Sesar NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (11)
See it if you love WS's great JC speeches (you'll hear a lot). Actor has lg conversation as father & son. Requires concentration. Gr acting/directing
Don't see it if you want lite fare instead of insights into the perils of revolution. Not all JC interpretn makes sense. Family history hard to follow.
See it if you like 1-person shows about father-son relationships, learning from Shakespeare, Asian culture, dynamo acting and splendid stage effects
Don't see it if don't like 1-person shows, some multi-lingual dialogue, not a fan of Shakespeare in particular Julius Caesar, don't like paying attention
See it if Pabotoy's autobiographical solo drama about self discovery/identity thru Shakespearean tragedy Both cagey & confessional, he's charismatic
Don't see it if A classic father/son dynamic is mashed up w/Julius Ceasar, Filipino politics of the '80's & cultural displacement never coming together
See it if you value close reading, perspectives on immigration/displacement; tired of JuliusC produced in reaction to unfavorable leaders du jour
Don't see it if unimpressed by shows w/ fewer than 3 actors, are bothered by Shakespeare spoken w/ an accent (not British) Read more
See it if Playing father, son, and numerous characters, closely parsing Shakespeare’s J Caesar shows much about relationships, friendship, personhood.
Don't see it if You are not interested in a short, one-man play. You want a focused, clear, and easy to follow plot.
See it if you are interested in a moving, fostering father-son relationship: great, caring father in spite of many hardships! Superb acting!!
Don't see it if you don't like 1-man shows or can't handle too much Shakespeare
See it if you like Julius Caesar or great acting or well-staged productions or touching family stories.
Don't see it if you don't like all of the above.
See it if You want to experience a play that is generous in spirit, featuring a superb craftsman.
Don't see it if If you're a cynic or a purist. Read more
Critic Reviews (5)
“This is the rare piece that could stand to be longer, allowing Pabotoy to tease out the details of his extraordinary, tumultuous childhood and the influence that dramatic literature played in it. A couple of bits, including a detour, could profitably be trimmed...Still, it is a heartfelt piece, a gallant tribute to a remarkably loving parent, and it clearly left many in the audience deeply moved...At the moment, it is a sweet offering; with a little more thought and detail, it could be much more.”
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"Opening with a furious recreation of a storm and closing with an enchanting visual surprise, it’s 65 theatrical and emotionally resonant minutes taking place in the bathroom...In addition to depicting the universality of father and son conflicts, the play also explores the theme of the proud achiever humbled and soldiering on...Feldman’s consummate staging combines guiding Pabotoy’s performance with the technical elements into a stimulating production."
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“A solo performance can be memorizing...Orlando Pabotoy has the range to provide this experience, possessing an aptitude for vivid storytelling...His script for Sesar remains gauzy; not quite pulling together the threads of his tale into a solid piece. But even at this stage of development, it is an entertaining and enlightening piece told from a unique vantage point...Feldman’s direction is unnecessarily frenetic, detracting from Pabotoy’s natural ability."
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"Taut and lively solo show...In this politically and autobiographically tinged tale of a boy and his father, Pabotoy, with a big assist from Shakespeare, explores what it means to be a friend, a Roman, a countryman, and an immigrant, invoking the past while finding a way to rise above it...Portraying both father and son, as well as a variety of characters, Pabotoy displays impressive linguistic and physical skills...A production full of lessons, both specific and universal."
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"The piece all solo shows want to be when they grow up...Pabotoy gifts us with a mature, original text brought to life by a consummate performer who conjures entire worlds with elements as simple as a shower curtain, umbrella or toilet plunger. He is a physical theater genius...It’s a production that shows you the potential of the one-person genre and how you can burst out of the 'restrictions' of the form...A great, inspirational work...Innovative, life affirming, and artistically brilliant."
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