Permission NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (11)
See it if you enjoy relationship dramedies and sub-cultural exploration
Don't see it if are easily offended by mocking portrayals of religion's many absurdities and excesses
See it if You enjoy raunchy silly over the top comedies and like to laugh.
Don't see it if You don't like adult comedies or don't like when plays make a statement about religion.
See it if you are interested in a funny take on this sexual niche.
Don't see it if are offended by sexual humor
See it if an exploration of the roles of men and women in relationships and in religion appeals to you even if the show feels like a first draft.
Don't see it if you'd rather not see people being spanked, or you'd be bothered by a show not quite living up to its potential.
See it if you want to see what naughtiness writer Robert Askins (Hand to God) & director Alex Timbers (Here Lies Love) have come up with next.
Don't see it if you think flawed work with a promising premise shouldn't be permitted to move on to full production until it's been fully developed.
See it if you're ok w having Christian spousal discipline (husband of wife) treated as good. Male dominance, using degrading violence, isn't funny.
Don't see it if you find the premise fundamentally flawed. It may be a brand-spankin' new play, but promotes the old specter of males controlling females. Read more
See it if You're interested in watching two couples indulging in S&M disguised as Christian marriage.
Don't see it if The story was pretty banal, and didn't really have anything important to say.
See it if you're open minded on male/female topics you have an interest in relationships and how they change over time
Don't see it if you prefer more conservative topics
Critic Reviews (19)
"The sex farce has all but disappeared from the contemporary stage, and those of you mourning its demise may want to check out 'Permission...' The play never digs deeply into the psyches of its characters, remaining content to exploit its gimmick for raucous, mildly raunchy comedy...Once the provocative conceit has been established, Mr. Askins doesn’t find any particularly revealing ideas to explore, letting the naughty novelty do most of the work. "
Read more
"'Permission' doesn’t quite come together; the exposition often seems explanatory, and the second act doesn’t generate the momentum to put across the frantic, farcical finale. With a run time of just 100 minutes, including intermission, the play doesn’t feel full enough. With a bit more padding, it could land stronger blows."
Read more
"The cast’s padded undergarments are indeed worthy of notice. Or at least they are more worthy of notice than the rest of the play, which in trying to bridge incompatible genres — you’ll forgive my saying — falls between the cracks...Perhaps further work on the play will prove that a better union can be achieved, but until then it may be advisable for the playwright — for his own good, of course — to invest in a pair of Shaper Panties."
Read more
"A knockabout farce (so to speak) in which things get out of hand with dizzying and delicious speed...Mr. Askins makes the mistake of closing with a what-it’s-all-about scene in which he tells you what he meant. I wish he’d now try his hand at a classic door-slamming farce in which he trusts the play to tell its own tale. This is, however, a quibble: 'Permission' confirms that he is a major talent in the making."
Read more
"This scattershot show is undercooked and undisciplined...Askins peppers his script with references to CrossFit and kale. While up-to-the-minute, the script is also sloppy...Worse, the main theme is quickly abandoned when the spanking goes from a religious rite to merely being about sex kinks. Eric’s eager secretary is an obvious, and useless, plot device."
Read more
"In the end, there’s not quite enough fun to be had from this Christian version of marital S&M, and strange to say, all the spankings (expertly choreographed and quite realistic, let it be said) become repetitive and pointless. What this comedy really could use are a few scenes in whatever church preaches this insanity."
Read more
"Under the fast-paced direction of Alex Timbers, the ensemble delivers amusing performances...But despite their best efforts, 'Permission' doesn't live up to its potential. Those looking for real laughs from the subject matter would be advised instead to check out the website christiandomesticdiscipline.com which outlines its tenets with a seriousness that makes them all the more absurd."
Read more
"Spanking and Christianity combine for unexpected laughs in 'Permission,' another explosive comedy from Robert Askins. Here, Eric and Cynthia are rescued by Christian Domestic Discipline — a real phenomenon that gives a whole new meaning to the expression 'Bible Belt'... 'Permission' lacks the tightly wound ferocity of 'Hand to God,' it’s still the funniest show of the spring, boosted by an excellent cast.”
Read more