Old Hats NYC Reviews and Tickets

"'Old Hats' is unlike anything else being staged in New York. If you missed it in its first go-round, catch this first-rate revival. It's a terrific investment of two hours of your life."
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"Two highly skilled clowns and a charming band make for an irresistible evening of entertainment...This is a show that will delight countless audiences from every demographic...This is a production that's suitable for all ages. Although it gets bawdy at times, its heart is with anyone and everyone who likes to laugh."
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"The performers bring an undeniable freshness and fierce intelligence to clowning, a form that Irwin and Shiner seem to have a monopoly on these days, at least in the theatre. But they bring a different kind of intelligence that we associate with most other actors and performers–a comic intelligence, for sure–but also the emotional intelligence required to show us something we know but often forget: comedy and tragedy are merely two sides of the same coin."
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"These two got me again. They know each other’s moves and if they spoke they would finish each other’s sentences…These clowns imbue their hats with life. Hats become sentient. They fly, they flee, they tumble and twirl, they zip and zing. And always, always, always they make us laugh…Irwin and Shiner make you laugh, and occasionally break your heart, with the lift of an eyebrow or the tweak of a pinky."
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"It was an entertaining evening, a bit on the soft smile side of the spectrum of enjoyment, but amusing none the less. Bill Irwin did crack me up as the magician’s big haired lovely assistant/jealous girlfriend in a skit that I must say stretched on a bit too long past the punchline. This is probably what I thought of most of the skits to be frank...I like my theatre with a bit more drive and a lot more engaging and engrossing storytelling."
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"Bill Irwin and David Shiner return in 'Old Hats,' which uses clowning and physical theater as a vehicle for social commentary as well as a belly full of laughs...Some scenes are, perhaps, even more timely this time around...Don’t be fooled by the ease of these masters as you witness the culmination of generations of clowning tradition. Taub is a charming foil to the pair, delivering a whimsical collection of songs...'Old Hats' is a dream not to miss."
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"For sheer sustained fun and laughter, there are very few shows that can rival ‘Old Hats,’ and very few clowns as multitalented as Mr. Irwin and Mr. Shiner, who dance, sing, play musical instruments, and clown with the nonverbal, physical genius of the great silent movie comics. This is the kind of show you can see over and over and still find that it never becomes old hat."
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"The encore production of this flawlessly executed and cleverly designed show turns out to be irresistible, an antidote for nasty times, alternative medicine for flu season, a reminder that nearly anything done well enough–even mime and vaudeville–can feel new and hip…The only obvious change from the last run is the choice of singer and band leader Shaina Taub, who now provides the musical interludes…These songs indirectly underscore the tension in some of Irwin and Shiner’s routines."
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