The Perplexed
63

The Perplexed NYC Reviews and Tickets

63%
(120 Ratings)
Positive
39%
Mixed
43%
Negative
18%
Members say
Disappointing, Slow, Confusing, Great acting, Entertaining

About the Show

In Tony winner Richard Greenberg's biting new play for MTC, two families, whose lives have been tumultuously intertwined for decades, gather to celebrate the nuptials of their children.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (120)

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207 Reviews | 25 Followers
81
Great writing, Great staging, Great acting, Funny, Clever

See it if Contemporary Linear dramas with an infusion of comedy.Extra points for the magnificent set of the library. Complex character development.

Don't see it if Unable to deal with foibles of Manhattan limousine liberals with .

57 Reviews | 3 Followers
79
Great writing, Funny, Entertaining, Cliched, Absorbing

See it if if you want to see an intelligent playwright satirize some current practices and value systems. If you appreciate biting witty dialogue.

Don't see it if if you don't want a bit of a dizzying cast of characters and some implausibly-stretched scenarios.

204 Reviews | 56 Followers
78
Intelligent, Great acting, Funny, Clever, Absorbing

See it if Lots of clever high-brow dialogue interests you

Don't see it if Looking for a plot that moves

183 Reviews | 36 Followers
77
Great acting, Funny, Entertaining

See it if you enjoy Mr. Greenberg's writing and family dramatic comedies performed by a large talented cast.

Don't see it if you prefer shorter (90-minute, no intermission) plays that are more action driven.

475 Reviews | 59 Followers
72
Needs editing, Verbose, Great set, Excellent acting, Interesting characters

See it if you like exploration of 2 families, their interactions & conflict, effect of an evil patriarch with excellent acting & production values.

Don't see it if you dislike a verbose script, characters that, at times, do not seem "real" & annoyingly complex soliloquies that go on too long.

152 Reviews | 15 Followers
72
Confusing, Entertaining, Funny, Dizzying, Clever

See it if Like plays with lots of dialogue which feature family dynamics. Enjoy NYC centric drawing roomesque shows with good acting. Enjoy banter

Don't see it if Want a musical or a deeply relevant play. Don't like shows with lots of talk and dizzying comings and goings and relationships.

394 Reviews | 34 Followers
70
Confusing, Insipid, Great staging, Great acting, Disappointing

See it if you like family comedies even if the story doesn't ring true.

Don't see it if you want a tightly written script that is understandable. Read more

don
506 Reviews | 1005 Followers
70
Thought-provoking, Quirky, Great staging, Disappointing

See it if The set outdoes all of the previous outstanding sets at M.T.C. Great to see so many of our favorites in the cast

Don't see it if Trying too hard. Little action. Relationships muddled. Could use some cutting

Critic Reviews (12)

The New York Times
March 3rd, 2020

"In ‘The Perplexed,’ Moral Gridlock on Fifth Avenue: Richard Greenberg’s overstuffed new play about family feuds and ethical choices turns a wedding comedy into a crisis."
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Variety
March 3rd, 2020

"A swank wedding brings out existential angst, savvy laughs and a little faith in Richard Greenberg's delightful new comedy."
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The Hollywood Reporter
March 3rd, 2020

"Two upscale families clash during a wedding in this world-premiere play by Richard Greenberg, the Tony Award-winning author of 'Take Me Out.'"
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Theatermania
March 3rd, 2020

"Richard Greenberg's 'The Perplexed' Lives Up to Its Title: A new drama about the struggles of the one percent comes to Manhattan Theatre Club."
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Lighting & Sound America
March 5th, 2020

"On any given day, Richard Greenberg can write rings around any other playwright, but this time he has done it to himself…an overstuffed, overpopulated, and wildly overlong drawing room comedy…heavily appointed with unaddressed plot points and conversations that arrive at dramatic dead ends."
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Talkin' Broadway
March 3rd, 2020

"Greenberg's treading water here, bringing up epigrammatic existential malheureuses we don't really want to hear. He'll do better next time; he's a fine playwright, and one of his best, 'Take Me Out,' is just about to warm up at Second Stage. Go see that."
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New York Stage Review
March 3rd, 2020

3/5 Stars. "Ten committed actors in a new play by one of our foremost contemporary playwrights, with little payoff"
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New York Stage Review
March 3rd, 2020

2/5 Stars. "Sometimes a writer has absolutely nothing to say but writes a play about it anyway."
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