The Bride

See it if You like new versions of Shakespeare, great live music, excellent acting. You will walk out smiling.

Don't see it if You like only like traditional versions of classical plays.

See it if you love wit and innovation and Shakespeare in a beautiful small theater setting.

Don't see it if you want to see a dramatic production of original Shakespeare.

See it if You'd like to experience a young, talented & very likeable cast convincingly (almost) meld 2 Shakespearean plays with great humor & music.

Don't see it if You're a purist, not liking your Shakespeare reimagined, shuffled or musicalized in any way; don't like sparkly lights or theatrical magic.

Also Especially in times like these, it's gratifying to see young eyes & energy diving so into the text & timelessness of Shakespeare. It's an almost visceral thing, watching & feeling their joy as they nightly discover & convey the truths in their characters & text. A blend or weave of two disparate plays, it's a theatrical experiment, in some ways not unlike the sometimes cut & paste efforts of the Shakespeares, Marlowes & Beaumonts that have come down to us now as classics.

Conceptually & visually inventive, with the cast playing music throughout in songs, sounds & effects, rhythms & spoken iambs, the direction is smooth & seamless with a terrific use of ever-changing space, props & instruments.

In a very strong ensemble, Fanning's Rosaline stands out as does Capetta's Verges, & their stunning, transporting solo harmony virtually stops the show. Angstrom's textual weave could use a little tightening for clarity, but it's a fine, fun evening, time well spent with this quick-witted cast... Read more Read less

See it if The Bride was really fun. Virtually no set and minimal costumes, the focus is entirely on the actors -- who are young and talented.

Don't see it if a) don't like climbing 4 floors up to a small theater b) only like fancy productions, or c) if you can't follow iambic pentameter.

See it if You are up to something classical and still refreshing and delightful.

Don't see it if you are only looking for a beauty and colors of well-staged broadway-style decorations

Also As soon as you arrive you have a feeling that it's going to be high-school grade performance but so many details were in sync, sounds, light and masterful acting of the young actors creating a very magical experience.
Recommended to see while they still playing.... Read more Read less

See it if Shakespeare is your thing. It was like two-for-one. The singing was amazing.

Don't see it if You can't climb steps. The theatre is up four flights, but very worth the climb.

See it if you enjoy adaptations of Shakespeare, when stories are combined and altered; you like dynamic performances in a pared down setting.

Don't see it if you are prefer the original text, if you like elaborate costumes and sets, or if you are confused by fast Shakespearean language.

Also This was a very clever mash-up of the two plays, and your enjoyment might depend on how much you like the two original plays (and remember them), and if you are able to keep up with the changes, both to the characters and the plot.... Read more Read less

See it if You like mash ups of old favorites. You want to hear Shakespeare's verse manhandled- often successfully- in a variety of ways.

Don't see it if you want lush production. Cant follow parallel stories with overlapping and echoed dialogue.

Also The first Act was so lovely- the second half more traditional Much Ado.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy Shakespeare not taken too seriously; excellent acting; fun performance

Don't see it if you want your Shakespeare pure

See it if you're a fan of Shakespeare, know his work well, and are open-minded to see a new take

Don't see it if you'er looking for cut and dry Shakespeare - but I'll argue this is more fun to watch!

See it if you enjoy Shakespeare with some creativity by a young energetic cast.

Don't see it if you only like large scale productions.

See it if You like Shakespeare with a twist. You like fast moving, energetic theater. You like simple yet effective staging.

Don't see it if You don't like Shakespeare. You prefer elaborate productions.

Also Never a dull moment. This cast was so energetic they made me tired. LOL . It was energetic, fun and well performed. There was so much going on in this play and the dialogue was fast paced. You might get a little dizzy trying to keep up but what I did after awhile was to stop trying to catch it all and just watch the play and enjoy it. That I did. They were a funny, talented and energetic cast. The staging was simple, very effective and I enjoyed how it was set up. The singing was great along with the musical instruments they were playing.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a Shakespeare fan, like seeing new twists, fan of mash-ups, cool simple set use, original music, well paced. Strong Ensemble.

Don't see it if You are not a Shakespeare fan, or struggle to follow a complicated, twisting plot. A bit long, with folding chair seats.

See it if you have a working knowledge of the plots and major characters of the two Shakespeare plays that are "blended".

Don't see it if You do not like Shakespeare works that are faithful to the Old English dialog.

See it if you enjoy being entertained, you want to smile and ignore the world for a couple of hours, unlimited energy on stage pleases you

Don't see it if If you prefer bigger productions, music and staging

Also one other thing, had a hard time understanding the dialogue about 1/3 the time, not sure if it was the faux English accents or the speed they spoke at but if this would take away from your enjoyment of the performance figured I would mention it... Read more Read less

See it if If you like Shakespeare they do a good job of putting the two shows together. It is funny with good acting.

Don't see it if If you don't like Shakespeare. Also found the singing not to be the best at times and wasn't a fan of all the songs.

Also I love musicals, but felt this may have played better with out the music.... Read more Read less

See it if You love Shakespeare and seeing young, energetic actors put a creative spin on a no-frills production.

Don't see it if You want a show where everyone sings on pitch. You want high production values.

See it if You enjoy Shakespeare in any avtaar and a troupe of brilliant young actors do a fresh take on his work

Don't see it if Reinventing Shakespeare flumoxes you

See it if You like Shakespeare with (really good) folk music, have prior knowledge of Love's Labours Lost & Much Ado, and want to see 2 plays fused.

Don't see it if You only want to see one play, like staging that isn't constantly about moving set pieces for no reason, dislike Shakespeare or live music.

Also Talented younger cast, beautiful use of lighting, fantastic music a la Mumford and Sons. The first act was basically Love's Labour's Lost, second act was Much Ado. Not really a "weaving". Script needed refining, as many characters did not seamlessly transition from one play to the next ("Claudio" was doofy in the first act and somehow got smarter in the second? Holofernes is all about his fancy Latin words and then has malapropisms galore?) The minimal set was constantly being rearranged for no discernible reason, and the pacing was (dare I say it?) too fast. None of this, of course, was the fault of the brilliant cast.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a youthful, earnest blend of two Shakespearean romantic comedies. Charming cast, nice ensemble work.

Don't see it if You're looking for a play that improves upon (or equals) the original works in terms of clarity. You're not up to hiking 4-floors of stairs.

Also Familiarity with both 'Love's Labour's Lost' and 'Much Ado About Nothing' should probably be a prerequisite.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to watch a play that combines two Shakespeare's comedies in an innovative way. The acting is pretty good.

Don't see it if Hard to follow the way they talk, and the convoluted plot makes it difficult to understand what is going on...

Also Really good actors. Like what the other reviewer said: they are energetic. However, the hardwood floor makes too much noise while they are walking or running, which makes the lines more difficult to hear.... Read more Read less

See it if you are familiar with the Shakespeare plays used in the remix; you like youthful, low-budget, loving & inventive productions of classics

Don't see it if you rarely see Shakespeare (connections and parallels may be easy to miss); you look for high production values; you can't sit for over 2hrs

See it if you like light comedy and don't mind a simple set.

Don't see it if you like a gorgeous stage or serious stuff.

See it if You like creative presentation of Shakespeare.

Don't see it if You want a production where you can follow the plot.

See it if You like the works of Shakespeare, and low budget (almost experimental) theater. The company does fairly well but it is best suited for fans

Don't see it if You don't have a grasp on Shakespearean plays, primarily because this is two plays patchworked together. It's very easy to lose track.