Socrates

See it if if you are interested in history ,great set and great acting

Don't see it if overly long and upsetting death scene

See it if You're fascinated by a lot of philosophical debate and appreciate intelligence and great acting.

Don't see it if the thought of seeing a play about an ancient Greek philosopher bores you

Also Although a bit draggy in the 1st Act, the 2nd Act alone makes this a masterpiece. Michael Stuhlbarg is riveting as the lead character and is ably supported by a talented cast who speak the lines with intelligence and occasional wit. It's a bit wordy but again once the emotion filled 2nd act kicks in, the play elevates. Very surprised that this turned out as well consider it's slow and meandering start. Worth seeing alone for the gorgeous set (the walls of the theater especially!)... Read more Read less

See it if You have an interest in the life of the mind. You want to understand why philosophy is relevant to life. You love drama.

Don't see it if You're not at all curious about how the ancient Greeks created the basis for the modern world. My Big Fat Greek Wedding was enough for you.

Also In a strong cast, David Aaron Baker was outstanding as Anytus, one of Socrates' accusers. He shows why the Athenians might have felt threatened by Socrates and demonstrates the power of an appeal to emotion.... Read more Read less

See it if You are fascinated by Greek philosophy /history, and enjoy interrogations about the meaning of life. You find historic parallels intriguing.

Don't see it if You are impatient with slow first acts with unclear direction. You dislike sexual innuendo. YOu want a happy ending!

See it if You enjoy intellectual plays and being challenged to sort out >2 characters played by the same - great - actors

Don't see it if You want pure entertainment, you need to think to appreciate this play

See it if Such great dialogue and very thought provoking especially in these times. Brilliant performances and very intense.

Don't see it if Show is long, and can be repetitive. It needs one's full concentration. Difficult subject matter and can be tedious at times.

See it if You enjoy questioning the beliefs around you and aren’t afraid of having your own beliefs challenged. It is masterfully done!!

Don't see it if You just want entertainment. This one will make you think.

See it if You like to watch men yelling at each other and the audience.

Don't see it if You don't like to watch men yelling at each other and the audience.

Also I walked out at intermission and would have done so sooner if I didn't have a center seat.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in the way Socrates changed thinking, or want to be captivated by a brilliant performance by Michael Stuhlbarg.

Don't see it if you can't enjoy slow shows with many one-dimensional characters, even if many of the moments are passionate and intelligent.

See it if Loved how relevant the play was to today's situations

Don't see it if Don't enjoy long, philosophical plays

See it if you would enjoy a dramatization of the Socratic dialogues at his life's end. Nice job of making his character annoying but inspiring.

Don't see it if Imaginary conversations appended to a play designed to be historical will spoil the enjoyment for you.

See it if You enjoy a well written play of ideas. Well staged, acted. Don't mind having to pay careful attention to a lot of words and characters.

Don't see it if You have a short attention span and prefer lighter fare and plot lines that are easy to follow.

Also I really enjoyed this production and appreciated the author's and Public Theater's obvious willingness to believe
there are still audiences who desire intelligent/intellectual plays.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like really good lighting, good acting and long, long philosophical discussions.

Don't see it if If you don't like long philosophical discussions and want to have some idea where a story is heading.

See it if you want to experience Socrates as he might have been. The show can be more didactic than dramatic at times.

Don't see it if you want something that engages the heart more than the head. The "emotional" moments felt rather forced and unearned at times.

See it if You don't have a problem with engagine but length discussions of epistomology

Don't see it if You think you might bored or tired.It's a long show - engaging if you are interested, but long.

See it if You appreciate the classics.

Don't see it if You prefer theater that values emotions over ideas.

See it if Excellent staging and acting. An insightful show

Don't see it if Long show. Concentration a must.

See it if Despite being verbose, dense & philosophically dry; drama still sustains interest & relevance w/Stuhlbarg's brave turn as a pompous Socrates

Don't see it if Unfortunately, can also feel like 3 hrs of mansplaining in bad lighting Still, a cautionary tale about the fragility of a democratic society

See it if you think a rudimentary 3-D history (& philosophy) lesson might be worth $60-plus dollars & 2-&-a-half hours of your time.

Don't see it if you are expecting anything exciting or original in a drama that tracks a bold thinker through 1 of the most important trials in history.

Also I will state my bias upfront: Good theater demands more than animating historical figures with techniques that were already used-up decades when CBS employed them on Sunday mornings to narration by Walter Cronkite. This 1 manages to feel stale even though an issue of current importance is embedded in its core conflict: populism vs. elitism. I found the droves of roving, raving guys particularly annoying, whether they were drunk & shouting Socrates’ praises or ticked-off & demanding his death. If you go, I hope you find something to like. Though a student of ancient Greek culture with a special love of the Platonic dialogs in which Socrates stars, I did not.... Read more Read less

See it if powerfully dramatizes story of S vs Athens establishment & politics behind his death sentence; passionate performance of M Stuhlbarg as S

Don't see it if 2 many speeches; not delve deeply into what made S’s moral philosophy revolutionary; death scene so long, u think:drink the hemlock already!

Also Principle: S falls short of A Man for All Seasons/Sir Thomas More in dramatizing how principle can overcome fear of death. Democracy: In play there are not so subtle lessons S has in era of Trump. S, man who lived/died for truth, stands in contrast to a man who cares nothing about truth (audience murmurs in assent). Trump 2 - also underlines vulnerability of democracy 2 manipulation by demagogues like Trump. Structure: Frame tale - Plato has taken on a new student to whom he is explaining the life & times of S - is clunky premise that does little to deepen the drama. The other structural problem: there is no worthy intellectual foil for S. The play might have been much more interesting had the playwright structured it as a debate between the two giants of philosophy, Plato and S.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of Michael Stuhlbarg and you like dialogue-intensive, didactic, long plays.

Don't see it if you are not interested in a long lesson that attempts to cover history, philosophy and civics while illustrating the Socratic method.

Also The play is long, talky and repetitive with an excruciating death scene. I'm not sure what the point was.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Michael Stuhlbarg who is excellent. If you are interested in Socrates' arguments and thoughts.

Don't see it if you want an exciting drama. This is slow, almost three hours, all talk, little action. Well done but tedious.

See it if a story told via philosophical debates/conversations that still feel relevant sounds interesting.

Don't see it if you don't like question-answered-with-a-question scenarios. The show is long. Single female role adds nothing to the story.

Also This was an entertaining show, but it drags towards the end of both acts. In Act I, I thought we hit intermission, but no, there was another scene.

The seats in the theatre are not the most comfortable for an almost-3hr show.

The only female role adds nothing to the story - was it written in so the cast is not all-male?... Read more Read less

See it if You need an explanation of Socrates’ life and death. Michael Stuhlbarg is very effective as the stubborn Socrates.

Don't see it if Play is long, stage is dark, lots of dialogue, nodded off in first act a few times so missed some of the important words.

Also Encourages one to think about the meaning of democracy.

See it if you want timely & intellectually fulfilling exploration of Socrates' life/death made relevant for today's need to figure out what is truth.

Don't see it if you won't let an almost 3-hr play unfold. With Columbo-like style, Socrates probes assertions. Brain gymnastics give intellectual muscle.