NIGHT OF THE LIVING N-WORD!! (FringeNYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (33)
See it if topical ideas about race issues provoke & disturb; pitch black humor provides entertainment
Don't see it if afraid to shake status quo; touchy about political correctness, humor as derisive tool
See it if fan of free speech, horror films, improv, or hybrid genres, excellent performances from a cast up to the challenge, great use of language
Don't see it if you fear changing your opinions about issues you may know nothing about
See it if You're a fan of a talented, multi-racial cast. Small theatre. Classic soap-opera-like radio programming. Comedy through pain.Clever settings
Don't see it if You're offended by the "N" word, interracial casting, homosexuality, cuss words, slight clichés, darkness, police brutality insinuations....
See it if if you love to see new, raw theater by original, risk-taking creators, and want food for thought
Don't see it if if you don't want to have to rethink your attitudes toward race or those privileges you've likely been taking for granted most of your life
See it if you are a fan of horror, and of biting social commentary...an odd pairing that somehow works in this quirky play.
Don't see it if you do not enjoy new work, or need a technically clean production (not many Fringe shows lend itself to production value).
See it if Just see it. Kevin R. Free has created a very funny yet powerfully important piece about race. Great writing and acting. And it surprises
Don't see it if you're sensitive to the N word. Or, on second thought, maybe DO.
See it if You enjoy snappy dialogue.
Don't see it if You appreciate a more measured approach to social ills.
See it if You can appreciate a show about race approached from an intelligent, absurd, and artful direction acted with a talented cast.
Don't see it if You can't appreciate small-budget shows or you are simply little miss grumpy puss.
Critic Reviews (6)
"Directed by Nicole A. Watson, the play is about a freighted term that refuses to die, and the racial and generational divides in the argument over whether it should, and who has the right to decide that. That’s a lot of weight to put on a show that wants to entertain, and the tonally uneven production often feels like a too-loose patchwork of sketches. The cast is good, though, and there are belly laughs in this story of a family…But there’s also an inescapable whiff of sexism."
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"Free masterfully takes on America’s original sin of racism in this genre-bending, entertaining tragicomedy...Free casts a satirical eye on our tendency to focus on language and microaggressions in the face of enduring racism, police brutality and violence...Although the play’s antic twists and reversals can leave one a little dizzy, Free knows exactly what he’s doing. The eloquence of his writing, the complexity of his plotting and his engagement with serious issues resonate into the night."
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“What could have been merely a comedic sketch has instead been developed into a full-fledged antic play...Mr. Free’s well-constructed and startling work combines the outrageous sensibilities of John Waters’ films with the social consciousness of Norman Lear’s television sitcoms...Director Nicole A. Watson’s exuberant staging is fast-paced, realizes the depth of the characters, and visually creates a small-scale spectacle with often striking imagery.”
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"Multiple forms result in confusing the audience about the very resonant ideas that Free seems to want to address...At its heart, Night of the Living N-Word!! takes a stab (pun intended) at tackling these ideas but the overall effect gets overwhelmed by the various styles the script and Nicole A. Watson’s direction employs...I do appreciate Free’s endeavor in allowing his audiences an opportunity to continue this vital conversation."
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"A cartoonish, cleverly convoluted and uncomfortable comedy…Free wants to make us laugh. In this he succeeds, helped along by a production, directed by Nicole A. Watson, that brings out the humor in actor and inanimate object alike…Free also wants to keep us surprised…Finally, Free wants to make a serious statement about the complex and contradictory attitudes about race in America. He in effect asks us to consider why black and white Americans view that one word so differently."
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"With comical twist after comical twist, some more ridiculous than the last, 'Night of the Living N-Word' is a tour-de-force comedy with a biting commentary. Free has the ability to entertain while informing...Free runs into a bit of trouble. He starts off setting the pace as a laugh-a-minute comedy but when the jokes disappear, the momentum drops...If you’re someone who likes to laugh at society, you’ll certainly enjoy 'Night.' It will likely make you uncomfortable. And that’s the point."
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