The Velveteen Rabbit NYC Reviews and Tickets

"It’s this slight tinge of melancholy, this sense of fun mingled with just a little sorrow, that gives the book much of its poignancy and power…The production nicely captures that tone, though at times the pacing seems too stately and the story theater approach too serious. A little more silliness, a touch more naughtiness would be welcome...Still, there’s much to admire. The production never talks down to children, and it makes a strong case for the importance and delight of imaginative play."
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"With no more than a lone, brief mimetic gesture drawing the shape of long ears, Mr. Roe, a winning, straight-faced, fair-haired actor with a light scruff of a beard, came to be accepted as a stuffed, plush toy, thanks to the graceful and inventive direction in this confidently shaped production...The oohs and aahs that spread through the audience came mostly, though not exclusively, from the cooing children."
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That’s the genius of Purni Morell’s staging for everyone aged four and over: its fiction is gossamer thin, even see-through...But we’re also watching something else, possibly without fully realising it: two young men on their myriad adventures, growing increasingly inseparable...this is a gorgeous slip of a show by anyone’s standards. It’s crafted with real care and precision."
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"This is a show with both a brain and a heart, and one that operates as a sustained metaphor. It completely trusts its audience, and so celebrates the power of every child's imagination as well as the importance of play-acting. It is also a salute to the thrilling transformative possibilities of theatre itself. An inventive, elegant design and the spare clarity of Morell's approach give us all the help we need."
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"One of the many reasons why 'The Velveteen Rabbit' has been a much-loved classic children’s book is the gentle anthropomorphic charm of its titular hero, the shy stuffed toy...The dispiriting thing about Purni Morell’s production is that this charm is almost entirely lacking...Precious alchemy is lost here. Instead Boy and bunny engage in pillow fights which, while superficially amusing, are hardly the point."
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"There are some – very rare – shows that have a confidence and magic about them from the moment they begin. ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’, a beautiful adaptation of Margery Williams’ popular children’s book, is one of those shows. The audience is spell-bound from the off and, as the narrators begin to tell their tale, the spectators giggle and sigh as one. We are swept away by this gentle but powerful story and the young crowd holds its breath, hooked until the very last moment."
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"I saw it at a matinee and the sensation of slipping away from my day job at Parliament to sit in a theatre full of four and five-year-olds was bliss...A wriggling auditorium soon stilled once Paul Lloyd’s narrator started to tell the story of the toy rabbit who sits neglected in the nursery until one day he finds himself in his little master’s arms at bedtime...Their imaginations were hooked by the actors and a few props."
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"This adaptation takes the text and narrates it, with dialogue as in the original. Lloyd’s warm, fruity tones make him an excellent narrator, always keeping contact with his audience...Purni Morell’s direction keeps things bubbling and Button’s design sparks off the imagination. Add music, atmospheric lighting, choreographic input and three actors with plenty of personality and this is a blend that really delivers."
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"The beauty of this production teaches us that it is natural, beautiful and healing, paving the way for something new, though a new that is not unrelated to the past...The play is seamless, it has its own rhythm and regular pulse, like a long visual poem. It combines physical theatre, synchronised movement...Christian Roe’s Rabbit and Ashley Byam’s Boy are in perfect harmony with each other."
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"Instead of resorting to nostalgic sentimentalism and predictable jokes, to make the production appealing, the cast and creative team of 'The Velveteen Rabbit' have created a lean, witty and moving performance that is a delight to watch, whether you are an adult or a child, but nonetheless does not spare you any of the harsh realities...Smartly done, heart-warming and entertaining…If you have children do not miss the opportunity to see 'The Velveteen Rabbit!'"
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"A charming production...There are a multitude of stunning moments created in Morell’s direction that are completely enhanced by the use of the set...'The Velveteen Rabbit' is a completely absorbing piece of theatre that transports the audience to a bygone era and has the children and adults totally transfixed...It is totally enchanting, charming, magical and brilliant."
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"It proves to work beautifully on stage. Director Purni Morell has created a vivid world full of clever devices – including fire, snow and flying – to capture and maintain her audience's attention. There's also evocative music...But the show's real magic is in its invitation to use your own imagination to power the story, just as the Boy at its heart does in his own games."
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The Velveteen Rabbit is a very touching and poignant story...Rather than lazily wallowing in nostalgia or sentimentalism, 'The Velveteen Rabbit' reminds us of our childhood through the exploits the pair get up to...The real bunny brought on stage towards the end is a final, charming touch. 'The Velveteen Rabbit' oozes quality."
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"The play has a strong narrative throughout which is especially good for the younger children as it kept them engaged and there were plenty of hilarious scenes that produced laugh out loud moments...The play is performed with such beauty and sincerity it will evoke long lost memories of your own childhood and your children will watch simply entranced."
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"It is lovely. Utterly lovely...As well as being lovely, there were also plenty of bits of what felt like the original narrative to stick in the throat. On the other hand, they didn’t stick in the throat so much that I didn’t also find the whole thing completely charming...both direction and design feel so stupidly effortless, so perfectly judged, that it’s genuinely difficult to know what to say about it beyond description."
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"'The Velveteen Rabbit' masterfully tells Margery Williams’s much-loved story of friendship and belonging. Full of giggles, imagination and love, the production’s second turn is sure to be a success...'The Velveteen Rabbit' beautifully reminds all ages how precious it is to explore the world with a companion. Undoubtedly one of the most charming and magical productions you’ll see for a while."
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"I suspect that this tender and whimsical production of 'The Velveteen Rabbit' will capture your imagination and warm your heart...This is a stylish production, full of gentle charm and whimsy...As this is a children’s show, a true marker of its success is how the children respond to it. Well, they were utterly captivated. But the original material is so substantial and thought-provoking that it will give the grownups something to chew on too."
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"Christian Roe’s rabbit makes us fall in love with him, as much as his owner, the Boy who at first doesn’t notice his new toy but then cannot bear to be separated from him. His floppy physicality is a marvel...The storybook feel is part of the enjoyment. James Button's charming sets recreate the adventure and friendship...This 'Velveteen Rabbit' is a delight and a joy."
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"Although some of the smaller moments of tragedy — rabbit being tossed carelessly from the bed — prompt squeals of laughter in their appeal to the particular schadenfreude of children. In all, it’s smartly done. Jokes for the adults mix nicely with the nostalgia of the story, while we’re sure more than a few little ones went home, dug out old Ted and kept a rather tight hold on him all night."
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"Engaging and inspiring, this play keeps the audience captivated from beginning to end. This simply structured storyline keeps not only children in the audience engaged, but adults too...Although the start drags on slightly, children will enjoy the visual excitement, whereas adults have a chance to escape back to their childhoods."
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"Magic is a good word for this play. This is simple storytelling at its best...There are beautiful touches that drew audible gasps such as when the adventurers warm themselves and toast marshmallows by a fire on stage...I would urge anyone to go and see this play. If you don’t have a small child to take, be brave and go on your own. You won’t regret it."
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