The Changeling NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (88)
See it if you enjoy Shakespeare and his contemporaries
Don't see it if you do not know the story (or learn it before you see the show) - confusing and lack of clear direction made it more difficult to follow.
See it if you love Thomas Middleton and can't get enough Jacobean drama
Don't see it if you can't follow very intense and dense language
See it if you're a fan of Jacobean English, you want to see something completely different and ambitious
Don't see it if you aren't a fan of Jacobean English, have a hard time following complicated, intense, odd storylines
See it if You're a fan of Shakespearean style plays that use Jacobean language
Don't see it if You have a hard time understanding Jacobean language. The story is hard to follow and was not my cup of tea.
See it if You pay extra attention and conentrate because it is hard to follow. It has some good moments and the actors are good but lost my interest
Don't see it if You don't enjoy difficult changeling plays.
See it if You like Shakespeare and have the patience for Jacobean language. Great acting and music!
Don't see it if You won't understand Jacobean language.
See it if You like Renaissance plays and conservative use of props and set
Don't see it if You hate blood.
See it if you love old plays and theater history you love the classics
Don't see it if you don't like slow paced productions you don't like dimly-lit productions
Critic Reviews (22)
"Sadly these two stories, which eventually dovetail in an overly convenient way, never mesh well...Much of the problem lies in Jesse Berger’s direction, which is unable to remove the feeling of disconnectedness. This disjointedness translates into the audience not knowing whether to cringe or laugh at certain points…For all its faults, the production remains thought-provoking with good performances. For students of Jacobean drama, it’s definitely worth a look."
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"In a terrific production by Red Bull Theater, this drama of love and loathing is given a fine and very enjoyable revival. Director Jesse Berger has managed the essential trick: avoid the slightest whiff of parody, and play it to the hilt…The plot and sub-plots are wildly complicated, but the theme is obvious: erotic love can drive you crazy."
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"The plot of this revenge tragedy is as mad as many of the characters...'The Changeling' is a play that could almost have been a precursor of any number of horror movies. Where this 2¼-hour production scores is in maintaining great pace while bringing out every ounce of the gory humour, with blood and the odd spare digit part of the recipe for a stirring night out that will not disappoint."
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"A crisp, modern spin that locates caustic humor within the pathos. Under inventive direction, the work has been stripped down to its essence...The juicy, dizzying plot, a warped riff on the 'Beauty and the Beast' fable, can be tough to follow...This is no timid production. This highly theatrical 'Changeling' takes full advantage of ghastly dramatic moments, amping up the sex and gore."
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"Everything feels choreographed and deliberate, from design to staging to the acting itself…The full effect of slick mechanical precision is at odds with the script's focus on madness and disorder…The upshot of this high production value is that there is not a bad note in the play, but nothing stands out particularly either."
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"'The Changeling' begins as a light breeze of love in the air which quickly develops into a torrent of betrayal and sexual desires wreaking havoc in just about everyone’s lives, and all for the sake of love. Much like a modern day soap opera, 'The Changeling' is a play that whets your emotional appetite the deeper you delve into the true sinister nature of the story leaving one to wonder if it is ever wrong to love someone too much."
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