The Hope Hypothesis

See it if Dark comedy in a Twilight Zone DMV office that is paranoid about terrorism. Witty dialog & surprising plot twists reinforce a serious theme

Don't see it if You don't like dark comedy with an emphasis on the comedy. You want more realism. You are uninterested in the theme of fear doing damage.

See it if You like shows about a very serious topic where they try to lighten it up with comedy

Don't see it if You are expecting this to be a serious drama about immigration

Also I really appreciate the attempt of trying to take a serious subject and make it very lighthearted and comedic. It would be interesting to see what would’ve happened if they just tackled this as a serious drama. It would also be interesting to see what would happen if they just made it a pure comedy. I think it lost something by trying to do both. I really liked most of the ending but not the very final scene... Read more Read less

See it if Want clever look at immigration issues, bureaucracy, govt in scary times. Enjoy well-directed/acted ensemble work & ok w dark/grim humor.

Don't see it if Odd disconnect -tough to be funny re current, ongoing immigration issues in 2019. Abrupt end. Contrived plot points but still, entertaining.

See it if Exquisitely snarky. Imagine The Office in a DMV. Snappy scenes, comic antagonists, pointed legal humor. Miller's script= breath of fresh air

Don't see it if dislike an administrative farce. Not that it makes light of tough issues, but its wit, sarcasm, absurdity give sparkle to its introspection.

Also This isn't as despairing as the blurbs on Show-Score and Sheen Center suggest. O’Rourke (Brendan) and Brostrom (FBI agent) got the biggest laughs, but Zurick’s over-committed, Dwight Schrute-like neuroticism just takes the cake as the unnamed desk teller. I loved how Carol’s arrival is heralded and dreaded. Great ensemble.

Also delighted with this set and its peekaboo doors. Low tech but transformative all the same and enabling effortless scene changes.

The storyline is serious and other reviewers evidently came away with much bleaker impressions, but I still had a great time with this.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a show using paradox and absurdity to skewer the pervasive climate of fear pervading the US.

Don't see it if you are a frightened little mouse wanting a big stick. You want a show that is able to introduce sarcasm into the argument

Also A wonderfully staged and acted show worth seeing just for that, but a show that does much more.

The only flaw is that I believe that Cat Miller was going, at least in part, for sarcasm, but the lack of historical accuracy destroys that attempt. The paradox and absurdity more than make up for that shortcoming.

The characters are all caricatures. They are all dominated by different combinations of fear and ambition which makes all of their communication incredibly dumb. But the show provides a strong warning to those who want to be "protected". Much like the old mob rackets, the price of "protection" (for all) is to become a victim, either immediately or in the future.... Read more Read less

See it if kafkaesque 75 minute play about todays America and security...well acted and funny.

Don't see it if You don't like plays a out getting lost in the bureaucracy of today's government..

See it if You want to see a new play about current events.

Don't see it if You want a play that has found its tone.

Also I think there’s a really good dark comedy or political thriller somewhere in this play. But mixing the 2 didn’t work for me. I would have preferred them leaning into one genre. I also found the ending unsatisfying.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested to hear a story about immigration in US. Even though we laughed a lot, the story is very sad and to the point

Don't see it if The shows that deals about current issues do not interest you, police custody scenes scares you, shows wt no intermission bores you,

See it if you're an American w/ no reason to encounter immigration officials & wonder how "suspicious" individuals are treated; you're foreign born

Don't see it if you don't care for plays on political hot-button topics; you confuse Homeland Security with Home Depot; you prefer more lavish productions

Also DHS meets Kafka in a brisk 75-min linear drama when a Turkish woman, who gets impatient with an immigration clerk, is detained by the FBI who assume Amena [actress SORAYA BROUKHIM] is a terrorist.

Casting Director Stephanie Klapper assembled a dream cast for "The Hope Hypothesis." This was a solid ensemble cast with each actor giving a committed performance.

The material, marred by a few messy plot holes and coincidences, is a captivating "tempest in a teapot" nevertheless.

An abrupt, unsatisfying ending was a bit of a jolt and lowered my score.

However, the immigration incident that is dramatized -- and how it spirals out of control -- will offer something to think about although the play itself does not resolve the issue at hand.... Read more Read less

See it if Average play about a woman held up by immigration authorities thinking she's a terrorist. Short play only about an hour running time.

Don't see it if The play wasn't bad by any means but it wasn't great either. Some lame jokes and writing as well. The acting was good though.

See it if you want to see a very serious + thought-provoking but yet at times very funny play about America & security in about 2019.

Don't see it if you are not interested in current issues about border security + reaction of different people to its necessity & execution.

Also My husband and I really enjoyed this play although it mad us sad reminding us what can happen if you happen to have been born in the "wrong" country. And he afterwards pointed out to me how easy it is for pretty much anybody to accidentally be suspected to be on the wrong side of the law by unusual circumstances. In his case his car got broken into and his papers stolen, after which he wanted to cross the Canada - US border and border patrol simply did not believe that he was him (this was before fingerprinting). Took quite a while to get back home. We think the play made this quite clear that things like that or other unusual circumstances can happen to anybody, even the completely innocent, in today's terrorism-fearful times where some people are easily suspicious of others, especially if not born here.... Read more Read less

See it if You like a short play , which makes it's point using minimal staging. This dark comedy is performed beautifully by the cast of 7

Don't see it if you don't like a farce on the U.S. government , domestic terrorism, or abrupt endings

See it if You like new plays that straddle the line between comedy and drama.

Don't see it if You don't like dark comedies.

Also Interesting premise (plot) but the mixing of genres wasn't always successful for me. Abrupt ending was disappointing. A few nice performances.... Read more Read less

See it if You like new ensemble driven plays about current issues.

Don't see it if You want a comedy that isn’t dark.

Also The script is interesting and the pace is right on track. But unfortunately the cast is uneven. It didn’t feel like everyone was in the same play.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in plays that are topical and fast paced, driven by quick dialogue to keep the story moving

Don't see it if You need a fancy set and big production, are not interested in seeing depictions of societal changes and distrust that me may be heading to

See it if you are interested in seeing plays about our current immigration policy and Islamophobia.

Don't see it if you believe heavy handed attempts at comedy are ineffective.

See it if You value drama that takes you by surprise. The minimalist sets are a perfect backdrop for a major political statement.

Don't see it if You want a standard narrative and a happy ending.

See it if You enjoy socially charged dramas, dilemmas

Don't see it if You prefer a musical

See it if You like well-structured, well-acted, funny but tense top-notch plays with inexpensive tickets. (Full review at showshowdown.blogspot.com)

Don't see it if You want a totally light evening.