The Seafarer (Irish Repertory Theatre)

See it if McPherson's dark, nifty Irish parable of a literal 'Hell on Earth' in a decrepit house w/ a bunch of drunk Irish bros Great ensemble & set

Don't see it if Star Broderick doesn't quite muster the needed menace as 'Mr. Lockhart' Merely competent not malevolent O' Reilly's direction a little staid

See it if you like small, intimate productions, or are eager to see Matthew Broderick on stage.

Don't see it if you have a hard time understanding thick accents or prefer some speed to your story. This one takes nearly an entire act before it starts.

See it if you want to see a play by Conor McPherson on stage.

Don't see it if you don't like slow plodding Irish plays.

Also I saw the original production on Broadway—and still have fond memories of it. This staging is not even close to the magic provided in the original. Matthew Broderick is woefully miscast as Mr. Lockhart. He is too much Mr. Nice Guy instead of being the Devil. Colin McPhillamy is over-the-top that he does not have the nuances of Jim Norton's Tony Award winning performance.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a straight up Gritty drama

Don't see it if You are looking for a bunch of gimmicks. This is just great writing and great acting

See it if you want to see Matthew Broderick play the devil with not much menace, and would enjoy a rather depressing slice of life with a twist.

Don't see it if you struggle to understand heavy Irish accents, and lots and lots (and lots) of drinking is a trigger for you.

Also The balcony is partial view and should be sold as such.

See it if you like Mr. McPherson's stories, Irish stories that develop slowly, Irish craic (lively conversation), a wonderful Andy Murray as Sharky

Don't see it if you want the character Mr. Lockhart (played by Matthew Broderick) to be creepier or if you can't understand Irish accents

Also I brought my daughter (25) to her first play there so made sure we sat in first row. She had no problem with accents.
Colin McPhillamy was wonderful as the blind (physically too) Richard Harkin. Many wonderful performances.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Irish plays (think McDonagh), unsettling plays, and/or lots of mixed emotion.

Don't see it if heavy accents, heavy drinking, or profanities disturb you.

Also I don't want to say to much, lest I spoil the surprises, but be ready for some foul-mouthed card games and plenty of Powers.... Read more Read less

See it if you've seen it before and were profoundly moved. You will enjoy this production very much

Don't see it if You have no patience with drunkenness and slovenly behavior.

See it if If you adore McPerson, intricately developed performances of unlikeable characters don't intimidate you, and a look at good and evil appeals

Don't see it if you have no tolerance for drunken Irishmen on stage (and can't get over the stereotypes)

Also Not my favorite by this playwright but a fine production, beautifully directed to take us past our expectations of the characters and storyline. All actors totally fulfill their characters angels and devils.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see perhaps the most interesting role that Matthew Broderick, cast against type, has ever played, along with wonderful writing.

Don't see it if you are easily frustrated by the difficulty of understanding Irish accents or if you are not open to plots with a religious dimension.

Also All of the actors are excellent. I loved the idea of casting Matthew Broderick as the Devil, and I thought he did an amazing job, but I remember the end
of the Broadway production delivering a more powerful "punch".... Read more Read less

See it if you like McPherson, a playwright who examines profound moral issues, but can be vulgar and hilarious too.

Don't see it if you're put off by characters who are serious drunkards living in semi-squalor or dislike any hint of the supernatural or strong accents.

See it if If love McPherson plays. An Interesting, liquor laden slice of Irish Life theater.

Don't see it if Don't like genre of Irish plays or playwright McPherson.Can't listen to Irish accented dialogue.Offended by profanity & drunks.

See it if you like plot twists and a small, intimate cast in a small, intimate setting

Don't see it if you can't understand Irish accents or don't like to see how the lower class lives

See it if Not a great play, but this is Matthew Broderick's best performance in many many years, maybe decades.

Don't see it if You have trouble understanding Irish accents. First 30 mins was difficult. Got better after Broderick entered.

See it if you care more about acting and character development than plot. This is a great show for cynics and pessimists. Some actors are great.

Don't see it if you can't overlook Broderick's horrible Irish accent and how much he is miscast for his role. The plot is trite. lots of hard drinking.

See it if If you're a Conor McPherson fan, this is one of his most entertaining yarns. The ensemble is quite strong and it's a fine production overall

Don't see it if If you saw the original Broadway production, this won't eclipse it. I enjoyed it being so fond of the play, but I missed the original cast.

Also Irish Rep does typically fine work with limited resources. Their (relatively) newly renovated space is superb and the set for the play is excellent. Much has been made over Matthew Broderick's performance. I will concede that he's somewhat miscast in the role, but I think the production uses that interesting casting to justify a new take on the role. Broderick is especially strong in the second act. While the rest of the cast didn't make me forget David Morse, Jim Norton, of Conleth Hill, they do a fine job. I lamented that this production wasn't as funny as the original. While the performers are quite good, they lose a lot of the humor in McPherson's script. There was only the occasional audible laugh from the audience. But the story is still compelling and provides a strong payoff. I love this play so I was happy to see another production of it, even if it didn't achieve perfection.... Read more Read less

See it if you love the Irish plays filled with "down in their luck" men drinking too much, but who have a great gift of the gab

Don't see it if You have trouble deciphering the Irish brogue.

See it if You like well-written Irish plays about lost men who use alcohol to escape the sins of their past.

Don't see it if You are turned off by excessive drinking onstage.

Also The acting was really good but Matthew Broderick was the weak link. I believe he was the only American actor on stage and that was clear in his accent. He also found very little nuance or modulation in the performance. I like the idea of casting a celebrity in that role because the character is out of place in the environment, but Broderick finds little nuance and fails to create much tension except for a few moments.

Still, it's a great production in a beautiful little theater, run but great people.... Read more Read less

See it if you can appreciate pathos and humor in the same situation, and want to see some great acting in an intimate theater

Don't see it if you don't appreciate the Irish brogue, or only laugh at antic humor

Also The basic premise of this play has been presented in other works from other cultures, but the fact that it is predictable only helps you to appreciate the artistry. Matthew Broderick is the star, but I most appreciated the co-star Colin McPhillamy (?sp) who does a fantastic job of weaving everything together. The 2 hours and 20 minutes went by very quickly!... Read more Read less

See it if The Irish Rep (which I always find to be high quality theater no matter what they do).

Don't see it if You don't like Matthew Broderick. He's very good in this.

See it if The play grabs you . You care and you are involved

Don't see it if If you have trouble withIrish accent

See it if Great ensemble acting of a good story with a surprising twist at the end.

Don't see it if You don't like Irish accents and heavy drinking.

See it if A lot of work to get to what amounts to one or two key moments. A story that’s been told before. Broderick was ok. One actor was exhausting.

Don't see it if Your don’t like Irish dramas or drinking.... lots and lots of drinking.

See it if Alcoholic friends encounter the devil on Xmas Eve. Well developed characters, physical humor, and a plot twist revealing hidden meaning.

Don't see it if You would be turned off by heavy drinking and accents. You are not curious why the playwright is dwelling on a bunch of losers.

See it if you like Irish ghost stories, character-based plots that can be quite funny, great ensembles, delicious plot twists, fan of Conor McPherson

Don't see it if you are a fan of Mathew Broderick who disappoints significantly, don't like plays about the devil, have trouble with thick Irish accents