Red State Blue State NYC Reviews and Tickets

“In a smart, if sometimes shaggy, monologue that ponders an ideologically riven nation, Quinn is not firmly allied to one side or another...He comes across as the kind of guy you might like to have a beer with, which may be as much of a plus in a comedian as it is in a politician. Unlike a politician, though, he will almost surely make you laugh, and more than once...Quinn throws out a couple of ideas for what to do...but ‘Red State Blue State’ isn’t a prescription. It’s a provocation.”
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"At a time when even middle-of-the-road comics seem to be choosing sides, it's refreshing to hear the no-nonsense Quinn go after political absolutism on both the right and the left. Yet this solo show, minimally directed by Bobby Morseco, lacks a clear narrative through line...His routine often seems stitched together, like a parade of greatest political hits—and misses. But...it has a fairly high laugh rate and, despite its hot-button topicality, feels designed to unite, not offend."
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“The comedian dissects the current social and political climate with his usual cutting wit and keen observations...The comedian is an equal opportunity offender, taking care to assail both sides of the political spectrum...Quinn's deadpan delivery can become monotonous over the course of an evening. And the show's climactic episode proves hit-or-miss. But those flaws don't prevent ‘Red State Blue State’ from being the sort of sharp political satire we can't seem to get enough of."
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“Liberals and conservatives alike are subjected to relentless ridicule and contempt in...Quinn’s pugnacious and contrarian one-man show...Quinn tackles and ridicules social media addiction, the expectation that comedians now must be politically correct, premarital sex and celebrities taking political stances...Even if you disagree with Quinn, his fast, loose and furious mode of presentation is consistently exciting and packed with solid laugh lines and smart comparisons."
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“Quinn ends up preaching to a very particular choir. And that makes this 70-minute set all the more disappointing...In short, ‘Red State Blue State’ isn't barbed enough to be offensive nor incisive enough to be funny. More surprising is Quinn's unsteady delivery...He never really seems sure of himself...His ability to get through his own show seemed a little perilous...’Red State Blue State’ leaves us with a ho-hum sigh, rather than the belly laugh we so desperately want.”
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“Very funny riff on contemporary America's political divide...Directed by Bobby Moresco, ‘Red State Blue State’ is a tight 75-minute set that, without taking sides, seeks to sort out how the country got torn apart so quickly...To expound on this, he charges through 50 zingers, one for each state...Maybe they're not all gems, but his expertise in rhythms and tones creates a comical topography as varied as the land that we love.”
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“One of Quinn’s liveliest shows...The comedian has come up with a merrily nonpartisan evening that is likely to satisfy anyone with a sense of humor, no matter which way you vote...He...generates authentic shock-of-recognition laughs; their amusement level is only increased by that rusty-hasp voice and understated tone of incredulity at the absurdity...The fun thins a bit at a certain point, due to the show's single-note focus. But, after a slowish few minutes, Quinn recovers quite nicely.”
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“A freewheeling, discursive examination of the country's current political and social stalemate. Trying to avoid taking a side, Quinn assures his audience upfront that he will...not exhibit partisan favoritism...’Red State Blue State’ seems scattershot as it takes aim at its satirical targets, and the material is often repetitive...The final section of the show reflects the unevenness of the writing...The litany becomes wearying instead of comically revelatory.”
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“Quinn dwells upon consequential topics of American debate such as democracy, free speech, and equality, and impartially treats them all with plainspoken, humorous disrespect...The humorist winds up his 75-minute consideration of America on the rocks with a bravura peroration during which he disses every state in the nation...The takeaway is not bitter. Spending time with Quinn as he grouses away is like sharing a couple of friendly beers with the neighborhood curmudgeon.”
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"With his own spin on Don Rickles-style insult humor, Quinn hilariously skewers each of the 50 states...Bursts of perfectly crafted one-liners constructed in the classic form of set ups and punchlines, skillfully composed observational riffs and occasionally addressing audience members directly, all sustain 'Red State Blue State’s' 75 minutes...Continuing the great tradition of Carlin, in 'Red State Blue State,' Quinn executes political humor with the artistry of an accomplished comedian."
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"I wouldn’t say I agree with a lot of Quinn’s positions, but he’s intelligent, thought-provoking, funny, and he doesn't play favorites. Although the ending, in which he names every state and gives an example of how each one is uniquely terrible, is largely uninspired and not all that witty. One might wonder how many people in the audience will agree with Quinn on what’s wrong with America. But I don’t think that’s really the point."
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“Quinn keeps comforting the audience with his light hearted approach to our most pressing dilemmas...Quinn sticks it to us rather mildly but with just enough bite to occasionally make us wince...Quinn has some very funny and astute observations...Quinn paints a portrait of our nation's future that is as warmly caustic as it is harshly comical. Those who have enjoyed and been invigorated by Quinn's perspective in previous shows will assuredly embrace this one.”
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“Although Quinn disparages most of the immediate world, he does it with a light touch. He also repurposes and recycles his material, and makes it work...Quinn understands that we are walking around with blinders on, and he does not condemn us for that. Instead he steps into our field of vision and makes it impossible to look away. Quinn makes you smile as you squirm. Quinn is a comedian who sticks to your ribs. Bravo.”
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“The Saturday Night Live alumnus manages to insult every single state of the union...It’s a baffling routine, almost tedious and even tacky...Quinn’s riff isn’t especially clever and can’t withstand scrutiny...To be fair, there are funnier moments...Perhaps enough to please his most ardent fans...Unlike such comedians as Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert, Quinn’s jokes don’t feel rooted in political passion. His jokes float away from current affairs and don’t always make their way back.”
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“An evening of musings on the current chasm in American political discourse...Quinn’s patented style of ‘nobody is spared’ comedy is a welcome tonic for these troubled Trumpian times...As always, Quinn’s delivery is as inimitable as his comic writing is sublime...’Red State, Blue State’ is a zippy evening that provides as many laughs as opportunities for self-examination...And even though he’s not able to offer any solutions...He is, however, able to unite everyone for 70 minutes.”
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"Quinn places the blame for our current state of affairs where it may mostly rightly belong: on the founding fathers themselves, who crafted an incredibly imperfect Constitution - and then died before fixing it - and on today's citizens, who he states have taken the ideas of freedom, equality and democracy to untenable extremes. This may all sound crazy on paper, but as Quinn espouses his theories, you'll simultaneously laugh out loud while thinking he actually makes some sense."
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"He…skewers both the right and the left, the red and the blue, the conservatives and the progressives, with bombsight precision…He depends on broad generalities, but there's always a recognizable kernel of truth allowing you to laugh at how nuts the other side is while also appreciating how close he gets to eviscerating your own beliefs…Quinn offers some sardonic solutions to our problems but the best way to chase the reds and blues away is to laugh at them by seeing his show."
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“Despite that title, the former Comedy Central, MTV and SNL star doesn’t take political sides in his gentle diatribe on what’s wrong with America...Quinn is at his funniest when he takes on — no surprise — Donald Trump...Quinn doesn’t even sound that much like the president, but he replicates his one-syllable bombast (“great”) to perfection...’Red State Blue State’ is the ultimate feel-good false-equivalency show.”
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“The world-premiere monologue contains the stand-up star’s signature brand of socio-political commentary, as he takes a sardonic, pragmatic, and hilarious look at our country’s seemingly irreparable divide...Quinn takes incisive aim at everything that’s gone wrong in our country...If you believe in the old maxim that laughter is the best medicine, be sure to catch ‘Colin Quinn: Red State Blue State’; it provides the antidote we all need in today’s contentious political climate.”
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"He makes canny observations about our national character, but now he seems less sanguine about our ability to move forward...He communicates highly complicated ideas through the most mundane and absurdly funny examples...Quinn’s manner is engagingly off-hand – this is bigger and smarter than your usual stand-up, but it never totally leaves that sphere...Overall, the show is a jaunty, thought-provoking good time."
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"A refreshing reminder of what comedy’s aims should be...On the surface Quinn is staking out some neutral territory between enemy camps in the culture war...Quinn throws in a couple of Trump jokes just to reassure the audience that he’s not going to wander too far off the rails, but he offers sympathetic words for Trump voters...Quinn doesn’t just riff on the divided states of America, though; he proposes an actual (semi-serious) solution."
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"It’s equally questioning both sides and asking us all to laugh at not only each other’s follies but our own...Though the piece was a long monologue without interruption, the constant punctuation of laughter...made the piece feels more like a dialogue...The experience feel intimate and personal, more like an enjoyable conversation with your funniest friend.”
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“A brilliant show...What makes Quinn’s ‘Red State Blue State’ special is that he has done what nobody else seems able to do - come at the problem in a nonpartisan way...He can distill such complicated ideas into a line or two that encapsulates a thought that could have taken someone else hours to explain...And it’s really funny, and that’s why Quinn is a master...You won’t agree with everything Quinn says but he will have you thinking. And laughing.”
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