Nothing Gold Can Stay

See it if expertly crafted story with realistic characters, reactions & consequences. Sad, intense & inexorable. Powerful.

Don't see it if Issues of drug addiction are not for you.

Also More than just about addiction, this is about family and choices.

See it if You are interested in stories about addiction & it's affect on families. Great performances, realistic story, emotional.

Don't see it if You are in the mood for something light.

See it if Struggling working class people are devastated by addiction. Convincing realistic characters, excellent acting, & humor amidst tragedy.

Don't see it if Frequent scene transitions can be hard to follow. One of the main characters changes too abruptly to be believed.

See it if ur interested in a realistic (playful at times, often distressing) tale of a working class family torn apart by small-town ennui & opioids.

Don't see it if ur not interested in the topic of drug addiction; u seek deep insight or fresh answers [This is more a dramatization than a cautionary tale]

See it if you would like a realistic look at the family tension brought about by the opioid crisis, here well-acted on a good set in an intimate space

Don't see it if you are troubled by the topic. I found the many scenes a bit choppy and I had difficulty with some of the dialogue, when actors faced away.

See it if traditional realistic drama appeals this is an excellent example. The actors are marvelous and the plot structure works well.

Don't see it if 3/4 round stages bother you. Scenes are mostly played to the center section; side seats mean not seeing faces during significant moments.

See it if The ways of an oxy junkie perilously impact her boyfriend's family."I'm sorry for living in your home and betraying your trust."Great Acting

Don't see it if The uniformly terrific acting compensates for the wobbly working-class accents throughout. "Swallow what's left of your bad blood & see Mom"

Also "She's as useless as a white crayon/Anytime is ham time"

See it if Great cast. Well acted drama especially next-to-last scene with the knife (raw emotions).

Don't see it if Runs almost 2 hours (including 12 min late start) and needs major editing. Way too long.

See it if You want to see a great performance with some very believable performers about a relevant subject matter and how it affects loved ones.

Don't see it if You are sensitive to someone with a substance abuse problem. You don't want to see a believable performance.

See it if you like superb writing, acting, directing, interesting realistic well developed characters & themes of drug abuse & effects on loved ones

Don't see it if you are tired of the theme of drug abuse & a serious, rather than "light," exploration of people coping with such difficulties.

See it if How poverty, low economic opportunity, rough living conditions fuel the American opioid epidemic. Perhaps more real than fiction.

Don't see it if Opioid abuse destroying a family is triggering / too depressing. Gaps of time in plot annoy you. Lacks drama despite life and death scenes.

Also Diversity: all blue collar, close to poverty people in a small town.
Ticket from Show Score for $5.... Read more Read less

See it if you like slow-burn, family-centered dramas.

Don't see it if the subject of the opioid crisis will trigger you.

Also Slow-moving despite the rapid scene changes; a predictable story that's all too true and all too sad. Intimate and powerful.... Read more Read less

See it if You like intimate theater about relevant sad stories,& complicated family dramas , 90 minutes about opioid addiction

Don't see it if You are expecting deep insight and revelations. It’s not a shocking story but it rings true even if it doesn’t quite go over the edge.

See it if you want to see a compelling and well acted show about addiction.

Don't see it if you find the topic of addiction too difficult.

See it if you're interested in a show about how a drug addict can seriously affect the lives of everyone she comes in contact with

Don't see it if you're not up for an intense drama about drug addiction

Also This is a well-scripted, well-acted play showing the impact a drug addict's life has on the lives of several dysfunctional families. Although it's intense, with a strong message, it's punctuated with quite a few laughs throughout. Very timely!... Read more Read less

See it if Well acted, especially Mary Bacon as the mom. Devastating story portrayed realistically, with some humor to make it palatable.

Don't see it if The accents were uneven and a bit distracting and many scene changes to allow time to pass made it a bit choppy. The story was haunting.

See it if you'd enjoy great acting in an intimate setting sharing a story of family drama dealing with drug addictions and its consequences.

Don't see it if you dislike the theme of drug addictions and the tragedies that follow or the sufferings of a parent dealing with addictions of a child.

See it if After kissing a few frogs this past week, I finally met this prince of a play. The casting is perfect in this incredibly well written play.

Don't see it if Due to the fact the story unfolds over several months, the scenes changes are a bit too short & numerous. The emotional result is worth it.

See it if you'd like to see outstanding acting in a resonant play about the effects of drug addiction on the addict and family that needs to be seen!

Don't see it if no reason not to see it unless you really can not handle a play honestly dealing with drug addiction.

See it if You like well written and greatly performed drama about real issues. Drugs addiction is like black hole, sucking everything, and your life.

Don't see it if You want to see something lighter or entertaining.

See it if Sad story of drug addiction and its causes and the effect on families.

Don't see it if Not a light evening entertainment

Also The acting was excellent. Mary Barton' and Talene Monanon stand out.

The main character should have been better written and her behavior explained.

Dialog is well written and realistic, but the plot is, unfortunately, kind of predictable and cliched.

The location, on the far west side of Hell's Kitchen is terrible... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy powerful family drama. I guarantee that even the strongest of you will wince as the drama unfolds in such an intimate space.

Don't see it if Your job is so stressful that you prefer light and fluffy comedy and musicals to keep yourself balanced.

Also I don't do much research before I see a show. I truly enjoy to be entertained by the art unfolding before my eyes, ears and the rest of my senses. I can say that I was not disappointed by Mr. Beckim's powerful new play. He gave us a slice of drug addiction that has been gripping America over the last decade: fentanyl drug addiction and overdose death. It is an everyday reality for many communities.
This is definitely a play that deserves to be staged far and wide to start conversations.

The only thing that still left me perplexed after seeing the play was the title reference. Before I could go home and research it, a kind audience member illuminated my ignorance by letting me know that the title references a Robert Frost poem by the same name.
Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay... Read more Read less

See it if you want to viscerally experience the myriad of tragedies associated with opioid addiction.

Don't see it if you think you understand, intellectually, the problem and its solution.

Also This is a simple, honest piece of theater which forces one to look hard at issues that we normally see as unfortunate statistics.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a moving drama about the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic on two families in rural Maine.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in plays that deal with drug addiction.

Also The acting was excellent. Mary Barton's performance was especially moving.... Read more Read less

See it if You like absorbing plays about people you care about. The play socks it very hard, and comes to a gripping conclusion. Incredible acting.

Don't see it if If you like fluffy musicals with happy endings. The theater is off the beaten track but worth the schlep. Liam Neeson there to see his son!