The Rape of the Sabine Women, By Grace B. Matthias NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (99)
See it if You want to see a contemporary play about serious issues that finds a way to deal with them in about a humorous a way as you probably could.
Don't see it if You don't like shows that seem to make little sense till the end when you find out what it's all about.
See it if Powerful exploration of a high school girl's date rape. Uses satire to address many difficult issues. Heartfelt characters.
Don't see it if This play is not so much about the rape itself but about everyone's reaction to it. Is the grey area good-and-evil or loss of innocence?
See it if you want to see a sometimes laudatory, often cringe-worthy, attempt at a "rape satire" w/some nice performances & interesting use of space.
Don't see it if you'll be troubled by an oft insensitive take on rape culture, played mostly for laughs, & characters written too broadly to be sympathetic.
See it if want to be aware of the many versions and diversions re: rape. Very good acting esp. Susannah Perkins, Andy Lucien and Doug Harris
Don't see it if you are easily upset with a delicate subject. It is not a Greek/Roman drama This is not a musical extravaganza. No intermission.100+ minutes
See it if issue driven theater is your liking, uses humor to make the unspeakable watchable
Don't see it if sexual assault is not a topic you want to think about
See it if you are open to a serio-comic take on the subject of rape. A wonderful lead performance by Susannah Perkins.
Don't see it if you are uncomfortable with the satirical comic treatment of a serious subject. Read more
See it if you like a thoughtful well acted story about a relevant subject.
Don't see it if the subject of rape upsets you or if you expect any new revelations or insight.
See it if If rape is of interest. It had me questioning the culpability of the main character is her misfortune, which I don't think was intentional.
Don't see it if This is a subject that makes you squeamish, if unnecessary nudity on stage is problematic for you.
Critic Reviews (17)
"A serious effort to dramatize a rape and its repercussions, it also dares itself to be a satire, a high school comedy, and a coming-of-age story...That’s a lot for a play to be, and the mix is not always comfortable...That Grace emerges as a well-rounded character is partly the result of the touching conviction Perkins imbues her with...The meant-to-be-funny material is too unsophisticated...That’s a shame because other elements, sticking closer to the main story, remain fresh and challenging."
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"A superb rape comedy—yes, you read that right...Grace’s story is shifting parts comedy, tragedy, horror and even—your skin crawls to recall it—romance...The skilled playwright's absurdist wit tossing off sparks that sometimes turn into fires. Crowley and Rafaeli’s tricky tonal balancing act requires high-wire nerve, but they manage it. The secret is Perkins, who gets weightier as the show goes on, becoming its calm and certain center."
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"As a man calling into question centuries of female narratives written by other men, Crowley puts himself and his work in the hot seat...With delicate direction by Rafaeli, Crowley reaps the rewards of that risk by subverting the 'cautionary tale,' the 'victim story' and all other tropes...What makes Grace and her story so compelling are her confusing internal contradictions, made completely understandable in Perkins's detailed performance."
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"The scenes featuring Grace, Bobby, and Jeff are tautly written and filled with tension, but Crowley tries to play everything else for laughs...There's little that the director, Tyne Rafaeli, can do to resolve these tonal contradictions, but she does get three first-rate performances from her leads...This altogether perplexing effort is best filed away as a daring—but only partially successful—attempt by a gifted writer at dealing creatively with white-hot subject matter."
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"Crowley employs, with mixed success, the conventions of satire to take on the issue of rape culture...Relying rather heavily on familiar stereotypes and easy targets for its cartoonish humor, the play meanders along too many tangents to be completely effective. However, the production itself is well served by the rapid-fire direction and in the performances by the excellent ensemble...The play needs a great deal of trimming and reshaping to keep the message from being lost in the silly bits."
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“The awkwardly titled ‘The Rape of the Sabine Women, by Grace B. Matthias' has problems beyond its nomenclature. What, if anything, is it ultimately about? Though it claims to be a ‘satirical’ look at the subject of rape, any satire is lost in the mixed results of the presentation. If anything, the play seems too subtle and nuanced for its own good.”
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"I appreciate artists who take risks, and Crowley does that with his unconventional approach. However, the satire only sometimes comes through loud and clear; other times he seems to be going for a more straightforward narrative, so the tone is not consistent...Within this abstract world, Perkins delivers a realistic performance of a shy teenager often confused by the world around her...The last scene is powerful and moving, and almost makes up for the unevenness of what comes before."
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"It's a flawed but fascinating play thanks to lively staging and an emotionally potent performance by Perkins...The satirical misfires and metaphorical overkill notwithstanding, director Rafaeli makes very effective use of Maldonado's spare auditorium set...Rafaeli also helps the various ensemble members smoothly transition into double-cast roles. However, the one really rounded and real character is Grace and Perkins is the undisputed star of this enterprise."
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