling instead of distracting from it."
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