What We're Up Against (WP Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (90)
See it if you’ll benefit from examples of how NOT to act at work (esp. a new job)—whether you’re skilled but unpopular, or privileged but talentless
Don't see it if you’ll use “unrealistic" characters as an excuse to not engage w/ the conflicts: woman/man, young blood/old pros, alpha-female/beta-female Read more
See it if you'd like to understand the depth and scope of the misogyny that got us a human twatwaffle running loose in the White House.
Don't see it if you'd like to cling to the belief that sexism isn't a systemic, relentless nightmare that propels mediocre/bad men above exceptional women. Read more
See it if Smart script, crisp dialogue, perfect actors, great sets. Fascinating window int 1990s gender issues at work. Lots of funny moments!
Don't see it if You don't like shows set at work or are looking for a musical. Otherwise, there's no reason to not see this witty play!
See it if You are not tired of workplace dramas. You enjoy the twists and turns of the way sexism plays out in an office setting.
Don't see it if You can’t deal with lots of raw language. You have no interest in realism you are looking for fantasy. Realism portrayed is painful to watch
See it if You enjoy entertaining plays about serious subjects.
Don't see it if You dislike feminism.
See it if This play was written 25 years ago, but feels like it could have been ripped from today's headlines. It feels eerily current and timely.
Don't see it if You want something light or a musical.
See it if You're a fan of Rebeck or the cast, you'd like to see how a 2011 play set in 1992 about the glass ceiling holds up,
Don't see it if You're not a fan of office set, issue plays which frustrate because not a lot has changed since'92, don't like seeing people at their worst
See it if Deft script and superb performances help this 90’s work shine in 2017. Krysta Rodriguez is exceptional. Nice, intimate show.
Don't see it if Don’t like workplace dramas or issue about equality or harassment.
Critic Reviews (18)
"Fast-paced, entertaining direction...The chief problem: Eliza emerges as the only three-dimensional person onstage...Creating such easily hateful characters sets up an imbalance of power between Eliza and everyone else, which allows Rebeck to preach to the choir...She wields her messages like blunt objects. But who am I to say that we don’t all need a good smack in the head from time to time?"
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“Good timing turns out to be the production’s strongest asset. While Rebeck’s script is certainly thought-provoking, it is also somewhat superficial and full of two-dimensional characters. Fortunately, a first-rate cast and Campbell-Holt’s mostly astute direction help elevate the proceedings...‘Why is it still like this?’...One wishes Rebeck had chosen to actually explore the answer...In the end, what the audience is up against in feeling satisfied is the playwright’s laziness."
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“Rebeck's…stingingly smart…dramedy about sexual politics…Forget about the play's being set in 1992…or that it's not about physical exploitation; the topic couldn't be more pertinent…You have to buy the one-sided depiction of the men…to appreciate Rebeck's argument…Its actors are all well cast, although the eye-catching Rodriguez is not your conventional image of an architect. Playing against type, she establishes herself as the sharpest pencil on the drafting table.”
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“It’s so heavy handed, starting with the aggressive title...The problem with Rebeck's play is that the argument she wants to put forward is so clumsily and obviously handled that viewers who would be inclined to agree with her by the time she arrives at her closing line will have long since been put off...Angry she should be, but there’s a way to temper it and thereby register her anger even more effectively.”
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"There are a few twists and turns that could be cleaner...Adrienne Campbell-Holt doesn’t bring out the layers, as much as Ms. Perez did and I found myself comparing the two productions, with Life Force Arts, Inc bringing much more well rounded production...Ms. Rebeck’s play is dark, timely, foul-mouthed, juicy and seems like it is placed in the '50s not now, but the truth is we have not come along way, baby."
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"An enjoyably sardonic comedy...With its frequently humorous and sadly all-too-relevant look at sexist attitudes, 'Up Against' is an apt programming choice for WP, which here provides a well-tuned production...Shows Rebeck’s dexterity as a smooth and entertaining storyteller...If some viewers might wish that the playwright had presented deeper characterizations and sharper satire, anyone who has ever worked in an office can attest that paper cuts are awfully painful, too."
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“Directed by Campbell-Holt with a fluid pace, engaging blocking, and a fine eye for social satire...A top-notch cast of favorites from the stage, screen, and TV delivers Rebeck’s sardonic laughs with gusto...in well-crafted comic portrayals that are not so exaggerated...An entertaining and sorely-relevant production that makes us laugh, even as we shake our heads, roll our eyes, and grit our teeth at the outdated practices that still sadly prevail in our present-day culture.”
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"An all-too-timely, darkly humorous play...Director Adrienne Campbell-Holt focuses attention to keep the hour and 45 minutes of dialogue brisk...The questions are typical of those asked by those defending themselves against charges of sexual bias and who point to women who stand up for themselves as having attitude problems, so the audience can understand the viewpoints of the coworkers as well as Eliza."
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