The Karpovsky Variations NYC Reviews and Tickets

73%

(26 Reviews)

Positive

85%

Mixed

Negative

11%

Members say

Great acting, Intelligent, Slow, Absorbing, Quirky

About the Show

A musical story about the Karpovsky family and their encounters at airport lounges over two decades.

Member Reviews (26)

Relevant, Edgy, Great acting, Entertaining, Clever

See it if A family drama. Has a good story with good acting. Very interesting.

Don't see it if If you want lite or a musical.

Slow, Intelligent, Great acting, Confusing, Thought-provoking

See it if you like plays about music in families lives and the expectations of carrying it on from generation to generation. Acting is commendable.

Don't see it if you expect a musical - very few notes here! These variations are among family members and jump from scene to scene on a minimalist set.

Uninspired direction, Uncommitted, Great acting

See it if you enjoy great acting and family/religious dramas

Don't see it if you need a writer to commit to a POV and a director to show innovativeness. Read more

Intelligent, Great writing, Absorbing, Great acting

See it if A strong & extremely well acted family drama. The audience experienced a great script & a slice of culture. Bravo to this fantastic cast!

Don't see it if If you prefer a light drama or musical, then skip this one.

Ambitious, Slow, Thought-provoking, Absorbing

See it if Family drama, well acted .

Don't see it if If you prefer light drama or musicals .

Cliched, Quirky, Slow, Excruciating, Disappointing

See it if You enjoy family dramas or stories that center around Jewish families and culture.

Don't see it if If you dislike plays that lack forwards motion, need trimming, and don't seem to have a clear focus. Read more

Thought-provoking, Intense, Intelligent, Great writing

See it if Your interested in something that will make you think. On the surface the plot is about one superficial family. When examined your realize

Don't see it if It goes much deeper than that. It’s about isolation, tradition, family, Religion and the search for one’s identity. Avoid if not interest. Read more

Intelligent, Great acting

See it if The acting is top-notch, and the characters are fully realized enough that I left the theater angry at one of them.

Don't see it if It has a lot of time jumps, and the staging is INTENSELY bare bones (3 chairs).

Critic Reviews (3)

Adam Kraar’s new drama, The Karpovsky Variations, is a memory play about a dysfunctional family of driven people and the music that inspired them. Unfortunately, in its current form it is both confused and confusing. Without a family tree, it is difficult to keep straight all of the names of characters both seen and mentioned. Director Tasha Gordon-Solmon has eliminated almost all of the scenic elements described in the script which does not make it any easier to follow. There is a fascinating story hidden in this material but it hasn’t been allowed to surface yet.
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The story that seems to be struggling to emerge concerns Julia Karpovsky…trying to connect with her family [and] trying to find her sound…. But playwright Adam Kraar is not content to focus on Julia…The play, which is being given a minimalist production with an uneven cast, features just as many scenes about Larry, Harry and Barry…The choice of what scenes to include too often feels arbitrary.
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"The individuals who populate 'The Karpovsky Variations' always feel authentic and well-observed, even in its most unusual plot point. Complementarily, the production's effectively spare staging keeps the focus on the superb cast, whose work is nuanced (down to a subtle shift in accents in one flashback) and enthralling. A symphony-sized story told as an intimate chamber piece, 'The Karpovsky Variations' really sings."
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