YES! Reflections of Molly Bloom

See it if A very entertaining 75 minutes or so. Well written, great direction. Irish rep did a masterful job of Joyce.

Don't see it if If you do not like literature, deep stories or something lite.

See it if Moloney's tour-de-force as Joyce's erotic heroine Molly Bloom is show's raison d'etre She makes dense prose & novel's sweep quite accessible

Don't see it if Solo performance in tiny black box can become static Staging esp hindered w/much repetitious movement (that closet door!) but Molly still A1

See it if you know Molly B’s soliloquy & love it, or only know of it & would like to experience a faithful rendition.

Don't see it if you know Molly B’s soliloquy & don’t like it or don’t think it’s dramatic enough to hold the stage for 70 minutes.

Also I’ve always loved the Molly Bloom section of “Ulysses”, for its rich, earthy language, its startling portrait of a mature, sensual woman &, important for a stage piece, its dramatic arc. Every year around Bloomsday (June 17) actors the world over do more-or-less elaborate dramatic readings of the whole 70 pages or some viable truncated version of it. This capping chapter of James Joyce’s novel has also birthed several stand-alone 1-woman shows. “YES! Reflections of Molly Bloom,” acted by Aedín Moloney, is clear, sensual, womanly, lovely to listen to & look at. The actor is perhaps too even—in the novel Molly rings lots of changes on the full range of emotions before going quiet at the culmination of her final exaltation; here the palette seems narrower. But anyone who loves the piece will want to hear this rendition, & anyone who doesn’t know the piece but would like to experience what all the century-long fuss, literary & legal, has been about will find in Moloney a sturdy guide.... Read more Read less

See it if You're familiar w/James Joyce's Ulysses. You enjoy stream of consciousness-style monologues. You like one-actor shows in intimate spaces.

Don't see it if You have little/no familiarity w/Ulysses. You're uncomfortable w/sexually explicit talk and/or nudity. You prefer linear storytelling.

Also 70 minutes of uninterrupted sex talk is A LOT. Add in that it jumps around in time from reminiscence to reminiscence w/little connection between them, made it a just OK play. Perhaps if I was more familiar w/Ulysses, it would've made more sense. Overall, despite a very talented actress, I just didn't get this one.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a great actress perform flawlessly for 75 minutes on a nice set with few, but important props. Pleasant music adds a lot.

Don't see it if the constant noise of another production upstairs and rude patrons eating and drinking spoil an evening like it did for me. Tight seating,

See it if Fictional adulterous wife in "Ulysses" and actor of a certain age admits to a sensual interior monologue; owning her body and her choices .

Don't see it if No!Relishing conquests in mind and body in an interior monologue's worth of indulgence,though literary, is still taxing for cellar-dwellers

See it if You like solo shows. You are interested in a single woman spend 75 minutes recalling sexual encounters.

Don't see it if you are not interested in the multiple lovers of 'Molly Bloom' and their respective prowess.

See it if You've read Ulysses by James Joyce or plan to and want to luxuriate in that sensual language for an hour or so. The performance is great!

Don't see it if you are not at all familiar w/ Joyce and have no plan or desire to be. This is virtually meaningless if you don't have a clue about context.

Also I've only seen Molly's soliloquy performed on film, with Molly in bed the entire time. The ability to move around and express herself with more than her voice added much to this piece.

I think this piece would resonate more for women, and men, post 40 who have had life experiences that wreak havoc. If you are at all a Joycean, this is a must-see for sure. It's right up there with The Dead, Joyce's short story that was so skillfully and beautifully done by the Irish Rep. Joyce has much to teach us--open yourself up to him and his quirkiness, and you will be rewarded.
(I consider the reading of Ulysses one of the most valuable experiences of my life, right up there with motherhood and The Ring Cycle.)

This is a rare and delicate piece, and Miss Moloney did right by Molly, Joyce, and me. Yes, she did, YES!!... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see Joyce's writing come to life in a masterful tour de force by Aedin Moloney. She inhabits Molly Bloom for 75 breathless mins.

Don't see it if you do not care for one-woman shows and are offended by nudity and sexual discussions.

See it if you'd like to see a fearless actress completely inhabit the character of Molly Bloom, in an intense, bravura performance

Don't see it if you don't care for stream-of-consciousness monologues; are not interested in women's issues that are as present today as they were in 1904

Also Just breathtaking. The kind of performance that I could see a second time just to reexperience the spoken word. Bravo, Aedin Moloney!... Read more Read less

See it if If you're at all familiar with anything by James Joyce and appreciate the poetic wonder of his words, you must see this brilliant piece.

Don't see it if You don't like a one person all talk work with no action (except the riot of action in your head) maybe you should skip this--a mistake imo.

See it if If you are a fan of Joyce, you will love this.

Don't see it if You don't like monologue plays or sexual references.

See it if you enjoy works of James Joyce, solo shows or a fan of Aedín Moloney’s work.

Don't see it if you’ll have a hard time comprehending Irish accent or dislike solo shows, nudity or sexual references.

See it if You love James Joyce, have read Ulysses or want a theatrical intro to the raucous sexuality of Molly Bloom in a one-woman play, well-done.

Don't see it if you don't like or know Joyce (or don't want to know) of his controversial modernist novel, banned in the UK until 1936 due to its sex.

See it if Classic literature acted out by an experienced actress; 70 min monologue of female sexual experience; contains nudity and strong language

Don't see it if stream of consciousness; no plot/conflict; audience dozing but dare not fall asleep cuz too close to stage; uncomfortable seatin in basement

See it if /for a great performance by Moloney. Familiarity with the book would definitely enhance the experience but isn’t absolutely necessary.

Don't see it if if you don’t like one-person shows, have no interest in James Joyce, or are a prude.

See it if you want to see an enactment of Molly's monologue from Ulysses; you are interested in or curious about Ulysses; you like excellent acting

Don't see it if Ulysses or a one-person show or an adaptation from the chapter of a novel doesn't interest you

Also My interest in this show was more for its literary connection than its theatrical dimension. This is not a drama, albeit there's drama in it.
I'm divided about how much you should know about Ulysses to see this play. Molly's monologue is the last chapter: it recapitulates the previous 17, & there are references to earlier actions that you aren't likely to know if you haven't read or read a summary of Ulysses.
The friend I took to see it knew nothing about Ulysses except its daunting reputation. Nonetheless, she responded to Molly's feminism & modernism. Even though she focused mostly on the sadnesses in Molly's life, undervaluing (I thought), her voracious appetite for life & love, my friend left saying she wanted to learn more about both Joyce & Ulysses.... Read more Read less

See it if You love James Joyce & ULYSSES and you're willing to sit thru a 70 minute monologue by a skilled actress where essentially nothing happens!

Don't see it if you want an engaging story with a PLOT & characters you can care about. Highly skilled actress, but at a certain point, I just didn't care.

See it if You love hearing the Penelope Chapter in any format. The staging was distracting, and the delivery, while clear, was a bit affected.

Don't see it if You don't know the work. Out of context, I'm not sure what I would make of it. Not the best reading of this work. Didn't stand alone well.

See it if ....you have a great love for text driven solo acting. Ms. Maloney's intense dramatization of James Joyce's epic is one not to be missed.

Don't see it if ...if you want to miss out on this rare opportunity to be exposed to this incredible text, performed by a master.

See it if you like this monolog and interested in rambling on of circuitous stories. If you want to see Joyce.

Don't see it if It went on long, and the stories didn;t feel that important for me to care. The actress worked hard.

See it if if you appreciate how 1 actress can seemingly effortlessly single-handedly capture (& use every aspect of) the teeny stage for 75 mins

Don't see it if if you need action, multiple characters, punctuation. if you don't like overt sexuality and sexual longing.

See it if You like an intense one person show. You want to see fantastic acting. You want to be exposed to James Joyce. You want to be taken away.

Don't see it if You don't like a little frontal nudity You are offended by a show that is sexually/sensually explicit You want something light and fluffy

Also Aeidin Moloney is masterful as Molly Bloom.She draws us in & keeps us with her for 75 straigh minutes. How she performs this monologue with an audience staring at her intensely from 3 sides of the theater is a wonder. Her performance is as much sensual as it is sexual, &is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago dealing with the ebbs & flows of relationships & life changes. I saw Aedin Moloney in James Joyce's "The Dead" at the Irish Historical Society & she was spectacular in that as well. While I did not remember her name, the moment I saw her (in the hall prior to the performance), I recognized her. She handles the partial nudity simply & naturally while standing on a pedestal for all to see. If you want to be drawn into Molly Blooms life & away from yours for 75 intense minutes, see this show. Aiden's dad musician/composer Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains complements her interpretation / soliloquoy with subdued Irish music. Aiden is spectacular.... Read more Read less

See it if You get James Joyce and have some knowledge of Molly Bloom’s soliloquy. This is a one woman show, a soliloquy, a monologue.

Don't see it if You don’t know James Joyce, Molly Bloom’s soliloquy or have a hard time with an Irish accent.

See it if you were always curious to read Ulysses but were daunted by its size

Don't see it if Literary one-person shows aren’t your thing.