Quietly NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (56)
See it if you enjoy anything Irish. This is a bittersweet story about what might have been for one character and how two lives were changed by one act
Don't see it if I can't think of a reason not to see it.
See it if See it for a portrayal of the effects of civil unrest, hate and bigotry on people's lives; you like intimate theater in an intimate setting.
Don't see it if you are looking for an entertaining, uplifting evening; you shy away from emotional topics.
See it if you like serious, challenging plays about social and political issues that confront us by examining them in the context of individual lives.
Don't see it if you don't like dealing with traumatic experiences and anger.
See it if You are looking for a gripping plot with a moral lesson. You are interested The human side of "the Irish Troubles
Don't see it if You don't care for plays with moral overtones, you have difficulty discerning Irish brogues, you
See it if you can handle intense acting and challenging issues.
Don't see it if provocative theatre is not your bag.
See it if 'small' plays that pack a powerful punch. liked it even more after I left the theatre and pondered it.
Don't see it if like plays that have a big dramatic climax and doesn't wrap things up neatly
See it if you want to see an intense drama about the corrosive effects of tribal hatred (not only Irish; the last line of the play is chilling).
Don't see it if you would find it too disturbing to hear graphic descriptions of what a bomb can do to the human body.
See it if you enjoy great acting and have a strong interest in "The Troubles".
Don't see it if want a strong, complex plot or have difficulty with heavily accented dialogue.
Critic Reviews (32)
"By the end of this drama, emotions will have exploded against a backstory of Irish history, deftly revealed under the intense direction by Jimmy Fay…The skill of the writing, the acting and the directing combine to mesmerize the audience...By the end, one is ready to applaud what has emerged as a riveting theater experience and food for thought about past events that may remind one of unrelated happenings going on now elsewhere in the world."
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"McCafferty’s slight play addresses the ease with which disaffected youth is enlisted in terrorist organizations. And one of that commitment’s personal tolls. Tension is ably sustained between explosive outbursts, but Ian’s lack of communication leaves us with only one side of the story. Acting is solid with caveats. I found gestures like Conlon’s holding his elbow with his hand at his chin less than believable as wary agitation and O’Kane’s yelling somewhat one-note."
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“Both Conlon and O’Kane tapped into the emotional core to pull out raw and gritty performances...But when it came to Robert Zawadzki, he was relegated to being a prop...If you can get past the slug-like pacing and are intrigued by how history informs the future, ‘Quietly’ is for you. It’s a well thought out production but for those who like action, you will be bored...But you have to respect the production because it knows what it is.”
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"The actors' accents are so authentic that it took a good 20 minutes for my ears to adjust...Each word said really matters because playwright McCafferty is probing the lingering damage that such conflicts inflict on all sides. Jimmy and Ian are given equal time to expose their wounds and, under Jimmy Fay's taut direction, the actors playing them are terrific...But there's such a static quality to the back and forth in 'Quietly' that I couldn't help wishing that it had made a little more noise."
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"'Quietly,' Owen McCafferty’s profound and understated work directed by Jimmy Fay, is about reconciliation and redemption...In this haunting play, McCafferty distills today’s themes that appear ever present and global about hatred, ongoing revenge, and youthful violence…The production’s theatrical elements (staging, lighting, sound, costume design, etc.), adhere beautifully. The talented director and cast create a provocative, thought-provoking show."
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"Irish Rep is doing a service by introducing the playwright, even if the work at hand has its drawbacks. The acting isn’t one of them...Fay punctuates the dialogue with long, awkward silences that thicken the atmosphere with tension. Still, it’s hard not to feel that the story may carry more weight for McCafferty and an Irish audience…There’s a whiff of unearned optimism in the ability of these men to abandon revenge in lieu of understanding."
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"Declan Conlon brings those ancient hatreds to chilling life...The perpetually seething O’Kane doesn’t convey the same psychological complexity but is nonetheless convincing as a man whose life has been ruined by violence...They offer a thoughtful portrayal of the bloody ghosts that still haunt Belfast...But, under Jimmy Fay’s direction, 'Quietly' too often consists of Ian and Jimmy hurling over-scripted speeches at each other...The overall effect is unbalanced and stagy."
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"The performances are excellent. O’Kane shows inner rage that inexorably links him to the bombing that’s still fresh in his mind...Conlon, meanwhile, perfectly embodies a man both terminally tired and guarded...Both intriguing and involving, 'Quietly' shows both how people can change over the course of time and how, yet, in some ways they don’t really change at all."
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