The Originalist NYC Reviews and Tickets

“Thought-provoking (and equally contrived) play...A lot like a Norman Lear sitcom featuring Scalia as Archie Bunker with a Harvard Law degree. This results in a certain amount of sitcom acting from Gero and Ifeachor, who commit to the more ludicrous exchanges in Strand's script with forced gusto...Strand's play is foremost about ideas and national trends, so director Molly Smith wisely spotlights the text with an uncluttered and highly focused staging.”
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"This is a vital story for our times. It contrasts political and social perspectives while still proving that people can maintain a sense of civility. This enthralling theatrical piece features the finest staging and stellar acting...Gero as Antonin Scalia masters the demanding role of the controversial judge and Ifeachor as Cat captures the part of his tenacious law clerk...A thought-provoking, insider's view of our American judicial system and makes you realize the importance of respectful discourse."
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"Does anyone think that New York theatre audience wants to see a play in which Scalia rants and raves for over an hour, only to be revealed as a teddy bear under the black robes? The premise of 'The Originalist' is pure sitcom...Trouble is, Strand struggles to make it minimally believable...Strand undermines his plot with tired television-comedy tropes...Too much of the time, however, 'The Originalist' settles for easy, odd-couple comedy at the expense of character and real conflict. "
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“A play that could hardly come along at a more opportune moment...That ‘The Originalist’ is little more than a thinly disguised debate does have its drawbacks as the Scalia-Cat exchanges accumulate and range from bickering to knock-down-drag-out disputes...It’s likely that Manhattan audiences will differ in their inclinations from many other parts of the nation where 'The Originalist' also deserves to play."
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"While conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia may have been 'the most polarizing figure in American civic life,' there can be little doubt that actor Edward Gero gives a bravura performance as the jurist in John Strand's 'The Originalist,' now having its New York premiere at 59E59 Theaters. This fictional biography which uses excerpts from Scalia's dissents and opinions is part courtroom drama, part debate and partly a portrait of a man who never compromised on his convictions."
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“Strand's sharp dialogue draws a character study of the audacious spirit, feisty charm, and brilliant mind of the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia...Gero paints the larger-than-life Scalia with a love-hate spirit, a stout theatrical intellect performing from the bench...Ifeachor gives Cat a robust conviction and inflexibility...Its timeliness now is particularly glaring.”
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“Playwright Strand has crafted his characters well...’The Originalist’ feels authentic and its dialogue rings true. Gero and Ifeachor maximize the tension and humor in their well-staged debate scenes, and Gero is especially charismatic as Scalia, evoking empathy and a sense of humanity despite his hardline conservatism. Under the guidance of director Molly Smith, he maximizes the humor of the character, pushing the laugh potential in each wisecrack.”
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"Perhaps more relevant than ever before...Gero’s respect for the Justice is transparent as he moves through a transformative, articulate, and lovable performance. It is a masterful and surprisingly sympathetic portrait...Ifeachor’s acting is like a virtuoso jazz musician. Her instincts command this fiery character...Strand’s play is a brave and talented work...It’s a great performance from two very different actors and it’s their exceptional performances which make the ideas accessible."
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