Shear Madness NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (388)
See it if This is a hysterical and fast paced comedy. Just keeps coming at you.
Don't see it if You like drama. Sometimes it can be cornpone.
See it if you enjoy theater participation and fun interaction with the actors on stage.
Don't see it if you want a separation from the show and no audience participation
See it if interactive fast pace comedy, humor changed daily based on current events. audience votes for who did it
Don't see it if shows that are interactive or want to laugh out loud..
See it if You like audience participation. The actors were great chatting with the audience even during intermission.
Don't see it if ..you love Trump. The actors improvise with current topics & there is a lot of Trump bashing. I am not a Trump fan, but it was a bit much.
See it if You want a light funny comedy. The actors are all very talented and enthusiastic. I had great fun.
Don't see it if You are looking for a big broadway production. Kids loved the show and really participated
See it if you want to be involved with how the play end
Don't see it if if you don't want to participate with the outcome of the play
See it if You like an ensemble cast that are very funny and improvise well. You enjoy puns and some references to current events. You like schtick
Don't see it if You don't like audience participation. You don't want comedy.
See it if you enjoy slapstick funny shows combined with interesting crime stories.
Don't see it if you do not like interactive shows or pefer traditional plays.
Critic Reviews (31)
"What's noteworthy is the cast. The six well-trained actors may not have imagined that, at this point in their careers, they'd be playing characters as flat and stereotypical as these; but their comedic and improvisational virtuosity and their funny, sometimes witty, ad libs make 'Shear Madness' a reasonable choice for bachelorette parties, millennial date nights, and youth groups visiting from afar."
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"The show is not high art, but of course that's not its aim. The jokes are cheesy and the characters border on the offensively stereotypical—a gay hairdresser? really?—but, amazingly enough, if you know that this is what you’re in for, it works...I couldn’t help but smile and enjoy being part of a show that is simply a really good time, because don’t we need those once in a while?"
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"The show exceeds its decades long promise of delivering enjoyably zany characters, clever surprises, and a rousing good time. But best of all, it lets you – yes, you – solve the crime at the center of the plot."
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"The actors are, as you would expect, excellent improvisors, prepared to answer any question an audience member may throw out to them during the interrogation section. This cast works seamlessly together and because of that the flow of the show is very smooth...If you're looking for a laugh, 'Shear Madness' has got you covered. With a script full of one liners, a truly comedic cast, and a different murderer every night you'll experience a one-of-a-kind night at the theatre."
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"At best, the humor is juvenile and rarely funny. The script changes often based on current events, so expect to hear jabs about Ben Carson, Donald Trump, the Clintons, Bill Cosby, and closeted homosexuals. Don’t expect anything clever, though. While marketing ensures us that these jokes are 'fresh', they are little more than recycled bits from late night talk shows without the punch."
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""Many of the laughs are of the wink-wink, self-consciously groan-worthy type, with characters who should know better nuking the language and setting off radioactive puns, double entendres, and malapropisms...What do I mean by groan-worthy? How about the close friendship between two women being called a Lebanese relationship? . . . Groan away, but there are so many you’ll eventually have to crack a smile...'Shear Madness' may have found yet another home for its worldwide franchise."
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"How appealing does a seeming farce sound that's been fruitcaked with broad topical jokes and takes place in a beauty salon? Okay, it doesn't matter how it sounds, when as it plays, it turns out to be consistently entertaining...The set-up with audience participation is one explanation for the built-in 'Shear Madness' fun. There are two other major factors. The gags, the puns, the references may often be shameless, but they can also be downright hilarious."
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"The jokes seemed forced and the actors seemed to be working hard. How this show has attracted audiences for over 35 years is the real mystery to me. Why TDF is lending its support is another question. The set by Will Cotton looks authentic. Bruce Jordan’s direction is indulgent. If you attend, get there a few minutes early because the onstage action starts before the curtain time."
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