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See it if You enjoy shows that paint more of a portrait of a period and place in time rather than an actual story. There’s a story here but not much.

Don't see it if You’re looking for action or even a good story. This is a beautiful portrait of a certain place and time. It’s beautifully done but slow.

See it if You like this type of play. If you like Brian Friel s plays. It has good acting, staging and very funny.

Don't see it if You don't like the Irish plays with this kind of genre. The show can get away from you if you don't pay attention.

See it if Woman struggles to preserve a fragile peace among those she loves, who are in turn threatened by a fragile political situation.

Don't see it if You are not interested in intricate, tense character interactions combining the personal and political.

Also Everything made sense to me, including the emotional climax, when understood from Margaret’s point of view. She loves both Christopher and David, as well as her father and country. Her choices are extremely limited by the situation.

The language is beautiful and often ironic. What is home? The place... or the people? After Christopher accuses some local people of trespassing, he must consider, who is trespassing on whom?

Maybe after some old trees are “thinned out”, life will be ok?

Excellent performances.... Read more Read less

See it if Despite being well acted & designed, Friel's populist, end of land act era drama plods along w/heavy 1st act exposition nearly crippling it

Don't see it if With one to many story lines (one bordering on soap opera) & Moore's stolid direction, drama lacks the needed dynamism to sustain interest

See it if you love Brian Friel, Charlotte Moore, a great set and some great acting.... And can quickly adjust to the various dialects.

Don't see it if Still not enough"loos". 2nd row of seats not raked. First 4 or 5 rows seats not staggered.

See it if You're a fan of Brian Friel, enjoy Irish plays, interested in class issues in 19th century Ireland, care about rise of populist movement

Don't see it if You don't like slow but steadily building plots, have difficulty with Irish accents, don't quite understand Irish/English land holding laws

See it if You want a modern take on Irish history. You want that history seen from more than 1 POV. You want an intriguing story that holds attention

Don't see it if You prefer a play writen on the time period depicted on stage. You don't like a mix of drama & comedy. You want a light night out.

See it if you like plays concerning Irish and English relationships. Some wonderful confrontations. Thought provoking.

Don't see it if you have problems with Irish dialect. Some characters' dialogue were hard to understand.

Also I was a bit disappointed with the ending but the story before it is worth seeing.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy Irish drama, especially by Brian Friel. This production is so well done by Irish Rep—even if it is second- tier Friel.

Don't see it if you do not like Chekovian drama. Or if you don't like Irish drama.

See it if Brian Friel's last work, Irish drama, Irish Rep, & their new space are on your bucket list

Don't see it if glacially paced storytelling, mismatched love interests, lessons about historical moments are not on your bucket list

See it if Another resonant Friel examination of the abuse of the Irish by their English overlords. I think "Translations" is the better on this topic.

Don't see it if A sweet love story is folded in. Beautifully staged. Phil Gillen, the replacement Tommy Boyle, practically steals the show in a nifty cameo.

See it if you get the note that says the cast is not going to phone it in.

Don't see it if you don't feel like taking a nap

Also I had wanted to see this since it was announced. I finally decided to make the investment after having been burned a bit recently with poorly conceived productions.
From the opening dialog til the last word monotony would be my best adjective. A blandness of tone interrupted only by our antagonist who was just another cypher-but more irritating.
The play has something to say.
Class- how the distinctions are fabricated, maintained. The tone deaf Landowner in love with his "chatelaine", his son also in love with her, the relative trying to use science to prove inferiority. The chatelaine herself who seems to bully her 'beloved' while being sympathetic and caring to the father. Oy. Why did the son look like a toned down bozo? Why were the servants and tenants the only color here? Why the menacing brutes?
This really was a waste of time. I have rarely seen the tepid reception this performance earned.... Read more Read less

See it if If Friel or Irish drama or the Irish Rep is your thing, this is fine. If you want a story that merely skims the surface of historical...

Don't see it if fact, also fine. Little nuance, little development, which is a pity because the concept and setting offer many possibilities.

See it if Brian Friel's play about a family in the late 1800's in Ireland. Issues of colonialism and loyalties are themes in this historical drama.

Don't see it if If you only enjoy musicals or light dramas. There are strong Irish accents which are a bit difficult to understand in the beginning moments

See it if you can appreciate a flawed play for its good acting and staging, despite underdeveloped characters and plot strands that go nowhere.

Don't see it if you want a fast moving play with an interesting plot.

See it if you enjoy historical plays about the English abuse of the Irish and the evils in the belief of ethnic and racial superiority.

Don't see it if you like nuance in theater, realistic perceptive characterizations and dislike characters that are difficult to care about.

See it if you enjoy Friel and a story that, while serious, is still charming and romantic and leaves you feeling that you've just visited with friends

Don't see it if heavy Irish accents disconcert you or if you are not interested in Irish plays.

See it if you're a fan of Brian Friel and have an interest in Irish history. Only the abrupt ending was troublesome for me.

Don't see it if you don't like historical dramas -- with some singing thrown in.

See it if you want to learn about the peasant uprise against English landowner in the 1870's Ireland told through the eyes of 1 such landowner.

Don't see it if you don't like historical Irish plays or must see an action pact play

See it if You're interested in colonialism in Ireland.

Don't see it if It's expensive.

Also It's a good idea for a show, but it needs to move more quickly. There needs to be something real that happens rather than just a lot of ominous talk.... Read more Read less

See it if you're a fan of Brian Friel-- this is the last play he wrote; you like traditional dramas; you're interested in Irish theatre or history.

Don't see it if you don't like "talky" dramas; have trouble with Irish and English acccents.

Also This is a long way from Friel's best.

See it if I suggest that you read up on the 1878 history of Ireland before going as there is nothing in the Playbill to give contezt to the play.

Don't see it if You are not interested in Irish history and are going with any context for the play

See it if Well, I suppose it touches on some important issues but Friel should have stuck to what he does best.

Don't see it if The accents and acting are both a mixed bag of bad to mediocre. I didn't "get" any of these characters except the drunk priest.

Also I have to confess I left at intermission. I was bored within the first 5 minutes.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a Friel fan (yes I am) with patience for a very weak play from a great playwright. full of stereotypes that add nothing new.

Don't see it if caricatures of Irish stereotypes offend you. There is so much more to day;.

Also I love this playwright and this theater but this was a huge, boring disappointment... Read more Read less

See it if you like Brian Friel and are a fan of the Irish Repertory Theatre.

Don't see it if you want to see one of Friel's stronger plays where you care about the characters.

Also This is a weak play, but it does show how evil the belief in ethnic and racial superiority is. It was hard to understand the Irish accents.... Read more Read less