Noura NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (181)
See it if you like to THINK in the theatre. This play really spoke to many on quite a few levels. That it's a riff on Doll's House was a bonus.
Don't see it if you like lots of action. This is a very talky play. Which I happen love.
See it if A family drama, an immigrant drama, a woman's drama, historical and personal. Akin to The Doll's House but so many issues in play - complex.
Don't see it if It's not a comedy, it's not a musical, it's serious, cast of 5, small theater, lots of themes, accents, new immigrants in America. Read more
See it if Wonderful to see a story with this subject matter and focused on a strong female character.
Don't see it if This was a bit too long and some of the threads are not thoroughly examined--still ambitious and worth seeing.
See it if you want some insight into the immigrant experience in America.
Don't see it if you don't like family dramas or accented dialog Read more
See it if You want a Dolls House-inspired drama about refugees & family dynamics. You want a relevant play that deals w/of the moment issues.
Don't see it if You're not in the mood to pay attention: you'll need to in order to work out the relationships before the action. You want a light comedy.
See it if You like drama with twists and turns, Great acting and surprises.
Don't see it if You want to see a happy holiday drama
See it if you like naturalistic drama, evocative of THE HUMANS or THE PROFANE -- about Iraqi-Americans grappling w/cultural boundaries & dislocation.
Don't see it if you want something big & splashy. This is thoughtful drama -- although the messages are a bit muddled at times. Superb acting all-around.
See it if Raffo is a talented writer and actor Acclimation a tough challenge. Ending is wonderful. 90+ minutes Clever use of the shawl. Teen Talent.
Don't see it if Not quite "A Doll's House". 90+minutes Ending could be a problem, ........ forgot.. more .for above:. great set.
Critic Reviews (35)
"The problems with 'Noura' are many, but the main reason that it never resonates with the audience is that Heather Raffo never goes deep enough. Raffo only scratches the surfaces, the many subject surfaces, but never gives us any meat to the story...Settle never has the audience interested in these people...Raffo gives us many different subjects and spends little time on each one...The essence of this play is that it was never focused."
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"What 'Noura' does successfully is explore the challenges of living free and happy as an immigrant in America from many angles, as the characters express the various ways identity and culture can fulfill one’s sense of being—but it also shows how malleable traditions may become in the need for survival."
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"Raffo’s restless, unpredictable riff on Henrik Ibsen’s 'A Doll’s House' and modern Iraq, of all things, shapes up as this festival’s best bet...Settle’s grand, simple staging at the Lansburgh Theatre and Raffo’s impassioned central performance command attention...The finish is torrential, and the portrait of a woman torn between cultures and family members is nearly searing...The slow crescendo and deep repercussions of 'Noura' make it the festival’s most ambitious and substantial premiere."
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"Raffo is brilliant in the title role and brings a great deal of subtle charm to the part of the intelligent, somewhat rebellious Noura...Settle keeps the humor of the play as present as its intellectual content...Raffo's story incisively mines complicated relationships between men and women, cultures, and personal beliefs. The heart of 'A Doll's House' is cleverly and closely woven into 'Noura,' resulting in an excellent play about immigration, assimilation, and identity."
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"While Raffo proves adept at weaving all of these complex elements of identity into her story...the script does have one or two weaknesses. At only ninety minutes, it takes a bit too long to get going dramatically although the wait is, to some extent, worth the payoff...Strong direction by Joanna Settle, a mostly strong cast, and wonderful production elements allow the audience to get the most out of the theatergoing experience."
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"Provides a window into a world that is unfamiliar to most audiences...The two women's impassioned performances anchor the production, while Brumberg has a sweet natural presence. Andrew Lieberman's scenic design adds to the dreamlike feeling of the production...Masha Tsimring's lighting design and Obadiah Eaves' sound design add to the sense of unease that underlies the characters' search for a safe place to live."
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"What is so frustrating is that every part of the play works, but fully assembled, it is at war with itself...Notwithstanding Joanna Settle’s canny direction, and fine performances by the cast, it does not hang together. The characters are authentic, the dialogue is authentic, the stories are authentic, but there is no through line, and the play’s dénouement seems like just another left turn in the narrative, rather than a satisfying catharsis."
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"A magnificent production. The acting is first-rate, the technical aspects flawless, the whole experience complex and full of deep meaning...Yet for me, some aspects of it were unsatisfying...As Noura's secrets begin to be revealed, the plot begins to seem forced and less credible...The end, when it comes, is abrupt and doesn’t seem realistic...As much as I tried to, I could not believe in her tragic past or her broken heart. But don’t take my word for it. Enjoy the play and decide for yourself."
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