Patience (2st) NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Production Covid-19 Safety ProtocolsShow-Score Member Reviews (57)
See it if you like dialogue-heavy, well-written studies of character/culture, centered on Solitaire but really about black excellence & self discovery
Don't see it if you cannot handle shows that aren't action-packed; this is all about thought-provoking characters and relationships
See it if Very engaging great content
Don't see it if You like light musicals
See it if You like edgy humor with sports and LGBTQ+ themes with a philosophical tone.
Don't see it if You like only very traditional plays with linear plots and nothing controversial.
See it if Excellent cast. Fast moving. but exciting production. Kept me awake and involved. Who knew there are world solitaire tournaments?
Don't see it if Not always clear messages, Could have been shortened 10-15 minutes.
See it if You like a small cast of good actors, decent staging, solitaire, Jonathan Burke, 2ST productions, the UWS, and new plays. It is hard to see
Don't see it if Solitaire as a competitive sport, but, kudos for something new. It’s LGBTQ and highlights Black excellence. The Venus vs. Serena reference Read more
See it if a well-directed fairly straight-forward story of fame and relevance.
Don't see it if want big action - not a lot happens.
See it if A dense character driven drama about the corrosive nature of competition that slowly morphs into the ongoing struggle for black excellence
Don't see it if It's a little too wordy & self absorbed but the ideas floated are compelling & well articulated Lloyd is definitely a playwright to follow
See it if you want to see an ambitious and very cerebral work by a new playwright.
Don't see it if you aren't willing to deal with a work in progress.
Critic Reviews (7)
“ 'Patience' has an across-the-board appealing cast, and the show is beautifully designed, except for an unpersuasive late scene involving the illusion of two Daniels."
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"This small but mighty ensemble of characters show that excellence doesn't look the same for everyone. There are many different ways to feel fulfilled in one's life and career, and any audience member can find themselves in one of these characters, who are all presented as triumphant in their own right."
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"Johnny G. Lloyd’s entertainingly cerebral play, directed by Zhailon Levingston for Second Stage Uptown, itself resembles a round of solitaire, with scenes turning up surprises and reshuffling"
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"The fear of obsolescence in a meritocracy that only values the newest, fastest, most, and best is the anxiety powering Johnny G. Lloyd's 'Patience'."
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"Except for a nifty bit of sleight of hand near the end, the play doesn't contain many surprises. Unfortunately, aside from some good performances and lovely design, the rewards of this 'Patience' are few."
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" 'Patience' explores interesting themes, relationships, conflict but feels unpolished. The exploration is unfocused."
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a poorly constructed drama…fronting some rich themes…it’s hard to think of any sport that would be more challenging to dramatize on a stage than Solitaire. And “Patience” doesn’t try very hard to do so.
At the same time, though, the game is a useful metaphor for individual struggle and isolation…The playwright seems most interested in exploring, obliquely, the unintended consequences of the pressure on African Americans to achieve.
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