We Live by the Sea NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (143)
See it if The show was absolutely amazing. Everybody should see it.
Don't see it if No reason not to see it.
See it if you are looking for a really intimate play that will make you question the way you think about and treat others.
Don't see it if you don't want to cry in the theatre, it gets really emotional! Or, if you are looking for a big production, it is a very small scaled show.
See it if Top notch acting, great live music from 90s, seaside visuals, Some scenes were very raw & intense but makes the all reason of a great play
Don't see it if You do not like simple decor, small cast. Other then that I cannot find any reason not to see it. Read more
See it if You like emotionally honest theater; the final scene was as good as anything I've ever seen on stage. Brutal and true and sort of amazing.
Don't see it if You work with autistic people professionally and are going to the theater as a break.
See it if I was captivated from start to finish; the acting is wonderful; Brain's acting is brilliant, touching and realistic. Bring tissues.
Don't see it if you are looking for escapist entertainment. This is a play that has something to say and it is said with heart, soul and love.
See it if You want to see Tony-caliber acting from a brilliant ensemble, painting a realistic portrait of life with autism. Funny and heart wrenching.
Don't see it if There is no reason to not see this masterful show. I can’t say enough about this remarkable play. Better than most shows on Broadway.
See it if You want drama which has a unique way of presenting a difficult problem such as autism. Emotionally devastating at times.
Don't see it if You cringe at drama about real human problems which does not rap things up nicely at the end.
See it if Story tell about Katy growing and dealing with her life.
Don't see it if It may be hard to see if you have a love one how may look different or act different in the eyes of the world. Read more
Critic Reviews (18)
"Creates an expansive world out of seemingly little...Brain's warmly empathetic performance never feels 'acty'...The other cast members are just as good in relatively more straightforward roles...Tight, imaginative staging...Throughout, the company maintains a sure sense of tone, playful and grave at the same time, and pulls off a cathartic ending that's neither cloying nor cheesy - though be warned that it is a five-hankie tear-jerker that may leave you a sobbing mess."
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"'We Live By the Sea' works best as a loving and empathetic portrait of a neurodivergent teen. Director Howarth's 15 years of experience as a drama therapist for people on the spectrum imbues the play with authenticity. The narrative, however, is less believable...The play flags whenever it shifts to Hannah and Ryan's points of view. Katy's special needs may be challenging, but her atypical perspective is what gives the show a specialness of its own."
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"It is an insightful portrayal of a teenager on the autism spectrum that shouldn't be missed. This is a show that both entertains and informs...The troupe of actors brings this well-crafted show to life with true authenticity...'We Live By The Sea' is a heartfelt show that will raise people's awareness of people on the autism spectrum and the struggles that are often faced by handicapped people and their families."
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"This isn't a tidy play, but it's a bracing one...In its best passages, 'We Live by the Sea' makes clear Hannah's deep devotion to Katy, as well as its terrible cost...'We Live by the Sea' is a company-created work, which may explain why it feels underwritten...Katy is a fiercely imagined character and Alexandra Brain realizes her down to the last detail...The rest of the cast performs with an appealing mix of candor and tact."
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“If, at this point, it sounds like Katy is an actual person, good, because she felt that way all throughout the remarkably engaging play ‘We Live By The Sea.’ As Katy, Alexandra Brain avoids all the acting shortcuts and, instead, gives a performance that is pure empathy. Whereas someone else may have been satisfied simply depicting the physical manifestations of Katy's mental condition, Brain beautifully achieves the much higher goal of humanizing Katy's autism.”
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"A captivating examination of an autistic girl’s struggles...Oceans are notoriously vast, which is a good thing because the sea is called upon here to support enormous metaphorical weight...Still, we buy into the conceit, thanks to strong acting all around and the wonderfully immersive world built by director Alex Howarth and his creative team. Ms. Brain is nothing less than ferocious."
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"A well-executed work of devised theatre…Brain…plays Katy like an overgrown six-year-old...She squeals, fidgets, shakes her hands tremulously, holds them to her head as if to prevent it from exploding...She can be sad, she can be funny; with Katy, you never know what's coming…On the other hand, the piece seems overlong at 90 minutes. Brain offers a tour de force portrayal of Katy's mannerisms but, like me, you may eventually tire of them, no matter how well acted. But maybe that's the point."
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"Brits Off Broadway at 59E59 is off to a strong start with this powerful play about autism...The stories Katy likes to tell to provide order to her experience are cleverly recreated with such simple props as an electric fan and a pair of desk lamps...My heart went out to Hannah, because Katy’s erratic behavior with its frequent outbursts of raw emotion was hard to endure for 90 minutes, let alone 24 hours a day...Much as I admired the play, I often found it painful to sit through."
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