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. Read more
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
"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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“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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"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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"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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"'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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"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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