The Coward: a Madcap Fairytale (FringeNYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets

75%

(15 Reviews)

Positive

80%

Mixed

Negative

13%

Members say

Entertaining, Quirky, Clever, Ambitious, Great acting

About the Show

Part of FringeNYC: Possessed by an insane monster, a cowardly castle maid must battle gods and demons to resurrect the King she herself killed. This experimental, absurdist comedy revels in clowns, confetti, and blood. So shield those precious eyes, you cowards.

Member Reviews (15)

Confusing, Excruciating, Insipid, Ambitious

See it if you know somebody from the cast; you enjoy finding good intentions in horrible results; you're here for the costumes.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy third-rate attempts at absurdist theater

Entertaining, Epic, Raunchy, Ambitious, Confusing

See it if You like deconstructed fairy tales which use lots of makeup and hijinks

Don't see it if You are afraid of actors chasing atound in the audience, or you lack imagination.

Critic Reviews (4)

August 18th, 2016

David Cote

“The whiteface loons in ‘The Coward’ never stop gabbing - which is especially unfortunate, given their manic, crushingly dull dialogue. Talky clowns: not a recipe for belly laughs. Energetic but scattershot to the point of tedium...A confusing, overwritten picaresque with metaphysical pretensions and a drawn-out WTF downer ending, barely salvaged by the ensemble’s youthful enthusiasm.”
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August 21st, 2016

Aiden Dreskin

"Hilarious and disgusting and heartbreaking all at the same time. I found myself rapidly alternating between laughing, gasping, and cringing at the ridiculous antics taking place...'The Coward' allows the incredible strength of the performers to shine through in every moment. Every actor onstage is so committed to this absurd, insane world...I loved this play. It endeared me to every character, kept me guessing right up until the final blackout, and left me wanting more."
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June 5th, 2016

Julia Lourie

"'The Coward' stands as an over-the-top, in-your-face revision of what modern fairy tales can and should be…While the production elements are campy, they aren’t gimmicky. Each prop is playful but essential, lending the play the visual sensation of a Technicolor cartoon...'The Coward' marks a modern moment; gender lines are blurred irreversibly, mental health and its treatments are on the tips of our tongues, and lead actresses need no longer look like Barbies."
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April 30th, 2016

Sophia Heinecke

"Maddy Campbell’s endless physicality elevates the play whose foundation is laid by her excellent writing and decorated with a great supporting cast...The production has a purposeful DIY quality that never feels haphazard and leaves the cast delightfully exposed…Furiously paced and inventively staged, 'The Coward' leaves you questioning both the structure of theater as an industry and society as a whole. Boldly provocative material, produced inventively on a low budget."
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