The Niceties

See it if you were a member of the debate team OR enjoy lively banter.

Don't see it if you're expecting a traditional play with plot, story and vividly drawn characters.

Also I enjoyed this on the level that it was a lively debate, but the plot and story felt half-baked. So, while it got my wheels turning, it failed to engage me beyond an intellectual debate level.... Read more Read less

See it if you want a story of the history of race in America and neither side is really all right or all wrong.

Don't see it if you you are looking for something upbeat and don't want think about our culture, race or classes in society.

See it if For those who don't like easy answers to racial and gender issues and are ready to question themselves, no matter how liberal they are.

Don't see it if If you are not ready to question yourself and accept that, even with the best intentions, sometimes you get it wrong. Though provoking

See it if You want to get challenged about your political and historical beliefs. The acting is incredible.

Don't see it if You get uncomfortable with screaming back and forth for the majority

Also The show was unsettling in my opinion, while I know others did genuinely enjoy the concepts, it was hard for me to continuously listen to the arrogance in the arguments.... Read more Read less

See it if excellent acting complex conflicts no easy solution to conflicts

Don't see it if you just want easy entertainment

See it if you want your ideas of racial fairness to be challenged. Fierce debate w little plot (some good reveals), but I was never bored. Gr acting.

Don't see it if you dislike talky plays or don't want to think hard abt difficult issues. Smart, insightful, engrossing. Ending is abrupt, unsatisfying.

See it if you can. It's both compelling in terms of the ideas it addresses and satisfying dramatically, with excellent performances.

Don't see it if you're not interested in seeing one of the most exciting two-handers to run in New York in the last few years.

See it if You’re itching for a play about modern topics that weigh both sides of relevant issues instead of a play that preaches to the choir.

Don't see it if You’ve had enough about discussions of racism, trigger warnings, and millennial thought processes.

See it if Want erudite debate re role of slavery in history, race relations, who gets to tell the story. Societal ills well-covered. Thought-provoking

Don't see it if Don't like facing a complex. polarizing world, even if smart & well-dramatized. Sadly, script & delivery become tedious. No new ground.

Also The first act is terrific and both actors hold their own with heavy dialogue and little stage business to help them along. But while the 1st act ends with a bang, the 2nd has nowhere to go and does not advance the storyline in any measurable way. Arguments are made and re-made ad infinitum..

The playwright didn't seem to know how to bring the play to a close. This is understandable given the complexity of the issues described. But there ARE ways to shape the end of a debate. Unfortunately, the literal ending of The Niceties feels like a throwaway and for want of a single, better line, unfortunately disappoints.... Read more Read less

See it if You’ll see anything new about racial issues.

Don't see it if You want a good coherent play.

See it if you want to see a timely, relevant discussion of what happens when good people can't find common ground.

Don't see it if you are not interested in racism, white privilege, generational conflicts and academic politics.

Also Some have compared it to Mamet's Oleanna, but there's a lot more at stake here.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to be profoundly challenged with thought provoking dialogue and great acting.

Don't see it if You have problems with plays that deal with racism and you vocabulary is not way above average (takes place at Yale)

See it if you like "real life" type stories about contemporary issues

Don't see it if hearing an alternative you to sexism, racism, genderism is not your thing

See it if If you want to see a well acted drama about contemporary issues concerning racism and women’s rights. An extraordinary emotional ride.

Don't see it if Do not see if you prefer musicals for light dramas.

See it if you like exploration of nuanced racism, academic milieu with superb acting, complex dialog, debate and personal interactions.

Don't see it if you find 2 characters debating very detailed, sometimes tedious positions on racism, academic issues and personal conflict.

See it if You want a thoughtful, fairly even-handed approach to complex issues including race in America, generation gap, communications, and power.

Don't see it if You want a deep exploration of any of the issues. There's a lot of surface sturm and drang with little real exploration of the issues.

Also I remember the event vividly, as I lived in New Haven at the time. This is another example of polarization as strategy in our country, making the play painfully relevant. Although I understand the perspective, I don't think progress is made through the strategies implicitly promoted by the playwright.... Read more Read less

See it if Sometimes painful to watch, this racially charged drama pits a white lesbian 60 year old professor & a righteous young Black student .

Don't see it if you are not up for a tough, tense evening

See it if you want to see 2 great actresses arguing about important issues.

Don't see it if if a 2 person show that is too talky and confusing, at times, is more than you want to handle.

See it if you like to see well-articulated topical debate covering many current issues, that will get you thinking and spark great conversation after.

Don't see it if you're looking for an actual play,this is more of a series of speeches.Interesting as they are,once introduced - second act adds nothing new

Also I left this play completely infuriated at the depiction of the professor character, despite fighting back at certain points, overall it looked like she felt compelled to constantly apologize to the student character. When was the last time you were infuriated at a play? Go see it!... Read more Read less

See it if you like intelligent plays and "non black & white" discussions where there is merit to both sides. Both actresses are fabulous!

Don't see it if you don't want to think too much at your evening out but want "pure entertainment". This play is very thought-provoking.

See it if you like smart plays dealing with soaring and socially charged issues. exploring race power & language exquisitely written & acted.

Don't see it if you do not like long monologues.

See it if You are interested in seeing a discourse between two smart women, very good writing, relevant writing that isn’t cliched

Don't see it if You aren’t willing to listen to talk of politics and the way history has been taught in this country, not into 2 handers w/ little plot

See it if You liked "Oleanna."

Don't see it if You don't like emotionally dishonest plays or don't need a lesson on microaggression.

See it if you want to see an all out sparring match about morals and responsibility, you enjoy shows with dense content or about race relations

Don't see it if you don't like heavy text centric plays, you don't want to leave the theatre with more questions than answers

See it if you liked "What the Constitution Means to Me" and want to see more theatre of debate that's filled with provocative ideas.

Don't see it if you want a traditional play with love interests and b-plots. This is all about the debate (and that might be a good thing to some)

Also This is a play designed to frustrate, aggravate, make ppl uncomfortable. If you're feeling that, it's not by accident. This play made me engage in a heated argument with my friend and even within my own head. I will be talking about this work for a long time.... Read more Read less