The Object Lesson NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (106)
See it if Moments of sheer brilliance combined with banality and incoherence. Fascinating staging for sure, but I left feeling kind of meh.
Don't see it if You need a comfortable seat. My back killed after an hour. Or if you don't like absurdist experimenta theatre,
See it if you want to see a boring one man monologue in a visually interesting setting.
Don't see it if you want to save the taxi, the tickets and you have better plans to do. Read more
See it if you're willing to sit through 90 minutes of mediocrity to say that you were in the room for the latest immersive "happening."
Don't see it if you're hoping to learn something new or be emotionally moved. Read more
See it if This show used original ideas but repeated them so they lost their luster. Scenes dragged while others delighted. Very uneven performance.
Don't see it if You can't perch on a box as a seat for close to 90 minutes. There is mild audience participation but you can abstain.
See it if You like slightly experimental theater in an unusual setting.
Don't see it if You want a play with a strong plot.
See it if you want to see the kind of fun, weird theatre that was off- and off-off Broadway in the 60s. If you don't feel the need to have meaning.
Don't see it if Fluffy, going-no-where theatre is not for you. Read more
See it if Amazing set to explore and immerse yourself in. Some humorous moments within the show. Neat concept.
Don't see it if need a more concrete narrative. The show meanders thru stories using objects as lessons but execution lacks power and loses momentum fast.
See it if clowns and magicians are your thing but they're not your friend's thing and you want to bring a friend without them getting mad at you.
Don't see it if potential audience interaction terrifies you or you demand a comfortable seat as part of your theatergoing experience.
Critic Reviews (35)
"Sobelle is more than an actor. He’s a magician and clown as well...While the underlying concept of this show is brilliant, its comic timing, at my performance, was sometimes off. While some jokes were perfectly told others went on well past the point where the audience 'gets it.' The silence was sometimes uncomfortable...'The Object Lesson' is a serious performance event, well worth seeing by anyone who cares about the future of theatre. It is full of magic."
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"At once one of the strangest and yet most heartwarming pieces of theatre I have ever seen. Directed by David Neumann, the show is vivid, imaginative, funny, and slightly uncomfortable. It manages to explore not only human nature and the stories we all carry, but the boundaries of theater as well...It is truly a beautifully evocative, deeply compelling experience, and one I certainly will never forget."
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"A witty, touching look at the way we let things build up...But what makes this sing, in addition to Sobelle’s charm and physical prowess, are the surreal, dreamlike details...'The Object Lesson' is a little too long and gets a little bogged down in repetition but it’s a dazzling look at what’s holy, what’s just stuff, how fine that line is, and how hard it is to know when to pare down. It’s a magical piece full of pure joy and classic theatre magic."
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