Sanctuary City NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (82)
See it if You want to see Very good acting. Will keep you engaged.
Don't see it if Felt dated and uneven .
See it if you want to explore the issues affecting the Dreamers as they are pulled in different directions by each other and those they love.
Don't see it if you are bothered by quick, repetitive action in unison with light changes that lasts 20 minutes before you get to a traditional presentation Read more
See it if great acting & brilliant staging with a challenging plot & current themes is enough to hold your attention.
Don't see it if you need clarity about time and intention. The author makes interesting use of language, repetitions & black outs that only suggests motive
See it if jumpy and intentionally disorienting; first act 2-hander, sets in motion searing plot that displays uncertainty of being Dreamers
Don't see it if second act disappoints: poses artificial choice 4 protagonist btwn love of fellow immigrant & LGBTQ love/dated w LGBTQ marriage limits gone
See it if You love Majok’s work & would enjoy a fast-paced, timely play about immigration featuring well-drawn characters portrayed by great actors.
Don't see it if You hate two-people-on-a-bare-stage plays, and/or if you didn’t like the fast-vignette format of “Constellations”.
See it if shows that hold up a mirror to society interest you. This is not an escapist night at the theatre. The show tackles immigration issues.
Don't see it if you'd rather forget your troubles and watch something that's pure entertainment. You'll need to use your head for this one.
See it if u like timely stories that make u feel the discomfort & uncertainty of our Dreamers; lighting in act 1 says it all; importance of friendship
Don't see it if 2nd act feels like a different play w/the addition of a 3rd actor, scenic changes & loss. I was heartbroken by the end of the play.
See it if you are interested in the plight of "dreamers" or if you want to see three talented young actors.
Don't see it if are looking for an uncluttered approach to the subject. The fist half is extremely fragmented by design. Read more
Critic Reviews (10)
"I have rarely seen a play that so effectively embodies the way external forces — in this case, immigration policies in the United States — distort the inner lives of actual humans."
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"A testament to theater's ability to give voice to the voiceless in deeply honest, profoundly moving ways. You're not likely to see a more powerful 100 minutes than this."
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Sanctuary City is a continuously gripping affair, with much to say about the shameful consequences of our immigration policies, and it would be a mistake to miss it. But be prepared for a major stylistic switch that -- in a small, but significant, way -- undermines the play's impact.
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"From scene to scene in the first section and in the lengthier closing sections, the actors raise playwright Majok to the heights she intends."
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"At a time of profound polarization on this delicate issue, Majok has given us something that transcends politics as only the best and most humane art can."
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"It is a daring dramatic ploy and not entirely successful. The direction and acting is first-rate and very taut but it cannot cover for the feeling that we are being given two separate plays, made more obvious by the lack of an intermission between the halves."
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Sanctuary City is not merely a memory play, but a snapshot of a time in America when safety was lost In Sanctuary City, Martyna Majok’s characters are searching for this safety – in country; in home; in family; in love; in each other.
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These stories are powerful, and we are drawn to them, not least because of the appeal of the young cast .... But the stories are told through Majok’s unconventional structure, which reads as clever...but [is] more of a puzzle...[because of] director Rebecca Frecknall’s self-conscious staging.
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