Woman and Scarecrow

See it if Carr's feminist fever dream of a life unfufilled; Irish black humor mixed with Chekhovian regret Strong potent writing at times strident

Don't see it if Staging engulfs black box space Haberle captures angry regret yet comes off too vital/heathy at times; Soules nails stoic Irish Catholicism

See it if you like Irish plays, seeing a playwright in her NY debut: a tragic predictable tale of a long-suffering wife & mother figuring out her role

Don't see it if don't like talky plays with two actors playing the same character, frustrating back and forth dialogue, element of the supernatural

See it if you want an introduction to Marina Carr, one of Ireland's leading playwrights.

Don't see it if you want a fast-moving drama. This could have been effective as a one-acter. It is way too long. Haberle Roth strikes the wrong note.

See it if you enjoy being tortured, really TORTURED!

Don't see it if you have you have ANYTHING better to do other than being tortured for tour and a half hours.

Also Play was AWFUL on many levels!!! It was badly written, badly staged and badly acted - a triple threat, so to speak.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy intense dramas superbly performed

Don't see it if You're not comfortable with stories of death or performance in small spaces

See it if You appreciate fine acting in an intimate setting.

Don't see it if You like fast paced exciting or amusing theatre. Somewhat obtuse but well acted.

See it if you want to see a woman at the end of her life reflecting on her choices

Don't see it if introspection and intensity doesn't grab your attention

See it if Remarkable play by Marina Carr, outstanding performances from Pamela J. Gray, and Stephanie Roth Haberle, was staged with directorial

Don't see it if if you do not like irish playwrights

Also prowess by Ciarán O’Reilly in a very tight space (not an easy task). This play is more about reckoning then about death. Scarecrow tells the woman that that… “The world’s job is to take everything from you. Yours is not to let it.” I learned how this woman lived, weather she was happy or not, what kind of regrets she had, what kind of mistakes she made, whether or not she has loved, and many other important moments that make life worth living. I did not find this play depressing; on the contrary I find it very intellectually stimulating.
I also realized that I need to slow down, take account of my life now when I have a chance to modify it, and not wait until the end.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy Irish delving into the philosophy of life and death

Don't see it if you don't like lots of philosophical dialogue in a very small theater.

See it if you're up for a meditation on dying.

Don't see it if you'd rather walk down the sunny side of the street.

Also Pretty much everything produced by the Irish Rep has quality and substance. However, one person's main course is another person's snack. For all of it's good writing, I found this piece a bit too poetic and lengthly. There was also some inconsistency in terms of the interplay between Scarecrow and the other 'living' characters, which was a bit confusing. A well-done play, in any event.... Read more Read less

See it if You like great acting and thought provoking monologue.

Don't see it if Your afraid to think about life and death

See it if Insightful exploration of the mind of a dying woman and her alter ego keeps an otherwise immobile performance alive until it explodes at end

Don't see it if You get itchy and impatient as one's character slowly develops in front of you: be patient.

See it if You enjoy fast-fire witty cutting dialogue.

Don't see it if You are disturbed by the topic of death.

See it if Irish theater that explores the line between self and the world, who we are and who we present ourselves to be.

Don't see it if Dark themes and intensity.

See it if you like a good drama dealing with death

Don't see it if if you have issues with dealing with death

See it if you like great writing and immersing yourself in a completely different world that tackles tough themes and stories head on.

Don't see it if you don't like dark, morbid stories that hold up a mirror to the most difficult aspects of humankind

See it if you want to experience one of the best performances by a lead actor. Phenomenal! Brilliant! Captivating! Thought provoking!

Don't see it if you are not ready to face some of the conversations of truth that one encounters when facing death's door.

See it if you would like to experience the work of a major Irish playwright whose plays are infrequently performed in the US.

Don't see it if intense encounters in small, closed spaces intimidate you.

Also Marina Carr is a major voice in Ireland but her work isn’t often produced here. So I welcomed this chance to experience “Woman and Scarecrow” in the tiny underground space at Irish Rep. But while the play is consistently intense, even exhilarating in flashes, it’s not fully successful. A woman lies on her deathbed, entertaining visits from her conscience/guardian angel, from her wayward husband & from the aunt that raised her. Her relationship with each visitor changes violently, from tender to savage & back again, with the volcanic shift of her moods. Yet the deathbed scene remains unaltered, so even the repeated whiplash changes start to feel stagnant. The woman is castigated for being too timid to have ever truly lived, yet that verdict feels at odds with her towering emotions, & we learn she’s had her share of lovers. I loved how Death hides out in the wardrobe, & what a surprise when Death at last appears! But the play felt like a 1-act stretched over 2 strange hours.... Read more Read less

See it if Superb acting by entire cast. Great directing. Touchy topic. Intimate space What more does one need?

Don't see it if It is not fun in a fun sense. It is sensitive.. Not for those who need an uplift dancing eve.

See it if Very intense, makes you think a lot as you watch it and even after you watch it

Don't see it if If you're feeling a little down it might not be the best play for you but it might be a good play to see because you might appreciate life.

See it if Love Irish plays w/o reservation & are ok w deathbed story of a woman as she looks back and regrets her life. Oy vey, such drama. Not light

Don't see it if You want a neat/tidy story that strives to be profound. This is confusing, long, slow, excruciating at times. Religious and familial themes.

See it if Woman on deathbed struggles with Scarecrow, her inner adversary, to let go of regrets, failures, accomplishments and get to the other side.

Don't see it if You won't enjoy a talky, dark, slow moving play that discusses deep issues. References to great Irish authors/literature go over your head.

See it if you think about issues of identity and what is really important at the end. Particularly for women who are taught to conform to expectations

Don't see it if you don't like thinking about your mortality and think women who rebel are just hysterics.

See it if If you enjoy fables about Irish folks. Interesting concept however you must have patience for this story.

Don't see it if Do not see if you expect a well paced and constructed drama.

See it if pondering the inevitability of your own demise is not overly discomfiting, and if you appreciate drama that cuts to the bone--surgically.

Don't see it if you don't want to think about shuffling off your mortal coil, or if death is a difficult subject for you to sit through for two hours.

Also My hat is off yet again to the Irish Rep for bringing this important work to their stage. It was almost mesmerizing, with important topics up for discussion between Woman and Scarecrow, who could be construed to be either her conscience, her ego, or her guardian angel. Confronting truths about life, especially our own, is difficult for the best of us, but this play will lead you down that path in a tender and comforting way. Don't miss it. BTW, I think this play resonates more with women than men, but that's just MHO.... Read more Read less