The Profane NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (95)
See it if you are interested in the stories of when believers and non-believers meet and the thoughts and conversations that come from those meetings.
Don't see it if you don't enjoy family dramas that revolve around religious and cultural differences.
See it if you want to spend time with an exceptional cast; if you like the "when families collide" subgenre of American realism
Don't see it if you crave eruptive family secret drama; if you don't want to encounter the limits of what you think you know about Muslim Americans
See it if you want some food for thought about religion & its extremes--and perception about traditions vs modernism.
Don't see it if you expect a well-made play. Or HAMILTON.
See it if you want to see an incisive exploration of the way faith influences our lives, the blind spots we end up with and the limits of tolerance.
Don't see it if some uneven acting is a dealbreaker for you.
See it if enjoy seeing people react to different views of the same religion. The dialogue was witty and sometimes humorous.
Don't see it if you don't enjoy conflicts due to religion.
See it if Like to see a young future playwright Was absorbing and interesting. Play had some gaps but enjoyed it a lot
Don't see it if If you love keg all the pices to fit neatly with a resolution of issues raised
See it if For the religious version of Chekhov's gun, to see the mostly fabulous cast get to play deep, conflicted, American characters, the set
Don't see it if Not willing to empathize with characters on the religious extremes, or with tendencies not your own, looking for a light or happy story
See it if You want to see a new spin on an age old family saga...done by a strong cast
Don't see it if You don't like family drama or anything Muslim
Critic Reviews (28)
"Following the first act of 'The Profane' is something of a trial because there’s almost no subtext...Also, many of the performances are pitched too high, as if to compensate for the flatness of the language...Act 2 improves...But after the long build-up...resolution is so hastily dispatched that it turns risible...Dohrn shows little ability to gently introduce a conflict, let it simmer, and then delay its climax and resolution. Director Kip Fagan shares that penchant for instant gratification."
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“Most of the characters are vividly written, to the degree that I was eager to know more about their stories. Many of the family relationships ring true…I am ambivalent about the title and a plot point that increases the drama but clouds the message. The set by Takeshi Kata creates two attractive but quite different homes…The direction by Kip Fagan is unfussy. I was thoroughly caught up in the play until the final scene. I wish the author had come up with a stronger ending.”
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"The play exudes a heavy-handed earnestness that wouldn't be out of place on one of those network TV shows that like to take on the latest hot-button topic...I agree that a playwright of Middle Eastern descent like Ayad Akhtar or Mona Mansour might have provided more nuance but I don't think that Dohrn's effort should be automatically dissed. The issues of class and identity that he raises are valid. And he and director Kip Fagan treat them with respect and sensitivity."
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"Dohrn hasn’t strayed far from the formula, which includes parent-child friction, sibling rivalry and the occasional dollop of comical culture clash...Dohrn gets many details right...One senses the playwright’s thumb on the drama...Although the plotting occasionally jars, much is helped by superb acting...And the freshness of two different Muslim families being at the center is an effective hook. If Dohrn’s ambitions outstrip his execution, he still provides an evening with much to chew over."
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"Under Kip Fagan’s brisk direction, that conflict smolders promisingly at first...The problems begin at the end of Act One when Dohrn decides to introduce a gratuitous twist into what is already dramatically rich material...'The Profane' is nonetheless well acted throughout and, in the shape of Emina, Dohrn offers a thoughtful portrayal of why many second-generation Muslim immigrants today seem inclined to embrace their parents’ faith with renewed fervour."
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"This one by Zayd Dohrn creeps up on you...Turns out the playwright perhaps could have done a better job of identifying the beliefs and points of view of the characters...Suffice to say that the play explores many avenues and points of view...There's definitely another play in here as there were too many unexplored avenues...I would certainly look forward to hearing the playwrights expounding on any number of the avenues he explored in this excellent family drama."
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"Dohrn's indictment of secular prejudice is the most interesting element of what proves to be, otherwise, a carefully staged but overly familiar tale...There's no question that the public needs nuanced engagement with the Muslim-American world. But 'The Profane,' despite crisp staging and a strong ensemble cast, doesn't offer complex insights. Its plot is too cookie-cutter, its revelations too predictable: families and worldviews conveniently opposed."
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"We've seen some elements of 'The Profane' before...However, Zayd Dohrn brings a different, fascinating focus to these materials...'The Profane' is a stimulating play, effectively directed by Trip Cullman and performed by a consistently fine ensemble."
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