"Put some snappy dialogue, a bit of skulduggery and a stellar cast led by Edie Falco in one end and get a damn good time out the other...Whenever Ms. Falco is bringing these themes to the fore, especially in her scenes with rival politicians played by Mr. Fitzgerald and John Pankow, 'The True' is riveting...But in Polly’s more domestic scenes, with Peter and Corning, the play sometimes bogs down...The lack of drama — or rather the subduction of it — may be what’s most interesting here."
Read more

"It's not really about politics; it's about the people behind them, specifically Noonan: a fierce and profane defender of the party and politico she adores...Because the play is set when Corning's career was on the wane, it's hard to understand what Noonan sees in him...But the play's biggest scandal is its flip-flopping tone, which careers from quippy comedy to political thriller to sentimental nomance. But though 'The True' sometimes seems falser than fiction, Falco is consistently thrilling."
Read more

"'The True' is essentially a gift to its lead actor, a series of tough, satisfying arias, spiked with profanity and humor and just enough vulnerability, fashioned to let a performer like Falco shine...White’s dialogue is audibly fun to speak, and often peppered with political observations that feel meaty and real. I won’t call it prescient; more accurately, it’s more well-observed."
Read more

"In his laser-focused view, White shows us exactly how machine politics works without taking a moral position on the patronage system on which it’s based. His only false step is the character of Bill McCormick, a bland young man...Anyone who has ever been involved in a political campaign should find this play enthralling. Everyone else in the room can marvel at the ferocity of Falco’s performance and the passion of her character."
Read more

“The provocative real-life political subject matter would seem rich in dramatic potential, but the playwright fumbles the ball with endless scenes featuring rambling, mundane dialogue. There's little narrative momentum, and the...relationship between Corning and Noonan feels banal at best...The constant use of obscenity for cheap comic relief gets old fast...Elliott's flat direction doesn't help...Falco is an acting force of nature...and she's ably supported by the fine ensemble.”
Read more

“The play relies upon long-winded scenes that often turn flat and tedious, stressing the same points repeatedly. Nevertheless, it provides an ambivalent, even sympathetic examination of an unapologetically crooked system of politics and the limited opportunities and severe risks for women who wanted to be involved...Falco brings plenty of comic flair, vigor and raw emotion to the role, which compensates for the play’s slow points.”
Read more

"A beautifully-acted drama about the real-life relationship between a longtime mayor of Albany and his closest aide...Falco's nuanced portrayal of this scrappy woman is quite stunning...The rest of the company is equally talented...Some may find 'The True' rather dense, delving perhaps too deeply in the political weeds. But the bravura company directed by Scott Elliott produced a terrific character study of New Yorkers we should know and remember."
Read more

“Elliott's elegant period production feels undeniably relevant while firmly rooting its aesthetic in 1977...Falco's Noonan is hard not to love. Ruthless, smart, and unfailingly funny, she's the kind of fabulous that makes you want to shout 'yaaasssss,' only to feel guilty about it later...Feels particularly timely following NY’s recent primary elections. The name Cuomo is uttered late in the script, giving New Yorkers the opportunity to ponder the role dynastic politics play in our state.”
Read more