Sandra NYC Reviews and Tickets

78%
(108 Ratings)
Positive
88%
Mixed
9%
Negative
3%
Members say
Absorbing, Great acting, Entertaining, Great writing, Riveting

A solo show about a woman embarking on a journey to solve the mystery her friend's disappearance.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (108)

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393 Reviews | 101 Followers
95
Great writing and staging, Great set, sound, lights, Great acting, Riveting, Absorbing

See it if You’re up for theatre in its purest form, a compelling reminder of the power of speech, of a well-told story by a powerful, present actor.

Don't see it if You're not open to one-person shows or ones with deceptively minimal effects, or simply listening and letting imagination roam. Read more

485 Reviews | 92 Followers
95
Thought-provoking, Great writing, Great acting, Clever, Absorbing

See it if you a HUGE fan of actor/playwright David Cale's work. It's a story that will keep you intrigued until the very end.

Don't see it if one person plays are not your thing. Read more

271 Reviews | 35 Followers
93
Unusual, Great writing, Edgy, Ambitious, Exciting

See it if A very likable woman shares her seemingly ordinary life. A fantastical adventure changes her completely. Fabulous acting! I loved it.

Don't see it if A one woman show and minimal staging are not for you.

494 Reviews | 123 Followers
92
Suspenseful, Terrific writing, Great acting

See it if you like first rate theatrical storytelling and would like to be taken on one woman's thrilling journey of self discovery and re-invention.

Don't see it if you hate one-person shows, looking for a large production, or have a hard time seeing the beauty and poetry hidden in plain sight.

65 Reviews | 5 Followers
91
Suspenseful, Entertaining, Investigative, Ambitious, Absorbing

See it if You enjoy a personal intense and suspenseful tale of mystery masterfully told by a single character.

Don't see it if you like a flashy ensemble production.

65 Reviews | 17 Followers
90
Entertaining, Clever, Absorbing

See it if You enjoy great storytelling. It kept my interest the entire time. David Cale is a masterful writer. Absolutely worth seeing.

Don't see it if One person shows aren’t your thing.

75 Reviews | 7 Followers
90
Masterful, Refreshing, Intense, Great staging, Absorbing

See it if You are impressed by excellent one-person shows, and enjoy a unique, thriller-style story being told onstage.

Don't see it if You prioritize constant visual spectacle or get bored by shows with only one set/one actor.

246 Reviews | 18 Followers
89
Suspenseful, Riveting, Intelligent, Great writing

See it if A women's search for a missing friend becomes an engaging journey of self-discovery. Riveting performance and suspenseful plot

Don't see it if you are absolutely against seeing a one person play or demand a play full of action. Perhaps a musical would be a better fit for you. Read more

Critic Reviews (12)

The New York Times
November 20th, 2022

"David Cale’s new play, 'Sandra,' is packed with classic thriller tropes, as if he had challenged himself to cram as many of the genre’s staples as possible into a 90-minute show."
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New York Theatre Guide
November 21st, 2022

"For a thriller, however, 'Sandra' doesn't quite succeed as a thrill ride...Audiences at 'Sandra' can imagine the story's twists and tensions well enough, but with the tools of a visual medium like theatre at its disposal, they shouldn't just have to imagine."
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The Wall Street Journal
November 23rd, 2022

"In keeping with the starkness of the production—the set is just a chair and suggestions of walls, essentially lock our focus firmly on the main character."
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Theatermania
November 20th, 2022

"Without some interesting character flaw for her to wrestle with, her nonstop recitation of facts and events often makes her story read like a newspaper article."
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Lighting & Sound America
November 21st, 2022

For much of its brief running time, Sandra recalls the novels of Mary Stewart, the mid-twentieth-century specialist in romantic suspense whose heroines invariably get caught up in intrigue while visiting glamorous vacation destinations. Cale solidly establishes a growing atmosphere of mystery and peril, but he leaves plenty of nagging plot holes, beginning with Sandra's introduction to Luca, which hinges on a barely credible mix-up. As their affair heats up, Cale tries hard to explain Sandra's impulsive behavior but, to any fan of genre fiction, her inability to hear the obvious alarm bells becomes irritating.
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Talkin' Broadway
November 20th, 2022

"Whereas thrillers typically climax with gasps and edge-of-the-seat tension, 'Sandra' ends with incredulousness and some disappointment."
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New York Stage Review
November 20th, 2022

"It’s such a ridiculous plot development that it’s almost impossible to take the rest of the tale seriously."
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TheaterScene.net
November 28th, 2022

Cale’s story uses many film noir devices from the 1940’s: exotic locale, strange encounters, searching down unknown streets, disappearing characters, a sexy stranger, danger signals avoided, clues that don’t add up, information that turns out to be fallacious, a damsel in distress, stolen objects, moments of high passion, etc. Yet all seem to be used as if for the first time. The elements are time tested, but the story is new. Cale is an excellent storyteller pulling us in with enough hints and clues to keep us interested until the very end. There are moments that sag but he always pulls us out into something new and unexpected.
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