Small Mouth Sounds NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (325)
See it if You've ever contemplated the meaning of life, read a self help book or course or if you just want to see one of the best shows of the year!
Don't see it if You don't like shows that make you look at yourself with brutal honesty. You may learn something magical but it might hurt a little.
See it if You like great ensemble acting in a fresh and interesting new play.
Don't see it if Are not a careful of patient listener.
See it if you like watching brilliant actors inhabit the space, the character & the moment; if you were thrilled by JOHN or 10 OUT OF 12 or HADESTOWN
Don't see it if you need a clear plot; if you need actors to talk; if sitting in silence &/or if seeing extended male nudity makes you uncomfortable
See it if want a interesting theater experience with out dialogue by the 6 actors on stage. easier to watch if you sit on the sides
Don't see it if you have problem watching the show were you have to really pay attention to the show.
See it if Want to think and laugh
Don't see it if You're used to lots of dialogue
See it if You enjoy good theater, and like original work
Don't see it if You need everything spelled out for you.
See it if you enjoy great acting and smart, funny plays that lead to examining one's own life.
Don't see it if you can't get past a bit of nudity, even if it advances the plot.
See it if You like smart theatre that takes chances on clever concepts, great idea for show and executed impeccably
Don't see it if You want really verbose theaters or need special effects or slapstick comedy to stay engaged. This is slick, smart comedy.
Critic Reviews (32)
"Action generally speaks louder than words — but silence says even more in 'Small Mouth Sounds', Bess Wohl’s wonderful, perceptive new play...It’s amazing how much we learn about our campers as we watch them silently go about their days and nights...Under the precise, empathetic direction of Rachel Chavkin, the actors brilliantly uncover the characters’ quirks and foibles."
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"Director Rachel Chavkin, no stranger to close environs, expertly creates a near-claustrophobic kinship between the players and the audience...The ambiance of 'Small Mouth Sounds' can’t help but invite comparison to Annie Baker’s 'Circle Mirror Transformation' and this play doesn’t quite possess the delicate tapestry of Baker’s piece. But the playwright clearly has great affection for them and their myriad surprises, and by play’s end, so shall you."
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"Wohl has a talent for bringing American subcultures to the stage and making them immediately relatable. With 'Small Mouth Sounds', she's created a brilliant satire of commercial spiritualism...Under the steady and sensitive direction of Rachel Chavkin, every member of the ensemble delivers a clear and specific performance using only body language and the occasional whispered word (or small mouth sound)."
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""It is to Wohl's credit--and also to the work of director Rachel Chavkin and a fine cast--that so much of 'Small Mouth Sounds' consists of incisive little episodes that reveal volumes about this verbally challenged crew....It is necessary to note that 'Small Mouth Sounds' doesn't always live up to its best moments...She gets much further with a handful of words than many playwrights do with pages and pages of dialogue."
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"'The sound of silence' is not just a Simon and Garfunkel song, it is a legitimately profound idea as demonstrated in this impressive production...This enthralling story follows the characters as they are not speaking...With plays, movies, and TV shows I like to guess 'whodunit' and the other unknown factors. During 'Small Mouth Sounds' I felt no need. I found observing the actors as their characters watching each other to be fascinating."
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"In 'Small Mouth Sounds', Wohl has fashioned a captivating comedy by shrewdly observing human imperfection under a Buddhist-tinged microscope...Finely drawn by Wohl, each is a type of sorts but with a distinct individuality. The force of their personalities is a major factor in giving the comedy its warmth and appeal...In addition to getting fine performances out of her actors, director Rachel Chavkin uses the space at Ars Nova effectively."
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"What saves the enterprise from sinking in its innate whimsicality is Rachel Chavkin’s expert direction and the way the actors wordlessly express a range of feelings and ideas. Each character is given a sharp outline, but the playwright is too constrained by her concept, so outlines are all we get. It’s fun, though, to see the misunderstandings silence can create—as when someone tries to pass a packet of tissues to someone else as those in between misinterpret the transaction."
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"Six participants in a spiritual retreat in the woods must observe silence for five days...The unseen teacher spouts words of dubious wisdom which are practically the only ones we hear. Thanks to a uniformly strong cast, even through the silence we gain an understanding of and, in most cases, a sympathy for each person...The talented director is Rachel Chavkin. The play bears some similarities to Annie Baker’s 'Circle Mirror Transformation,' but I think this is the better play."
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