Nathan the Wise NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (65)
See it if you're a Murray Abraham fan. And if you like plays that make you think. It's a fairly subtle essay on religious tolerance - not for today.
Don't see it if you don't like to think. You're going to need to bring something to the table to enjoy the play.
See it if for Abraham's great performance and how a play this old is relevant today
Don't see it if you don't care about what makes a well written matter
See it if You want to see Abraham give a wonderful performance. If you want a fascinating dialogue about religion and humanity.
Don't see it if You're impatient to get to the good stuff; act 1 feels a bit slow as it sets up for act 2, which is wonderful & engaging, & worth the wait!
See it if fables are your thing, or the possibility of coexistence among the three major religions hold infinite possibilities
Don't see it if well, you already missed it.
See it if You appreciate masterful F. Murray Abraham inhabiting a role and telling a story. All the actors are credible and the last part very moving.
Don't see it if You can't tolerate a very slow first act that sets the dynamics in motion. Lots of talking vs action.
See it if Good story line
Don't see it if you like violence and gritty realism.
See it if like to be entertained, by a group of talented actors. Although the plot it may seem silly afterwords, it did not during the performance.
Don't see it if like serious, profound, intelligent, riveting theater. This play is a charming escape.
See it if you want to see a rarely-performed 18th century play that pleads for religious tolerance.
Don't see it if you do not like didactic plays or historical dramas
Critic Reviews (25)
"Kulick has chosen a translation that downplays the classical poetry, introduced a 'modern dress' element, and instructed the whole cast to tread lightly...Any one of these approaches might have been sufficient to sand down the rougher edges of this improbable and overstuffed piece. Taken all together, they rob the work of the weight and the import that might have made it worth doing in the first place."
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"Director Kulick has chosen an English translation by Edward Kemp that recasts Lessing's verse dialogue in ear-pleasing prose...Kemp has streamlined the action, making this 'Nathan the Wise' more dramatic than the original and less like a treatise...Abraham is like the concertmaster of a chamber orchestra, leading without calling undue attention to himself...The production is splendid looking...'Nathan the Wise' is an admirable valedictory for Kulick."
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"The director has helped to create a simple storytelling framework, as actors slip into and out of parts...He has also enlisted his talented company in successfully creating a strong sense of ensemble, and the resulting playing style has the cohesive unity of a family effort. The cast is quite fine, although there is no question that Abraham is giving an extraordinary performance...The play is an impassioned plea for religious tolerance, and its relevance to modern life couldn’t be clearer."
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"While Lessing’s musings on questions of faith may be of interest to today’s audiences, his antique scenario never quite seems to click for us. The initial setup seems promising...But Lessing’s plot becomes increasingly convoluted as the play progresses...Abraham will be a chief reason for playgoers to see this production, and his performance is exemplary...The other actors give solid turns."
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"Lessing’s play–more in the style of a late play by Shakespeare than in his contemporary German style–is complex. Its characters are well-rounded and interesting; their conflicts engaging and relevant to the theme of the equality of all religions...Abraham’s performance as Nathan is nothing short of brilliant...Under Brian Kulick’s artful and efficient direction, the equally accomplished ensemble cast successfully negotiates Lessing’s path to forgiveness and reconciliation."
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"‘Nathan the Wise’s' company offers satisfactory but not especially illuminating support for Abraham’s Jew. His is not a bravura performance, but, except for a few angry or frightened moments, it’s pervaded by Abraham’s unique blend of deep intelligence and impish humor. This production...leaves something to be desired, but the chance to see F. Murray Abraham in a play of such historical (if not dramaturgical) importance should be sufficient for serious theatergoers to trek to East 13th Street."
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"The path that Nathan finds is thought-provoking, then and now...'Nathan the Wise' is not mere polemics put on stage...Lessing, an early German champion of Shakespeare, fashioned around his political messages a Bard-like entertainment laced with improbable surprises, absurd coincidences and a happy resolution...A uniformly able cast pulls it off at CSC's first-rate production...Director Brian Kulick has added touches that emphasize the play’s relevance."
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"A clash of religions and acting styles…Comparisons to some of Shakespeare’s comedies are immediately apparent, but fleeting…As directed by Brian Kulick, this 'Nathan' might be better enjoyed on a second viewing. In the play’s first act, many of the performances seem overbroad, as if the actors had stepped out of 'L’Italiana in Algeri.' That approach makes sense by the time we get to the genuinely madcap conclusion, but much less so at the very beginning."
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