Queen (National Asian American Theatre Company) NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Production Covid-19 Safety ProtocolsMember Reviews (35)
See it if You want to see an interesting story that’s well acted and well written if maybe a bit too long. An intriguing storyline keeps you engaged.
Don't see it if You want a lot of action or bells and whistles. Lots of sitting at tables and talking goes on here. It's interesting, it fuels the story.
See it if you enjoy plays touching on current issues - here one that also points up the moral issues involved in working honestly. Simple set.
Don't see it if you can't sit for one and three quarter hours without an intermission, numerous scene changes and some slow parts.
See it if Well-written play exploring academia & the pressures of publishing accurate scientific papers. Great acting!
Don't see it if If you prefer a comedy or musical then skip this one. Read more
See it if you want to see a show about math and science and the pressures to publish or perish
Don't see it if you need quality, or at least adequate, direction Read more
See it if Young Indian woman student grapples with work ethics & what she wants in her life with her freedom in America. 1 hour 55 mins; no intermissi
Don't see it if Predictable plot, ok acting, could be tighter / quicker scene changes, would've liked to see more of her Indian culture/identity. Read more
See it if You enjoy plays that trust in their audience.
Don't see it if Dislike plays that are filled with jargon, even when properly explained. Read more
See it if Queen mingles math, scienceðics during a bee colony-collapse research but a brilliant playwright&cast pollinate it w humanity&passion.
Don't see it if You may be unwilling2accept the fact that abuse of power exists in Am education;in this case the coercion of a supervisor on 2 researchers* Read more
See it if You're interested in gender dynamics in STEM and higher ed.
Don't see it if You want a punchy show. Not the most engaging, but had some really delightful moments. Some inconsistent accent work.
Critic Reviews (4)
"In short, 'Queen' aims to do much more than just shine a light on an ecological problem. At heart, it dramatizes the eternal conflict between logic and emotion, and how such a dichotomy can even manifest itself in the realm of science. It's the depth of Shekar's characterizations, the way Sanam and Ariel, especially, feel like three-dimensional people, that allows the play transcend its activist and allegorical trappings."
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Queen builds to such a satisfying climax that the final scene plays a bit flat in comparison. Also, Shekar may be slightly minimizing the play's central issue, which continues to worry ecologists. But the ideas in Queen are urgent, the conversation is stimulating, and no one emerges from the fray unscathed. As the playwright makes clear, the search for truth doesn't always lead to the moral high ground. She is clearly a writer to watch and NAATCO is doing its job splendidly by bringing her to our attention.
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"The play intermingles math, science, and politics, but Shekar and the company of actors pollinate the play with heaping doses of humanity. In sum, NAATCO's production is well worth the visit, and theatregoers will find much to appreciate in an audience with this 'Queen.'"
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Shekar’s script is extremely smart, funny at just the right moments, and morally gripping. Her characterizations of Ariel and Sanam are fully formed, uniquely individual and carefully complementary: Ariel is a crunchy-granola, bee-loving, single mom who’s desperate to prove Monsanto’s guilt, and Sanam is intense, strong-minded and honest to a fault. Through the character of Arvind, Shekar introduces the notion to Sanam that she and Ariel are looking at their study through the impartial lens of confirmation bias. The character of Dr. Hayes adds just the right amount of antagonism, almost sinister. Although there’s lots of statistics jargon in the script, it never impedes the progress of the story, thanks to the actors and director Aneesha Kudtarkar, who skillfully shapes the piece, finely intertwining the performances to maximum impact.
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