Shadowlands

See it if You like this genre of a show. Go to no bull with raging Robert World Press to see my review. I liked how they did staging, different then

Don't see it if 1990 version of the show. Lead actor was tentative, stumbled over lines. Other cast were good. All In all a very good .No BULLRAGINGRobert

See it if Lewis's views of suffering and God are tested by intense personal experience. Effective mix of comedy, tragedy, and intellectual ideas.

Don't see it if You are not interested in a love story involving older people. You don't want to think about love, pain and religious faith.

See it if well-made; script deals intelligently/movingly w how confirmed bachelor CS Lewis was woke falling in love w challenging woman; good ensemble

Don't see it if like Masterpiece Theater, predictable/old fashioned; but deeper b/c deals w how experience changed Lewis' pessimistic religious philosophy

See it if you enjoy fine drama at its very best. Excellent acting, good staging. There is wonderful humor and also extremely moving moments.

Don't see it if you like fluffy dialogue or comedy.

Also After seeing a new show called The Portuguese Kid which was a waste of my time and the cast's talent, I would compare Shadowlands to a very fine wine and the Portuguese Kid to cheap beer.... Read more Read less

See it if Poignant tale with deep emotions, love, religion, hope, etc all mixed together. Show runs 2 hrs 20 min but flies by.

Don't see it if You'd be upset at pain and suffering and the tragic outcome at the end. But the show really makes you think.

See it if Interested in watching a very traditional, reserved person fall deeply in love with someone very different from himself. I was enchanted.

Don't see it if You don't want to consider issues of faith, God, love, understanding. This one's a tearjerker, so there's that, too.

Also Based on true events, this story is in very good hands. All the actors are excellent, the set is clever, the director has made some wise and lovely choices throughout.

There was a 10-minute lively and informative talkback after the show. Christa, the director, was a joy to listen to. I am not a religious person, but was completely absorbed in the intelligent and sensitive examination of how people address and follow their faith.

Saw this at Theater Row, mid-November, 2017.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re looking for an emotional play

Don't see it if You need a frolic, this is funny at moments but overall heavy emotions

See it if You like a good old fashioned story well done

Don't see it if You only like musicals or comedies

See it if You are a fan of CS Lewis or enjoy unusual and romantic love stories.

Don't see it if if you do not like sad stories which include death or prefer traditional love stories.

See it if Lovely play based on a true story. Excellent acting and very engaging. A fulfilling evening at the theater.

Don't see it if Do not see if you prefer musicals or light dramas.

See it if you want more from theater than simple entertainment. Excellent performances and interesting philosophies.

Don't see it if you want something light and fluffy or if seeing a show with a cancer victim will depress you too much.

See it if You are interested in plays that discuss serious philosophical topics in a highly palatable way.

Don't see it if Serious drama is not your thing.

Also I had seen this when it originally opened and remember liking it much more. If you are still wondering why bad things happen to good people* this play may illuminate, but then again maybe not. There are a few other philosophical points bandied about, but the play itself lacks passion. I don't remember it this way, and so this may be a consequence of the direction. I also found the female lead unconvincing from the POV that it seemed inconceivable that a bachelor man of letters would have cared about her. That, again, I believe is due to direction. The one line that had resonance for me was, facing death, they both agreed that "The pain now is part of the happiness then, that's the deal." I've always felt that pain that comes from loss is the price one pays for the privilege of loving and being loved -- same difference.
* In a similar vein Malcolm Muggeridge explained to Wm. F. Buckley that suffering in life was the only thing that really taught us anything. He's right!... Read more Read less

See it if A masterful. must see play. Bring tissues. Can't say enough about how moved I was.

Don't see it if If you want light and fluffy this one is not for you. But it's worth seeing it anyway.

See it if you like love stories, clever writing, perceptive characterizations, fine direction, excellent production values and superb acting.

Don't see it if dislike sad endings, intellectual gamesmanship, dialog that is, at times, difficult to understand and characters that are intellectuals.

See it if interesting play about a famous person. Well acted and staged.

Don't see it if you don't like plays with religious, philosophical themes.

See it if want to see a thoughtful drama about CS Lewis late in life. The staging was great and the script kept my interest - a story still relevant.

Don't see it if you don't like any discussion of philosophy or religion; don't like period pieces; or talk about cancer and death.

Also A nice story well told with just the right amount of humor interspersed throughout the script to counter the heavy discussions about love discovered late in life, death, and the pain of life after death.

There was a talk-back after the show which always sheds more light on the play.

I saw this at the Acorn Theater in mid-town NYC in Nov 2017.... Read more Read less

See it if Whether you are an avid reader of C. S. Lewis, a fan of his or not you will be moved by the story of his late-in-life, love affair.

Don't see it if You don't like late-in-life romance.

See it if You are a fan of great acting and/or C.S.Lewis.

Don't see it if stories about people dying from cancer don't interest you

See it if you want to see an improbable love story which happens to be true, anchored by lovely truthful performances. A must for C. S. Lewis fans!

Don't see it if you only like high drama or escapist entertainment. Also if you are allergic to any discussion of religion or faith.

See it if you want to see a wonderful play about real people.

Don't see it if you dislike discussions about God. Actually there's no reason not to see this terrific play.

Also The play is sheer delight. The actors are amazing.

See it if you are a C.S. Lewis fan; enjoy biographies and learning about people's lives; and like romantic stories...

Don't see it if you don't like shows that touch on death and dying...

Also I found the majority of the First Act to be a bit stuffy and slow, but, the last couple of scenes in the First Act piqued my curiosity to find out what happens in Act Two...
Bring tissues with you...... Read more Read less

See it if you like offbeat, improbable romances b'twn intellectuals who say more than "please pass the salt", & actually enjoy intellectual discourse

Don't see it if you want to miss a very well acted, well written revival or don't care for C.S. Lewis's writings and not interested in his bio,

Also Unfortunately, this show is now closed and so this review which slipped through the cracks is a post-mortem. I understand there is a movie of this play, but can't speak of it as I haven't seen it. The play, which may be revived again, is very well worth your time and money.... Read more Read less

See it if A play about finding love later in life. A lovely production, beautifully acted with a standout performance from Daniel Gerroll

Don't see it if You're looking for a new, cutting edge play. It's simple and straightforward.

See it if You are interested in C. S. Lewis' life and/or like love stories even if they have a sad ending

Don't see it if You are uncomfortable with plays about cancer

See it if Want to see a great love story with terrific acting.

Don't see it if You are not into love stories or are not interested in C.S Lewis.