The Sound and the Fury NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (5)
See it if You really love this book.
Don't see it if You're looking for a coherent story. I wanted to leave, but since there was no intermission, I was trapped.
See it if you are a fan of ERS and their unique approach to staging found text, a Faulkner enthusiast, or an experimental theater fan.
Don't see it if you hate having to pay close attention or just want something light and fluffy.
See it if you are an ERS fan; you are willing to be taken for a exhilarating and sometimes confusing ride; you don't need plays to make perfect sense.
Don't see it if you want it to be a straightforward adaptation of Faulkner; you don't have good eyesight (the font for supertitles is TINY); you hated GATZ.
See it if You like powerful plays
Don't see it if You like faster, lighter entertainment.
See it if You like to go back in time.
Don't see it if You don't like America.
Critic Reviews (31)
"As mystifying and enlightening as one of those dreams that seem to explain everything for as long as you’re asleep...If you haven’t read 'The Sound and the Fury' (preferably recently), you’re still likely to be at sea. But if you keep your senses wide open, you’ll be aware of patterns forming, the kind that seem to spring up unbidden in your memory...The times portrayed here, after all, never stop happening, not as long as there are readers of Faulkner’s book."
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"Between this visual dissonance and soundtrack of wailing and radio static, we get some sense of the blurry turmoil of living as Benjy. 'The Sound and the Fury' is the sort of work that’s tough to take in initially, but that stays with you long after, like a slow drip of oil onto the gears of your mind to ensure they’ll keep spinning."
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"Don’t go in expecting to understand everything, and you won’t be disappointed...The constant sensory overload means that your attention is nearly always engaged...This isn’t a show for everybody — a couple of people walked out at a recent performance — but it rewards open minds."
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"Those not already familiar with the novel may be left totally in the dark by 'The Sound and The Fury.' Luckily, this ERS show is stimulating enough to inspire you to have fun making up your own story, completely divorced from Faulkner's tale. Audiences should beware, however: The show runs two hours and 15 minutes, with no intermission. You might want to use the facilities beforehand. No matter how rapt you become in the world of Faulkner and ERS, a needy bladder will always win the day."
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"Though the efforts involved are admirable and professional, what is accomplished by presenting Faulkner's words in this manner is unclear. It would be harsh (and cheap) to say that Elevator Repair Service's 'The Sound and The Fury' signifies nothing, but the concept of the piece proves more interesting than watching an evening of its execution."
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"Don’t miss this downtown theatre experience if only for the sheer hubris of the effort, an experimental staging...This production saturates its audience with the story, characters and emotions Faulkner evokes. Even though it uses Faulkner’s text verbatim, it is more like swimming in the subconscious, not always a happy and light place, but certainly a fascinating one...I highly recommend the show to anyone interested in unconventional downtown theatre. I can’t wait to see it for a second time, and live inside that world again."
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"It’s a brilliant, sometimes mesmerizing production but if you don’t know the book, or don’t remember your English professor’s lectures about it, you’re going to find it something of a slog...I can’t conceive of a more authentic way to bring Faulkner’s world to the stage. Still, reading 'The Sound and the Fury' beforehand may prove useful; otherwise, you might, like several folks when I attended, find it easier to leave midway, or to catch up on your sleep."
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"The actors' performances are so well-timed and compelling that the show moves forward with admirable velocity, devoid of the academic mustiness that often taints staged readings...'The Sound and the Fury' is a model of polished ensemble artistry...not only comprehensible — but entertaining and emotionally satisfying."
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