The Red Letter Plays: In the Blood

See it if you are a fan of the author; appreciate fine acting of mediocre writing

Don't see it if a pageant about an abused woman where there is no real insight or revelation that makes a difference appeals. Subject is important but . .

See it if I played a scene in college, so I'm biased. In repertory with "Fucking A"; better of the two. Edgy. Sad. LGBT insinuations. Unholy pastors.

Don't see it if Poverty. Slums. All around sadness; if that's not your thing- don't see. Great acting. Intense. Adults play children. Profanity. It's edgy!

See it if you want to have a real think about the plight that homeless mothers (and black mothers in general) face, also if you love a great set.

Don't see it if you're hoping for an out-of-the-park production or a top-both Parks play in general.

See it if This is an important play, painful to watch, but so worthwhile. It cuts to the core on so many issues involving power and societal attitudes

Don't see it if You need to see plays with happy endings. I get that. Me too. The Red Letter Plays are worth it.

See it if you like an original, intense, though-provoking look at how society treats it's most economically oppressed members. Exceptional work.

Don't see it if you are only interested in an uplifting night of theater, don't want to think too hard, and want to leave feeling good about the world.

Also This is part of the two play series called The Red Letter Plays. They are both excellent plays and well-worth seeing. Fine acting performances and a brilliant satire on our current society and class system. They will both break your heart.... Read more Read less

See it if you like a realistic drama about a poverty-stricken woman with five kids, or enjoy unconventional theatre as a dialogue with Fucking A.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy strong dramas about poverty, or object to adults playing children, or are a bit sensitive to sexual content

Also Suzan-Lori Park's Red Letter Plays, Fucking A and In The Blood both offer a slant on the Scarlet Letter.
Saycon Sengbloh (Hester, La Negrita) is fantastic as the poverty stricken single mother of five children each from a different father. She is used and abused for her sex, and ultimately has nothing else to turn to.
The other cast members each have duel parts playing both child and adult. In cases where the father is presented, the actor portrays both generations.
Russell G. Jones' (Reverend D/Baby) portrayal as a 2 year old is kinda spot on.
Michael Braun (Chilli/Jobber) shines as Hester's first love and first born.
The set of a makeshift domicile under a bridge was quite interesting. The use of spaces was fascinating.
Written a year before Fucking A, In The Blood is the more realistic of the two.
Now playing at The Signature Theatre and is very much worth a watch. Excellent acting with a gritty, thought provoking script.... Read more Read less

See it if You like intense thought provoking theater highlighting societal woes.

Don't see it if You want a light uplifting feel good time

See it if you are looking for a good play. See it if you appreciate theatre that is a riff on other literature.

Don't see it if you'd rather see Bette Midler.

See it if you're determined to see the entirety of Suzan's work at Signature.

Don't see it if you want to see a good production of her work.

Also Once again, it's a case of hiring a director who simply doesn't understand the language of the play. The pacing is excruciatingly slow and the only performance here worth talking about is that of the masterful Saycon Sengbloh. It's not that the rest of the cast is bad, it's that they're mired under heaps of bland direction.

This being the second of Suzan's plays to be held down by a white director and wallow in mediocrity, it begs the question: "Is Signature really a bastion of great Off-Broadway work, or is it just a bloodless regional house?"... Read more Read less

See it if you've already seen "Fucking A" because this sister play is an absorbing riff on the same source material: "The Scarlet Letter."

Don't see it if two hours without an intermission is beyond you, adults playing children irritates you, you hate to think.

See it if You love the play writer work.

Don't see it if You don't.

See it if you were confused by last year's "Death of the Last Black Man," fear not. This is quite clear and that's the bad news. Superficial immature.

Don't see it if you expect new insights into the variety of issues Ms. Parks raises: homeless, welfare, poverty, motherhood, treatment of women. Shallow.

See it if You are a fan of the playwright or solid acting is enough for.

Don't see it if You don't have much patience for endlessly willing victims.

See it if You appreciate great American play writing, important (if painful) story telling, and an extraordinary cast

Don't see it if you are disturbed by the truth of poverty, race and sexism.

See it if you are really, really a fan of Suzan-Lori Parks work and want to self-manufacture the emotions that the dire plot situations deserve.

Don't see it if you are not in the mood for a show that uses clichéd theater techniques and tells a fragmented, brutal story.

See it if you enjoy a great play that questions the values that exist in our society. Our hero fights adversity, poverty and racism.

Don't see it if have don't like blind casting, but in this production the casting made the play a great success.

See it if You like challenging, relevant theater. I loved how the back wall of the set was used as a source of joy and then a trap.

Don't see it if You only like fluffy plays.

See it if You are interested in an exploration of the Reagan-era "Welfare Queen" attitude and one vulnerable woman's struggle in the system.

Don't see it if You want a light-hearted play. While the play doesn't go as deep as it could, it does brings up a lot of ways poor women are manipulated.

Also Very cool staging! I normally find adult actors playing children to be annoying and bothersome but it was truly funny and well done in this play. This play was much better than its sister play "Fucking A" because of its relatable and understandable plot and characters.... Read more Read less

See it if You empathize with "Mother Courage" -like women who seem to bring their woes on themselves. Appreciate versatile acting by a terrific cast.

Don't see it if You want upbeat endings and characters who evolve rather than repeating disastrous behavior. Expect better from Susan-Lori Parks.

See it if you are interested in a linear story told in a non-linear way; you enjoy SLP's work

Don't see it if you can't sit through 2 hours of a tragic story, you are squeamish

See it if your a fan of Suzi Lori Parks work. Her writing is the star of this show, it's penetrating and urgent.

Don't see it if Your looking for a creative interpretation of this work. This is a by the numbers production and it doesn't delve beyond the surface.

See it if you enjoy the writing of Suzan-Lori Parks. She does not disappoint. It really makes you look at a world you may hopefully never know.

Don't see it if you want a simple story with a happy ending.

See it if you want to see a lesser-known suzan-lori parks work or just like seeing affordable plays.

Don't see it if you're looking for something engaging, dynamic, or new.

See it if good exploration of trials and tribulations of "underclass"; very good acting; interesting staging and casting

Don't see it if depressing, but maybe realistic portrayal; some interactions are cliched & overdrawn; weak ending doesn't flow/makes sense from main lead

See it if you like the writer (I do but not this time), want a social commentary show that doesn't go too far (one note)

Don't see it if like strong/decent acting/direction - want more than occasional moments of insightful writing - some good monologues

Also opening was great, but theme/depth doesn't go much past that throughout the 2 hour run - adults playing children in the beginning took me out, VERY OUT, not because they were adults, but because they played them like they were mentally disabled (horrific and so over the top - YIKES! - set was cool, but metaphor was not used appropriately at all - some GREAT moments in the writing (important, thought-provoking) but over-acting, poor direction, and story that didn't really go anywhere, made show disappointing. Some wonderful moments like Poor People You Like monologue and scene with Hester and The Welfare provide some important social commentary - just wish there was more like that, a lot more. So-So and not as good as Suzan-Lori Parks normally is. Some well-credited actors make me think a big part of the problem was the over-the-top/scattered direction.... Read more Read less