SPAIN NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (126)
See it if You enjoy smart, creative theater & the idea of a story exploring the importance of art and it's intersection with propaganda intrigues you.
Don't see it if A noir vibe isn't your thing or you're looking for a straightforward piece of theater that doesn't encourage you to think beyond the surface
See it if you want to see a remarkable new play about art, Russian propaganda efforts in the Spanish Civil War, and Hemingway, with a modern twist
Don't see it if you prefer comedies/musicals or stories about propaganda bore you - I was sitting there thinking this is a good play but not very relevant.. Read more
See it if Andrew Burnap and Marin Ireland are exquisite as characters as mysterious as the themes of the play. It's about the origins of "fake news"
Don't see it if Confusing if you don't know anything about Dos Passos, Hemingway or the Spanish Civil War which is used as a template for media manipulation
See it if You want to see great actors be funny and make you think, you like unique staging, great music, and interesting lighting
Don't see it if You need all the answers, you hate monologues, you mind a little historical inaccuracy Read more
See it if interested in ideas rather than action-about what art should or could be to people who make/consume it-politics,entertainment, or expression
Don't see it if Looking for high drama.this moves between Spanish Civil War with a brief scene about art today
See it if you are a fan of Marin Ireland and/or Andrew Burnap; want to see a little play with big ideas chug along in a small theatre.
Don't see it if you are expecting a mind-blowingly original work (concepts have promise); are sensitive to fog and gunshots; expecting to be moved. Read more
See it if You like shows based on historic events and their effect on the arts and propaganda. Knowledge of the Spanish Civil War is helpful.
Don't see it if You only like plays with straightforward plots and that don't have any disconcerting or baffling undertones.
See it if You like creative set designs and stories about espionage.
Don't see it if You want to see a show you can escape daily life from. If you tend to zone out from time to time, this carefully crafted play isn’t for you.
Critic Reviews (12)
“To be fair, that staging is faithful to Silverman’s instructions in the script, which emphasize the conventions of noir thrillers... ‘Spain’ is, after all, a play about propaganda, which is most effective when swallowed whole, if only that were possible.”
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“ ‘Spain’ makes a final jolt into modern times that doesn’t quite land, but it’s a commendable swing that shows how propaganda has evolved — and yet, hasn't changed much.”
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“...’Spain’ touches issues of propaganda and artistic integrity in an age of mass media. It’s unfortunate that, with such rich material all around, Silverman has opted to land on the least consequential aspect of this story — personal fulfillment.”
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“Despite their endless temporizing, and the fact that they have walked into this trap with their eyes wide open, Silverman sees her characters as victims… it's putting it mildly that the story of This Spanish Earth's creation, no matter how revised, isn't a suitable vessel for airing the playwright's concerns. There are many worse things than being an unfulfilled writer or filmmaker; a quick look at the newspaper will tell you that.”
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“ ‘Spain’ disappointingly fails as both history lesson and reimagining. It’s the kind of play about real-life events that doesn’t make you want to learn more.”
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"In writing a play about disinformation, Jen Silverman has unaccountably played fast and loose with the facts of the Joris Ivens/Ernest Hemingway propaganda film "The Spanish Earth." While the play’s value is debatable, it does mark an advance for this playwright whose previous plays "The Moors," "The Roommate" and "Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties" seems to get better and better with each new one. It also gives Marin Ireland as Helen a tour de force role that should not be missed."
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“Playwright Jen Silverman does not mean for ‘Spain’ to be a historical play and she has succeded in that...The wonderful and menacing theatricality imposed on the script hides the fact that it is there as a cover-up, hiding that there is nothing of substance in the play itself, only hints of something more meaningful, just don’t look too hard. There’s an ominous feeling in the set and lighting design that anyone could be killed at a moment’s notice, we almost wish someone was as it would ironically add some life to the play.”
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“In the end, film becomes propaganda becomes disinformation becomes becomes irrelevant. I’m not sure I can hold that hope, but I want to.”
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