The Brutes NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (28)
See it if you are interested in historical recreations, and forgotten performances.
Don't see it if you like lavishly staged, full Broadway productions
See it if You are interested in the history of the Booth family and the mind of Wilkes-Booth prior to The Lincoln Assasination
Don't see it if You do not want to see a show based on the history of the Booth family. Do not like shows off off Broadway. Read more
See it if You like historical plays that are told from a different and rarely heard perspective
Don't see it if you don't like plays with a lot of dialogue and multiple characters
See it if you are interested in theater history and want to see a play about the famous - and infamous - Booth family.
Don't see it if you are looking for a straightforward drama as the some of the scenes - especially those involving “the brutes” - can be confusing.
See it if you like to support small, new theatre companies. Or if you are Booth-obsessed. Or if you have friends in the cast. Otherwise, don't
Don't see it if you expect the script to make sense. It is ambitous and ultimately, unsuccessful. The acting and staging aren't much better. A weak show.
See it if you are fully in tune with the history of the brothers and want a different take on a part of their lives with some good acting.
Don't see it if you want any peace-this is a romp from beginning to end with shouting, shooting, stomping and bright lights that often make you squint.
See it if you have an interest in the history of the Civil War and theater history surrounding the Booth family.
Don't see it if you are interested in a more linear plot, traditional staging. Read more
See it if you want to see a snippet of theater history when the three Booth brothers share the stage.
Don't see it if you like a linear plot and well defined characters (the story line is somewhat random which made it difficult to follow).
Critic Reviews (5)
"It would seem potentially well matched to both this time of year and our foully antagonistic national mood. But even when the Booths sit down together for Thanksgiving dinner, and Wilkes, as they call him, provokes a fight about the war, this labored, fragmented play remains frustratingly inert, weighed down by a surfeit of story...The paradox of this production, performed in the round on an almost bare stage, is that despite the closeness of the action, the play itself feels remote."
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“A new smart but exhaustingly dense play...Despite this well-packaged setup, the problem is that, across the work’s dense 75 minutes, none of the characters shift from their starting positions...In its current form, 'The Brutes' is rather long on Stoppardian erudition and metaphor and less invested in how the siblings impact one another...Fellini, doubling as director, produces a lively variety of stage pictures in the small in-the-round space.”
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“It is challenging for an actor to breathe credible life into...an average individual. Accomplishing this in a period piece with a little Shakespearean dialogue...is a lofty endeavor for any thespian. This cast rose to the occasion...While there is humor peppered throughout, this is a dark and heavy play...Between Wimpee’s script...coupled with the exceptional acting, it felt as if we were transported to the 1800’s and witnessing the brothers Booth and the tormented ghost of their father.”
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“Wimpee brings us a play that follows the once famous Booth family and their stormy relationship...Fellini’s casting was as stunning as her production scheme. The acting was very believable, and pulled the audience into the story...The lion’s share of the play is written in Shakespearean language, which can be tricky for those not used to its sound. Overall it was a fun and interesting night of theater.”
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“This the story about the Booth family both in and out of the theater, was really compelling and powerful and captured its audience...Wimpee’s juxtaposition of the time periods...was clever and uniquely done...Fellini lifted the piece with artistry and intrigue...Actors were amazing, professional, and very powerful. I loved this show and would gratefully see it again...An interesting and intriguing time well spent in the theater.”
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