The Penitent NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (113)
See it if Principles vs. self-interest. The pace picks up in the second act. The revelations make you rethink the motivations of the characters.
Don't see it if The first (and longer) act is belabored. Characters repeat themselves and don't seem to act sensibly. Could use more wit/humor.
See it if the story of one allegedly standing up for a principle is of interest, but this character loses everything fighting for nothing.
Don't see it if you have an opportunity to see Hitchcock's THE WRONG MAN, which is better.
See it if you like Mamet and enjoy actors who specialize in his style.
Don't see it if you dislike Mamet or have never seen his work (there are much better places to start.)
See it if you like plays of ideas, tinged with some relevance (press manipulation of truth, dr/patient confidentiality, etc), & don't mind imperfect
Don't see it if you worship Mamet (because this doesn't stand up to his best) or you're looking for a non-serious work, comedy, or musical
See it if You like Mamet language and dialogue Interesting ideas raised bot somewhat hard to believe liked but not loved it
Don't see it if Hate Mamet dialogue and looking for a realistic story
See it if Not one of Mamet's best, but makes you think. Good acting,minimal staging.Makes you wonder about psychiatrists.
Don't see it if Have better things to do and don't like Mamet.
See it if for the unusual Mametesque speech cadences.
Don't see it if had potential to be intense but so uneventful and bland.
See it if you love Mamet. It's great to hear his dialogue and see him wrestling with contemporary issues. A big glib but still worth seeing.
Don't see it if You are looking for light entertainment that doesn't provoke thought and further rumination.
Critic Reviews (34)
"A blog post masquerading as a drama...Every line feels hammered into the script in order to force the story toward its predetermined outcome...The actors deliver uniformly stiff performances as a result of this wooden dialogue...The story is presented in a series of seven scenes separated by unnecessarily lengthy blackouts, which sap what little energy and tension the show has built."
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"Doctor-patient privilege, religion and infidelity are all worked into the mix, so much so that the story seems unbelievably loaded with twists, but that's part of the entertaining quality of it all, as are the elevated verbal rhythms that Mamet orchestrates so well into his dialogue. But even with the unnecessary intermission, Pepe's production takes up only eighty minutes, and 'The Penitent' might be more satisfying if paired with another short piece."
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“Mamet finds his firmest footing in Act II…The scenes are few but crisp and to the point…Sadly, getting there is far less than half the fun. The first act is a convoluted slog...dragged down by Mamet's prosaic, uninspiring dialogue…Lage, however, is outstanding as Richard…Pidgeon is stilted and starchy throughout...But I doubt that this evening would work much better if Kath's evolution were clearer; even the best acting can mitigate a lack of energizing content only so much."
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"What once had snap, crackle and pop now feels unnatural, forced and, yes, boring. Despite his affinity for Mamet, director Pepe's staging doesn't help. Bauer, as the main character who's always on stage, fares best...however, not enough so to rescue this from not just minor but painfully disappointing Mamet territory...Frankly, 'The Penitent' is less a play than a series of arguments designed to stick it to the unethical behavior in the legal, psychiatric, media and religious communities."
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"David Mamet's best new play in years, 'The Penitent' is a thought-provoking exercise in the great dilemmas and conflicts that, eventually, touch all of us."
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"In typical Mamet fashion, all of this unfolds quickly and sporadically, and both Bauer and Lage do a nice job of punching the language and finding its musicality...Pidgeon, on the other hand, recites the words in a bizarrely stylized manner...Her lines feel void and flaccid, sucking the momentum out of her scenes...The strength of this Mamet piece is in its ideas: wrapped up in the archetype of the penitent are faith, regret, sin and forgiveness."
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“Director Neil Pepe never lets the intensity lag. He keeps his actors on their toes, resulting in a satisfyingly taut production...'The Penitent' doesn’t quite make it to the finish line. Mamet plays his cards too close to the vest, with too many major revelations coming in the last five minutes of the piece. Still it’s an engrossing drama. Brilliantly on track for most of its length, its derailments don’t neutralize the vigor of its verbal choreography."
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“If you’re a theater lover you’ll certainly want to see ‘The Penitent'...Is it a great play? Yes. Great production? Not so fast...Mamet’s wife Rebecca Pidgeon is his favorite leading lady. But is she right for this role?…Bauer gets caught in Pidgeon’s odd rhythms. Luckily, in his scenes with the other two actors...Bauer shakes off her influence and turns in a fine performance. A stronger hand is needed at the helm here, but the material is worth the trip."
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