55 Shades of Gay: Balkan Spring of Sexual Revolution

See it if You like witty dialogue, good singing, and an international theme.

Don't see it if You’re uptight and uncomfortable with transgender and gay themes.

See it if you like inventive, quick paced with a great cast

Don't see it if you want a play that is clear, this leaves much to your inner mind.

See it if throwback 2 experimental theatre as it once was, primer on gay rights in Albania, humorous take on imposition of values 2 gain E.U. status

Don't see it if no interest in gay issues, fear supertitles & translation, need polished production values, offended by sexual imagery & issues

See it if you are interested in experiencing a theatricalized take on the emergence of queer life in a Balkan country.

Don't see it if you want a play: this is a series of vignettes staged as a floor show.

Also I enjoyed “55 SHADES OF GAY.” It taught me many things about the emergence of queer life in a Balkan country that has seen wrenching social change in the past generation, & did it by showing off the bodies & talents of its queer-friendly theater troupe. All 6 performers are personable. (1 of them stays planted behind the music console most of the time.) And the central gay male couple & the woman who sometimes plays MC are particularly dynamic & attractive. Nothing in this floor show series of vignettes is particularly revolutionary theatrically. But the story it tells gives some measure of how far international queer rights have come in a very short time—& how sobering it is that the forces arrayed against granting those rights remain so entrenched.... Read more Read less

See it if you would like a taste of the life faced by those in Eastern European countries in these challenging times. Good acting and singing non-stop

Don't see it if you are bothered reading superscripts to understand what is being said or you find more than an hour on a tight folding chair difficult.

See it if From Kosovo, an experimental satire of same-sex marriage rights w/ singing. The plight of the Albanian homosexual gets short shrift today.

Don't see it if Battalions are sent to Syria, but the social problems of Kosovo are ignored.Some broken english, but Albanian valiant effort w/ superscripts

See it if you support experimental (community) theater with int'l/political lgbt theme. The staging is interesting but the story telling- confusing.

Don't see it if you prefer linear, clear & traditional plots. Also if you just want to be entertained & not to analyze the material or deal w/ lgbt issues.

See it if you enjoy stories about LGBTQ rights. You like experimental theatre.

Don't see it if you find it annoying reading subtitles. You don't like plays in another language.

See it if You’re interested in LGBTQ rides in a foreign country and don’t mind reading a superscript to understand the actors

Don't see it if If you have limited interest in the LBGTQ Community or annoyed by reading a superscript

See it if Disjointed effort to shed light on gay Kosovo political scene Language is a stumbling block w/poorly illuminated subtitles Cast is spirited

Don't see it if Needs a more powerful dramatic punch than burlesque style can provide Critique of EU's economic leverage good but underdeveloped Finale A+

See it if you enjoy experimental theatre presenting the LGBTQ POV in the European Union, It ain't all that it looks like. Very poignant but difficult

Don't see it if shows spoken mostly in Albanian or the language of Kosovo with titles that lag and weird staging and effects. It goes over the top

See it if You like experimental theater with a lot of singing. You are interested in stories about gay marriage abroad. Very talented cast.

Don't see it if You like linear stories or a clear plot; you don't like hearing foreign languages. There were a lot of bizarre parts and it was a bit messy.

See it if you loved Vietnam War protest theater. Ironic & loud using absurd actions & statements to make obvious points. Well done for what it is.

Don't see it if any of the above bothers you.

See it if You are looking for an intense show with serious themes. At times overwhelming with its consistently depressing themes

Don't see it if Could have used an uplifting or even slightly upbeat scene. The subtitles with offensive phrases got to me by the end of it.

See it if Experimental; Albania gay themes; chaos, randomness; colorful sets;

Don't see it if disorder; too much subtitle reading for scenes in Albanian thereby missing the acting (which was subpar); too much smoke; screaming

See it if You are interested learning about how difficult gay life is in Kosovo. Or a play that must be shocking beyond belief in Kosovo.

Don't see it if You have difficulty sitting in a cramped folding chair for 70 minutes. dont mind a play requiring subtitles, angry songs, too bright light

See it if Experimental, gay, colorful characters, cross dressing, foreign language

Don't see it if Reading Subtitles, poor story flow, accents, avante garde

See it if The show is done in a narrative style and has an interesting point of view about gay repression. There are some funny moments.

Don't see it if The show repeats itself over and over saying the same thing to the point of boredom. I didn’t hate it but I certainly didn’t love it either.

See it if to experience a sincere, heartfelt cast and production from Kosovo concerning LGBTQ issues in Kosovo.

Don't see it if Unless it's important for you to experience a radical political play that is an outcry by a severely oppressed LGBTQ population first hand.

See it if I have no idea, I left in the middle

Don't see it if Your English is not perfect The actors speak with the stooong accent, hard to understand

See it if You want to see offensive stereotypes of gay people from a straight white man and straight actors & feel like having your safety threatened

Don't see it if You are part of any marginalized community, especially The Gays