The Niceties NYC Reviews and Tickets

82%

(53 Ratings)

Positive

90%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Relevant, Thought-provoking, Great acting, Intelligent, Absorbing

About the Show

At an elite East Coast university, a polite conversation between a professor and a student becomes a powder keg of race, history, and power.

An ambitious young black student and her esteemed white professor meet to discuss a paper the college junior is writing about the American Revolution. They’re both liberal. They’re both women. They’re both brilliant. But very quickly, discussions of grammar and Google turn to race and reputation, and before they know it, they’re in dangerous territory neither of them had foreseen – and facing stunning implications that can’t be undone.

Show-Score Member Reviews (53)

Ambitious, Great acting, Great writing, Thought-provoking

See it if You like shows that reveal the racial tensions in the academic community. Very intimate production.

Don't see it if You don’t like contemporary plays

Powerful presentation of radically different views on slavery & covert racism thru no holds barred debate between liberal ivy league professor and radicalized black student

See it if brutal heavyweight fight where power shifts back & forth btwn rivals; reveals liberal academic blindness, strident student position

Don't see it if at times degenerates into alternating speeches where parties talk past each other; action flags at begin of 2nd Act Read more

Ambitious, Absorbing, Great writing, Great acting, Dizzying

See it if up for a deep, fraught, overwhelming dive into racial injustices delineated with verve but also—at times, unnervingly—with anger & defiance.

Don't see it if prefer narrower scope or resolution; averse to bracing confrontations. Joins American Son & Travisville as vital, vibrant discourse on race.

Unsettling, Combative, Intense, Relevant, Great writing

See it if you're open to uncomfortable conversations about race. This intense well-written peace tackles racial inequity head on

Don't see it if you are looking for something light and fluffy or looking for a story that has a resolution. This piece ends rather abruptly. Read more

Relevant generational dispute, Thought-provoking intense debate, Great acting and writing

See it if Black millennial student airs grievances with white history professor. They discuss evolutionary vs revolutionary change. Unexpected ending.

Don't see it if You don’t mind a play that is driven mostly by a disagreement and discussion of ideas with an Improbable turn of events. Read more

Clever, Great acting, Entertaining, Relevant, Thought-provoking

See it if you're looking for an intelligent, well-acted play that tackles race relations and privilege in a thought-provoking way.

Don't see it if you want to see something more fluffy or trivial. This isn't serious in a tedious way, but it gives you a lot to think about.

Great acting, Thought-provoking, Edgy

See it if you like confrontational theater

Don't see it if you are not open to differentideas about racism

Well written dialogue, Well acted, Thought-provoking, Relevant, Intelligent

See it if you like debate: evaluating different sides of a question and issues that arise in academia.

Don't see it if you are not willing to consider alternative ways of presenting U.S. history.

Critic Reviews (8)

Trailer

Creative team