Perp NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (86)
See it if Funny and deep with unexpected turns. A religiously inspired morality tale. Naive good guy tries to love the baddies. Excellent acting.
Don't see it if You can't suspend disbelief for the magical moments. It can't be taken literally. It's not really about flawed criminal justice. Read more
See it if you like a well written play with very interesting characters. This drama with dark humor had several twists. I really enjoyed this show.
Don't see it if you do not like any story about dirty cops although the plot is done with very witty humor especially with the two detectives. Read more
See it if A naive innocent is planted in a prison to smoke out the real perp's confession. "Mums" from HBO's "Oz" in pivotal role. Smooth transitions.
Don't see it if Large suspension of disbelief required, but that opposes the idea of real crime drama. Cynical line of questioning of the innocent. Read more
See it if Powerful performances and addressing criminal justice reform.
Don't see it if If you don’t believe in criminal justice reform. Read more
See it if How innocence and light prevails darkness. Good actors despite the material.
Don't see it if Completely nonsensical, non-probable plot, like a bedtime story for a 10 year old but without interesting parts to help u suspend reality. Read more
See it if Great set, great staging, good scene changes. Wonderful casting felt like real NY.
Don't see it if You want something light. Even at 90 min it felt long. Several people left despite small theater and no intermission. Read more
See it if A parable about human goodness, naivite and childlike innocence prevailing despite corruption of the criminal justice system.
Don't see it if You want a plot that does not depend on a sequence of highly improbable events.
See it if you want to see some nice performances (cops were weakest) & a mildly entertaining drama. Prison scenes are strong. Nice use of a turntable.
Don't see it if you have high expectations because of Kessler. It is not great writing. Unbelievable characters and plot at times and very uneven quality.
Critic Reviews (7)
“The performances are uniformly quite strong...’Perp’ has a number of affecting moments...Yet as a tense psychological thriller, the play's lack of credibility undercuts the sense of danger and suspense...With a good deal of talk about light and God, the play becomes preachy almost to the point of sermonizing. Indeed, the play would benefit from a more potent dash of Coen brothers-style dark absurdism.”
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"Alexandro and Ben-Victor as the soul-stained detectives are excellently cast, playing off each other without a single misstep. The gender-blind casting of Alexandro as Jack is especially funny when she gets to deliver the hilarious line 'I got a hard-on a mile long' without blinking. Grant is brilliant as the soulful felon Myron, locked away for an unknown crime but brimming with goodness. Molina is spot-on as the creepy, anguished killer looking for love and redemption."
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"It works well for a play mostly contained to tight quarters...This is the plot point the play spins on, and I must confess, felt was too naïve and simplistic to play credibly...Under Lee Brock’s direction, the actors all acquit themselves well. They are believable, even if at times the writing is not. 'Perp' feels like a play still searching for itself, and given an evocative start such as this one, might help propel it to better fortune in its next incarnation."
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"An unconvincing, preachy, borderline surreal attempt to examine issues of good and evil within the context of a man wrongfully convicted of murder. Its attack on the criminal justice system has a certain satirical quality…It's all a setup allowing the characters to wax philosophical about mortality, good and evil, the concept of time, and to quote the Bible. You may feel you're here more for a sermon than a play, although the point is pretty vague."
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“There’s a fascinating play somewhere in Kessler’s meandering new work...As it stands, the play and production still feel like they’re searching for the right identity. Although I applaud Kessler for exploring the flaws in the criminal justice system, his play unfortunately registers a bit too indistinct and schematic...Brock’s admittedly well-acted production doesn’t help matters by staging the play without a compelling point of view or strong dramatic arc, both of which it needs.”
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"The lack of subjectivity and agency in Doug’s life is heightened to such a ludicrous, unreasonable and illogical level that it turns playwriting about disability satirically on its head, exposing all its discontents, to make something divinely original...Arkane, who brings Douglass to life with a sheer, subtle brilliance, meets the mark in portraying this character with reverence and respect...It’s the kind of thing that’s only done well once meticulous playwriting is paired with impeccable acting."
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"Its colorful characters challenge black-and-white assumptions, which in turn gives rise to universal questions...But perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of the play is the professional debut of Arkane in the lead role...The performances and the production’s overall simplicity harmonize with the play itself, to a subtle yet powerful effect. The power lies in daring to ask the audience to look at the complexities of human nature through the eyes of a child."
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