The Seafarer (Irish Repertory Theatre) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (40)
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 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 a play by Conor McPherson on stage.
Don't see it if you don't like slow plodding Irish plays. Read more
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 Read more
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. Read more
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 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.
Critic Reviews (25)
"O'Reilly's production is perhaps a bit too scrupulously realistic...But if you're willing to forgive the absence of miracles, this 'Seafarer' offers a lucid and straightforward reading of a play that seems to grow only richer with increased acquaintance...McPherson's dialogue continually coaxes poetry out of mundane conversation. And the cast here delivers such speech confidently and entertainingly...What's lacking is the sense of a surprising grace at work within these garrulous drunkards."
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"Vivid performances, believable boozing and McPherson's gorgeous dialogue. But there's a hole just under the waterline, a single error that makes the play founder. In an otherwise strong company, visiting star Broderick is both too obvious to ignore and too wrong to right...Without a serious antagonist, the piece lapses into atmosphere...The play can't function without the Devil, and he's just not there: not in the broad strokes, not in the details."
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"A solid, entertaining revival...'The Seafarer' slowly unfolds its murkier depths under a surface of deceptively casual banter. It's not a play where much 'happens'. Its characters' primary actions are talking and drinking...As Mr. Lockhart himself, Broderick is an interesting choice, compelling if not always viscerally effective...But Broderick still does right by the character...O'Reilly's production is a generous, well-told rendition of one chapter in that immortal gambler's story."
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"O'Reilly demonstrates a clear affinity for the playwright with this authentic-feeling and well-acted production. The ensemble delivers fully lived-in performances, mining their characters' drunken bombast and foolishness for all its comic worth...The problem, sad to say, is Broderick...Without a true sense of danger emanating from the character, the play's dramatic urgency gets lost. It's hard to be intimidated by a poker-playing Devil who's so obviously bluffing."
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"This being an Irish play, you can probably guess without too much difficulty exactly what the debt is and who has come to collect it, and it is the highest of tributes to Mr. McPherson’s professional skill that he still contrives to successfully set off a firecracker of surprise at evening’s end...Five performances that are as deeply rooted in felt life as it’s possible to be...No company in America supplies it more regularly and consistently...What they do is what great theater should be."
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"I'm sorry to say that Broderick's Mr. Lockhart doesn't have the faintest hint of brimstone...McPherson's writing is so powerful that at times the actor can't help making an impact...As a result, the focus shifts to Richard and the comedy of his appalling personal habits and nonstop drinking...Make no mistake: Ciarán O'Reilly has mounted a highly respectable production that is likely to please McPherson fans."
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"Astutely directed by O'Reilly with a stellar cast of seasoned actors, this 'Seafarer,' which will amuse you and chasten you in equal measure...Broderick is giving a taught, understated performance as Mr. Lockhart... It's nice to see Broderick back in top form despite the observation his star presence throws off the balance of the ensemble-but only slightly... You may not think you want to see an Irish tale of alcoholism, loss and redemption, but you'd be wrong."
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"A spectator may start thinking that abutting the realism with the surreal is awkward. I definitely have that impression. Somehow the juxtaposition keeps chipping away at complete enjoyment. None of that compromises what director O’Reilly has unfolding...Some of the best ensemble acting carrying on these days is hopping on the Irish Repertory stage. It’s the kind of acting that defies acting and just is."
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