This Flat Earth

See it if You're interested in the topic of gun violence and children's reactions to it.

Don't see it if You are irritated by poorly thought out logic/plotlines, half-baked political ideas, and superficial timeliness.

See it if you want to be part of the solution to end gun violence.

Don't see it if you expect this play to give you one.

See it if you enjoy watching intense dramas in an intimate space about a shaken town in the aftermath of a school shooting with a small cast.

Don't see it if you don't want plays dealing with political issues or if you cannot deal with the stereotypes/tropes as mentioned in Laura 8060's comment.

Also This was DEFINITELY a must-see despite its problems. The acting and direction were top notch - the show was so moving and I cried a lot.... Read more Read less

See it if It was well written, well acted, and the overall message and topics are extremely timely

Don't see it if If you don't believe in gun control

See it if You want some brilliant truth. Sensitive topics addressed through a lens that is impossible not to sympathise with. Fantastic performances.

Don't see it if You will get stuck on small plot issues. The play is more than that.

See it if You are interested in seeing plays about real world events, social problems. You want a new take on how certain events affect children.

Don't see it if You are triggered by mentions of violence in schools. A great idea, not executed as well as it could have been. Script needed more work.

See it if You care about the topic of gun violence. Or if you go to the theater to think and get out of your comfort zone.

Don't see it if You’re looking for something light and entertaining.

See it if Very topical, brilliant performance by female lead, enjoy theater with liberal social content

Don't see it if Can't see anything more about gun bio ok once, or not interested ok no a terrific story about teenagers

See it if You’re looking for a piece of theatre that helps you to reflect on the current state-of-affairs in the US. Beautiful performances by cast.

Don't see it if You are looking to be entertained by high-energy or something light. This story requires an attentive ear active mind.

See it if I don't know.

Don't see it if You want a play that makes sense. Why would a young person in this day and age not know there are school shootings?

See it if You'd like to see solid emotional performances about current events

Don't see it if Triggers: school massacres, the death of a child/ children

See it if you have a high tolerance for nonsensical behavior/dialogue and huge plot holes, then TFE might appeal. Strong Taichman staging. Weak script

Don't see it if you want an insightful, intelligent presentation of school violence. Set/lighting are good, but bad sightlines; live cello is strange choice

See it if Relevant themes brought up in insightful ways. Slow reveals and plot twists.

Don't see it if A stretch of suspension of disbelief must be taken in order for poignant themes and lines to make sense.

Also Hard to say more without giving away anything.
It was great. Touching and original.... Read more Read less

See it if Very timely subject matter. Author does a great job of including light & humor w/ such a heavy subject. Story moves along at a great pace.

Don't see it if The subject matter hits too close to home or is too upsetting (Won't spoil it here).

See it if You want to see something that feels so incredibly current it’s uncomfortable at times because we are still working through personal grief.

Don't see it if You can’t handle some serious questions, some of them focused directly on you, about your culpability for gun violence in America today.

Also I knew nothing about this show before going in and it was just “coincidence”...?... that I saw this the evening after participating in the March For Our Lives that morning. It made a BIG impact on me.... Read more Read less

See it if The gifted pen of Lindsey Ferrentino paints beauty, vulnerability and truth once again. Acting is stellar from all. Go feel it.

Don't see it if Shows about gun violence in schools is too much for you.

See it if you want to see one poetic monologue (delivered by a rather pointless character) in the last 15 min of an otherwise graceless, plodding play

Don't see it if you think -- just because of the topic -- this is a relevant, important or original contribution to the conversation about school violence.

Also The aforementioned monologue, albeit nicely written and lyrically spoken (by Linda Gravatt), is also the biggest cop-out I've seen in the theatre in a long time. 75 minutes into the play, when you begin to wonder (if you're still paying attention) how & when they're going to wrap up the many storylines introduced thus far, the rationale for an otherwise inexplicable character becomes clear. She is there merely (and mysteriously) to explain how each character's storylines end. What an inelegant, lazy and undramatic way to conclude a stage play!... Read more Read less

See it if With Parkland still stinging, Ferrentino tries to enter the mind of a young survivor of school massacre Powerful & disturbing but unfocused

Don't see it if Expert cast (esp Gravatt) led with skill by Taichman still can't navigate all the themes/plot lines author addresses Awkward set a hindrance

See it if you don’t mind a stage play that feels like stale TV—until a powerful , fully theatrical finish.

Don't see it if you're expecting a dramatic engagement with the issue of gun violence in schools: the topic is a clothesline on which to hang other stuff.

Also Lindsey Ferrentino is an emerging playwright with 2 plays running on 2 important NYC stages right now! Congrats! I can imagine the hard work behind this achievement. But having paid my respects, I have to say I don’t love the plays. Like "Amy & the Orphans," the play I’m reviewing here, "This Flat Earth," ends with a scene that fully enthralled me— & the only scene in the play that broke the established frame of humdrum live TV. The characters of both plays feel more like lists of quirks than people. I have no reason to care about them. The 1 exception here is a hormonal teenage boy, best friend of the central character, a pubescent girl deeply troubled by a school shooting she’s survived. Dad is ineffectual, the rich mom of a slain student is a rat & the upstairs neighbor is thoroughly disagreeable until a final, innately theatrical tour de force scene that she shares with the play's young central character. Finally something TV couldn’t do better! But I need more.... Read more Read less

See it if to learn about the aftermath of school shootings & some of academia's failings, see a good father-daughter play & role of music in a life

Don't see it if you don't want to be reminded of school shootings, the grieving process or insensitive parents, don"t like plays featuring adolescents

See it if an affecting single-act dramedy centered on a middle-school pupil coping with the aftermath of witnessing a massacre. Touching and funny.

Don't see it if numb to all too current and pervasive headlines of gun violence in American schools. Same tone as "Amy and the Orphans" also by playwright.

Also "You're supposed to protect us..."

See it if you want to see a really impactful and thought-provoking play about young kids navigating growing up in this day and age.

Don't see it if you're looking for an escape from the horrible things going on in the world.

See it if An intimate, poignant play about growing up in our difficult times. Incredible acting by all 5, esp. young Ella Kennedy Davis (amazing!)

Don't see it if ...you don't want to see a play on the topic of school violence. It is very intense and sad but also well paced and quite funny at times.

Also I saw this because I had been very moved by Lindsey Ferrentino's "Amy and the Orphans." This intimate play did not disappoint. The 90 minutes went very quickly (which is not always the case!). I thought it was a perfect (although difficult and sad) play. Impressive.... Read more Read less

See it if You’d be really interested in any new play dealing with gun violence in schools.

Don't see it if You get annoyed when new playwrights that have good ideas but can’t execute them well get productions at major theaters.

See it if you want to see a drama about violence in the schools. Excellent dialogue and great acting. Some parts are disturbing and very moving.

Don't see it if you enjoy comedy or do not want to see a drama about violence in the schools and our society and how we react to it, victims and survivors.

Also I was very impressed and moved by this play. The young and older actresses were especially good. You get to see realistic reactions of those immediately affected, relatives, friends and other students and their parents. This is a split level set so it's better to sit a little further up.... Read more Read less