Public Obscenities NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Production Covid-19 Safety ProtocolsShow-Score Member Reviews (88)
See it if a naturalistic and intimate invitation into the home of an Indian family w/themes around queerness, societal roles, language & culture clash
Don't see it if you need a clear, propulsive plot or would struggle with a very multilingual work Read more
See it if When Choton returns to his grandfather's house in Kolkata with his Am bf to document the lives of LGBTQ Indians, he discovers far more.*
Don't see it if At 3H far2 long.Also,it should start earlier than 7:30,esp on Sun night. In Eng & Bengali,which I liked,yet not 2 everybody's taste,I guess. Read more
See it if Incredible play of a life lived in translation, between queer cultures.
Don't see it if It's sold out!
See it if employing hyper-realism, shows nuances of Bengali household/HH, secret sex lives/hidden identities
Don't see it if no driving plot, some unnec/overlong scenes in 3+hr play; still transports us 2 sights, language, sounds, rituals of a diff world
See it if you want to see a Kolkata home’s day-to-day interrupted by a visiting nephew & his non-Bangla bf; you like the naturalism of Annie Baker &c.
Don't see it if three hours without big plot points or dramatic character arcs feels more tedious than thoughtful. Read more
See it if You're intrigued by the premise of a naturalistic, Bangla family drama. You're willing/able to read subtext 'between the lines'
Don't see it if You want something light and breezy with all plot points spelled out for you, or struggle with bilingual and/or longer plays.
See it if you enjoy insightful shows about populations not often represented on stage.
Don't see it if you prefer shows that are not long or have a clear-cut message.
See it if you're curious about works that explore a wider variety of voices than the mainstream often does
Don't see it if you're looking for an evening of tight, fully realized work. Read more
Critic Reviews (12)
"The play is fully bilingual...The whole ensemble is marvelous"
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"The production elements come together seamlessly on the larger stage at TFANA."
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"Its many virtues include an unusual setting, freshly imagined characters, a frank look at queer life in an entirely different cultural context, a solid ensemble, and an enormously evocative production design. Furthermore, playwright Shayok Misha Chowdhury has an eye for telling details and a keen awareness of his characters' subtle emotional shifts. Indeed, this meticulously crafted vehicle has everything but a motor to power it.”
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"...Chowdhury is redefining what constitutes public and private obscenity."
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Public Obscenities manages to maintain interest in an overlong, overwritten play that often seems about little more than the trivialities of human interaction, paying lip service to potentially significant matters that drift off into obscurity. The exotic setting and the overall authenticity of the expertly acted proceedings help to make a visit worthwhile, especially if you’re hungry for a taste of Kolkata without the heat, mosquitoes, and 20 million people.
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"A wonderful production with a strong cast and fabulous design"
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Shayok Misha Chowdhury’s bilingual 'Public Obscenities' is the surprise hit of the season.
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"CRITIC’S PICK: It is a testament to Shayok Misha Chowdhury’s gifts as a writer that he is able to evoke as many themes, histories and possibilities as he does in ‘Public Obscenities,’ and leave his audience not dazed or frustrated, but longing for even more.”
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