Princess Grace Award-winning playwright Jonathan Payne makes his New York debut with this story based on his experience as a social worker for Playwrights Realm. More…
Karma's foster brother, Terrell, has gone missing, and she's trying to find him amidst the inner city chaos that is The Oblong – but his teacher can't remember his name, his foster mom is still cashing his reimbursement checks, and his ex is glad he's gone. Where's the police, where are the reporters? Karma seems to be the only one who cares, but the more she looks, the more she realizes that in The Oblong, caring only means trouble.
See it if Loved it. Felt like an important experience to have. One of the best of the year so far. Really raw script and performances. So engrossing.
Don't see it if You don’t like very real scenes and rough language. Some challenging stuff for sure. Or if you want a traditional story.
See it if Sibling searches for missing inner city youth (unseen) lost to the foster care system. Good performances with plenty of 4th-wall breakage.
Don't see it if Slurs, profanity, and violence. No curtain call, the actors were surprisingly on the street afterward. Actor tells audience the play is bad.
See it if Breaking the fourth wall and demanding audience engagement, a talented team of actors gives a vivid and disturbing performance.
Don't see it if You dislike experimental theatre. You want answers to questions and solutions to problems, but maybe raising awareness will help.
Also Consequences of broken homes, school drop out, drug use, unemployment,... Read more Read less
See it if A new kind of theater with audience participation and extraordinary social relevance . Well acted and written.
Don't see it if Do not see if you prefer a light drama .
See it if If you like a conceptional play with deeper meaning.
Don't see it if Minimum sets.
See it if for riveting, profound writing about the hard facts of life in racially torn communities that tell the inside story (good, bad and ugly)
Don't see it if you expect a happy ending or neatly packaged answers
Also This is bold and brave in every sense - writing, staging, casting, dir... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy relevant issues presented in a creative, audience-interactive direction.
Don't see it if you don’t like stories dealing with current issues such as racism or if you’re easily offended by violence or cursing.
See it if you want a Brechtian take on racism in its various political and economic forms in modern (and past and future) America.
Don't see it if you dislike theatre that FORCES you to fully engage with the performance.
Also I still can't decide whether this is a subjectively good play, or a su... Read more Read less
See it if you like complicated, timely and electric work that is equal parts funny and thought-provoking
Don't see it if you don't want to think, or be engaged and only want pure "entertainment"
See it if you like your theater relevant/topical/smart, you want a show that's a serious social commentary that has moments of humor, too
Don't see it if you want something totally light, you want something very traditional
Also Elements of this show reminded me of the recent production of Caryl Ch... Read more Read less
See it if like new forms and black theatre that breaks boundaries.
Don't see it if you want to see black narratives done with a kitchen-sink realism motif.
See it if you want some insight into the cycles of repression and incarceration that plague African American communities
Don't see it if you don't like direct address or audience participation
Also There are two main stories that happen in this show - one centering ar... Read more Read less
See it if You are looking for a deep, intense play that revolves around racial and socioeconomic divisiveness in America. You want to feel something.
Don't see it if You want a light-hearted, funny show. This show is intense but really spoke to me. I was absorbed the entire time and absolutely loved it
See it if you want to see a thought-provoking show with a great cast.
Don't see it if you don't like shows that delve deep into issues of race and class.
See it if you are a human being in 21st century America and want to have a play resonate with you long after you have left the theatre.
Don't see it if you want to hide from issues of racism and poverty and the justice system and education system and the realities of getting by within it all
See it if you enjoy a powerfully acted, very theatrical story about the isolation of people navigating the system in poverty-stricken communities.
Don't see it if you're not a fan of a shattered fourth wall.
See it if I went to see new Yale graduate James Udom and was pleasantly surprised at the thought provoking work. It entertained with some clever humor
Don't see it if The play has a strong message. If you don’t have the stomach for real life - in your face racial discussion and art, then don’t go.
See it if you're interested in a fascinating exploration of inner-city Black life, done w humor and humanity. Karma meets memorable chars in her quest
Don't see it if you're uncomfortable w the breaking of 4th wall/chars talking abt the playwright. Most scenes sh be tightened, but the basics are there.
Also I almost didn't go, based on early reviews, but I'm glad I ignored the... Read more Read less
See it if You want to see a stunning piece of work that speaks volumes about the cycle of racism in our country without ever feeling preachy.
Don't see it if You’re a Republican...you need to see it but you’ll just call it fake news anyway.
See it if you want to see a finger-pointing, in-your-face indictment of race, class & generational struggles on the mean streets of the inner cities.
Don't see it if you aren't prepared for some awkward audience-interaction & a stark depiction of black struggles & injustices in a very political work.
Also Worth noting: Lynda Gravatt, fresh from her powerful performance in Th... Read more Read less
See it if Taut, impassioned ensemble led by dynamic Young & Gravatt holds interest despite didactic, preachy script Timpo's Brechtian direction helps
Don't see it if Payne's impassioned concerns about race & privilege are not dramatized but orated at length Often feels like an tedious sociology lecture
See it if you want to experience a clear-eyed engagement in dramatic form of the daily life-&-death struggles some black neighborhoods face today.
Don't see it if confronting the consequences of institutionalized racism makes you queasy, or you are expecting a neat, well-made play.
Also I love this play & this production, the commitment, the free-wheeling ... Read more Read less
See it if you want to experience life on the street and the effect it has in ruining some while others profit, all put together in a unique play.
Don't see it if you want isolation from reality and easily become uncomfortable out of your own cocoon.