Torch Song (Off-Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (377)
See it if you want to see a near flawless script performed brilliantly. Urie and Ruehl are exquisite. I was invested from beginning to end.
Don't see it if you are not interested in LGBTQ issues or stories Read more
See it if You want to see a superb production of a powerful play that is relevant to this day. Incredible acting and staging. A must see!
Don't see it if Gay themes and long plays really turn you off.
See it if ...you are young and have not seen this classic tale. Also see it is you are homophobic. It may change you.
Don't see it if ...just see it. You should. It will make you feel good.
See it if You enjoy an in depth but very entertaining story. Highly recommend
Don't see it if You’re not comfortable with homosexual content
See it if You loved the original. You want to see a masterclass in acting. You hope to catch it before it will go to Broadway.
Don't see it if You are hoping for something relevant to 2017. This is a brilliant classic but feels dated in a way that is charmingly pre-AIDS crisis
See it if you're a big Harvey Fierstein fan an just love a well written, funny and emotional play.
Don't see it if I don't see any reason not to see this show. Relevant and relatable to all people
See it if You like a serious topic presented with humor as well as sadness. Michael Urie was great. Definitely worth seeing.
Don't see it if You are homophobic or can't take the gay atmosphere.
See it if you want to enjoy an evening of relationships, drama, comedy, excellent actors presenting a great play about people who love each other.
Don't see it if you don't like plays about homosexuality. No other reason I can think of.
Critic Reviews (35)
“’Everything old is new again’ might as well be the theme song for ‘Torch Song’...Under the new title...I am pleased to say it has lost none of its wit, heart, wisdom, poignancy or purpose...The result seems more modern, introspective, and better shaped. The production is well-served by a terrific cast, especially Urie and Ruehl...’Torch Song’ stands as a brave, brilliantly conceived period piece...Timelier than ever.”
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"With the irresistibly antagonistic Michael Urie and Mercedes Ruehl in the marquee roles, the evening feels no less moving, or weighty, than it did all those years ago...At times, the schmaltziness of the humor propels it into Sitcomland...But the framework is eternally affecting and compelling...Urie’s Arnold: It’s a brilliant comic performance, somehow managing fully to reveal both Arnold’s fragility and his power...Ruehl proves to be a scary-wonderful Ma."
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"When a historically significant play about gay life and social issues is revived, the inevitable question arrives of whether the play has the durability to sustain new productions or if it is likely to remain an artifact of its time. With its clunky plot developments and uneven structure and pacing, 'Torch Song' probably falls into the latter category, but it was well worth a second look. Kaufman’s production contains some genuinely beautiful moments and excellent performances all around."
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"A painfully clear-eyed snapshot of a gay man’s life in 1970s NYC...The new "Torch Song" remains as resonant as ever...It reveals Fierstein to be more than a playwright who can crack wise. He crafts richly nuanced roles, which this excellent company plumbs to the fullest. And a big bravo to Michael Urie...Arnold’s story doesn’t seem all that dated. Fortunately, we have the sublimely plaintive 'Torch Song' with its sad old refrain to remind us how far we have yet to go.”
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"Bedroom politics dominate the first two acts, but the high stakes of the play come into focus during the emotional roller coaster of the third...Few actors can switch between comedy and drama and make it seem as natural as Urie does...Kaufman satisfactorily stages the plays and their clashing styles without adding much else...Despite an unremarkable production, 'Torch Song' still captivates with the strength of Fierstein's writing, which feels as fresh as ever."
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“Urie proves a terrific choice, exuding a fluttery energy that draws you in…If director Moisés Kaufman's production slags a bit, it's because the volatile chemistry between Urie and Ruehl is lacking between the leading man and Ward Horton's Ed, which is the play's major relationship…But Fierstein wrote a gem; funny, touching, and quite noble. And with Urie at the center and Ruehl thickening the drama, this ‘Torch Song’ often sings out triumphantly.”
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“Fierstein has pruned the script considerably, and director Moisés Kaufman has worked with his cast and designers to make it into a more unified experience... Although definitely a period piece, the day ‘Torch Song’ can be relegated to the shelf has yet to arrive...Fierstein's fiery comedy is a vivid reminder of how far we've come -- also, that change only happens when individuals stand up and say, 'This is how I will live my life.'”
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“An entertaining but only occasionally stirring production...The cascade of one-liners that pour off the stage comes at the sacrifice of character development. It is not until Act II and the appearance of Arnold's mother that the play comes into its own…The laugh lines are written into the script, of course, but they are outsized here, and the overall production is the worse for its failure to take more risks by downplaying the jokes and making the characters more believable from the outset.”
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