Nollywood Dreams (MCC Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Production Covid-19 Safety ProtocolsShow-Score Member Reviews (52)
See it if you're looking for a good time with a show that pokes fun at nollywood movies
Don't see it if you're looking for anything deep
See it if you want to see a very clever, very funny play from a Nigerian point of view which shows how similar we all are.
Don't see it if you cannot understand anything but American English.
See it if You want something lighthearted. You like great acting.
Don't see it if You want something really serious.
See it if you like clever, witty plays. The acting and directing were wonderful. The sets were simple buy effective. Bravo!
Don't see it if There is no reason not to see this play. It's a good one!
See it if you want to have an amazing time at the theater experiencing the differences and commonalities of another culture’s pop culture.
Don't see it if you hate fun, because that’s this from start to finish.
See it if you want a bit of lighthearted fun. Very enjoyable.
Don't see it if you want a drama or musical.
See it if you enjoy comedies written with an impeccable ear for dialogue and for balancing characters that are simultaneously realistic & over-the-top
Don't see it if you have trouble understanding accents or if you want a serious drama (or even a serious comedy — this show is very lighthearted!)
See it if lighthearted fare, well-acted especially if know anything about nollywood.
Don't see it if looking for serious drama - this is pure fun done well
Critic Reviews (10)
"“Nollywood Dreams” is spirited and casual, with the knockabout rhythms and narrative shortcuts of Hollywood in its early years, before flickers became films...A play about the enjoyable makeshiftness of early Nollywood films therefore gets an enjoyably makeshift treatment: Form follows dysfunction. Ali’s direction emphasizes color and comfort over snap and discipline. (Dede Ayite’s costumes nail all four.)"
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"Director Saheem Ali’s production is handsome and fluid, flowing seamlessly on Arnulfo Maldonado’s multi-faced scenic design. But it’s the deft and lively performances from the cast, and characteristically knockout costumes by Dede Ayite, that animate the story with irresistible vibrancy. If Bioh’s plot seems somehow both predictable and far-fetched, that appears to reflect the style of Nollywood movies, as evidenced by a hilarious coda that offers a taste of them here."
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"Bioh’s dialogue is purposefully sitcom-ish and charming, whether it’s exaggerated or playing to emotions more subtle, and her language is seamless. Never allowing herself to be held down by the weighty, social-cultural constructs of class and money in Nigeria in the ’90s, Bioh’s fast-moving comic text is warm, wonky and laugh-out-loud funny. With that pace, cast and musicality, this version of Nollywood is, indeed, a dream."
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"Bioh also provides the actors sturdy platforms in the characters she writes...The performers keep us laughing throughout, grounding their characters' eccentricities in real objectives and insecurities."
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Bioh has enjoyed acclaim with the 2017 breakout hit School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, and last summer's Merry Wives at Shakespeare in the Park, but this effort is a bit weaker than its predecessors. Nollywood Dreams, which showcases some talented young people and an attention-getting production design, is certainly good for a few laughs. But it also passes in a flash, not leaving much of an impression.
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"4 stars! This is to readily admit Nollywood Dreams is a generally lightweight confection that even includes a few weak spots along is merry path. But it’s also to acknowledge that, thank providence, lightweight comedies have an often-forgotten prominent place in literary circles."
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"4 stars! You don’t have to be a fan of Nollywood movies, or even have a clue what Nollywood means, to thoroughly enjoy Jocelyn Bioh’s hilarious new comedy. Set in Lagos in the early 1990s, when the scrappy, low-budget Nigerian film industry was beginning its rise to becoming one of the largest in the world, Nollywood Dreams feels universal in its send-up of celebrity culture and show business dreams. While not quite as emotionally resonant as Bioh’s breakthrough work School Girls; or, the African Mean Girl Play, it delivers ample doses of the laughs and heart for which the playwright has quickly made a name for herself."
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"A show about following your dream and what you can accomplish as your most authentic self, Nollywood Dreams (running at MCC Theater through November 28) is a charming and heart-warming comedy for everyone. Playwright Jocelyn Bioh (author of Merry Wives at the Public this summer and School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play) and director Saheem Ali take us on a simultaneously campy and genuine journey with these relatable and larger-than-life personalities."
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