55 Shades of Gay: Balkan Spring of Sexual Revolution
Closed 1h 10m
55 Shades of Gay: Balkan Spring of Sexual Revolution
64

55 Shades of Gay: Balkan Spring of Sexual Revolution NYC Reviews and Tickets

64%
(24 Ratings)
Positive
29%
Mixed
58%
Negative
13%
Members say
Confusing, Ambitious, Edgy, Disappointing, Dizzying

About the Show

La MaMa presents the US premiere of Kosovo’s Qendra Multimedia in a contemporary burlesque story about LGBTI politics in the Balkans.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (24)

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77 Reviews | 22 Followers
80
Enchanting, Clever, Absorbing

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.

572 Reviews | 138 Followers
79
Committed, Experimental, Heartfelt, Burlesque take, 70s agit prop

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

683 Reviews | 161 Followers
77
Personable, Episodic, Eastern european, Queer, Educational

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. Read more

1122 Reviews | 324 Followers
74
Relevant, Quirky, Dizzying, Thought-provoking, Entertaining

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.

567 Reviews | 150 Followers
73
Experimental satire, Thought-provoking, Quirky, Edgy, Great singing

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

175 Reviews | 24 Followers
69
Great staging, Confusing, Thought-provoking, Entertaining, Clever

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.

69 Reviews | 11 Followers
69
Relevant, Funny, Great staging, Confusing, Clever

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.

281 Reviews | 27 Followers
69
Quirky, Raunchy, Dizzying, Confusing, Ambitious

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

Critic Reviews (6)

BroadwayWorld
March 15th, 2019

"With a running time of 70 minutes, this brisk burlesque-infused play tracks the progress and problems of a male gay couple...Equal parts peep show and politics, the play burns hot (fuchsia) unapologetically...'55 Shades' electrifies what could have been an otherwise important-but-familiar 'fight for your rights' story...At times grim, grotesque but consistently gripping, the show's sights and sounds don't only push the envelope, they lick it."
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Blog Critics
March 13th, 2019

“Costume elements, personifications of inanimate objects, and abstract blocking hark unapologetically back to the 20th-century theatrical avant-garde. But filtered through an unfamiliar culture, the spectacle feels mostly fresh, and all heartfelt. One can only marvel at the effort and dedication that must have gone, first, into creating and mounting this controversial show in Kosovo, then rendering much of it into English and taking it across the ocean...Powerful, semi-operatic curiosity.”
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T
March 12th, 2019

"Equal parts flamboyant exaggeration and furious indignation, '55 Shades of Gay' is a jumble of styles, languages, and music...An interesting piece of theatrical experimentation. The five Kosovar actors, particularly the lovelorn Tristan Halilaj, manage to present nicely drawn characterizations (and cartoons) amidst the grotesquerie and satire. Overall, the performance feels a bit long likely due to repetition in the storytelling."
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L
March 13th, 2019

"Laugh-out-loud comedy...The play’s universal message of overcoming bigotry and fighting for equality is relevant whether in Kosovo, or…Kentucky!...The play tickles and titillates the audience with its colorful, multi-media mix of bawdy dialogue, music, burlesque, and visual projections– all imbued with naughty but smart humor and a lovingly over-the-top queer sensibility running throughout...A deliciously raunchy, truly unique comedy that’s more relevant than ever in 2019."
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R
March 11th, 2019

"'55 Shades of Gay' is a fun and frenetic play from Kosovo dealing with the problems when well-meaning outsiders clash with locals over morals, aid money and sexuality. It uses a variety show of ideas, songs and vignettes related to an Italian factory owner who wants to marry a local man. The mayor and Prime Minister realize that the EU approve Constitution allows same gender marriage, despite the locals' objections. A humorous look at imposed values."
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M
March 12th, 2019

"Nothing in '55 Shades of Gay' is subtle...The vast artistic creativity onstage is innovative, provocative, and unabashedly electrifying...'55 Shades of Gay' scorches the inane & inhumane obstacles to people loving each other...The play also eloquently touches the heart in its quieter moments. A tree on stage testifies to having born witness to years of homophobic brutality and stands as a reminder there are no innocent bystanders. '55 Shades of Gay' at La Mama must be seen in all its glory."
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