See it if you enjoy hearing a classical song with a non-scenic backdrop and the action focused on the characters developing the plot with no distracts
Don't see it if you don't like operatic singing and short scene vignettes
See it if You like Greek mythology fused with a handful of opera songs. Voices were great as was the acting.
Don't see it if You don't like a long show and uncomfortable wood seats. Otherwise the show is a "go see it"!
See it if you are interested in listening to some beautiful operatic voices, a simplistic design of a powerful show, some wonderful acting.
Don't see it if you need all the trappings of a set, props and costumes. Read more
See it if You want to hear some lovely music sung with great fervor somewhat lacking in modulation. Hear an abbreviated old tale.
Don't see it if you need more than a bare stage with a hassock and gold draped pedestal.
See it if you like seeing experimental theater and classically trained opera singers
Don't see it if seating matters to you, these seats are painful!
See it if you are unfamiliar with Anouilh's play, since it is great and worth knowing.
Don't see it if you want anything above a bare-bones staging. If mediocre singing offends you. Two of the arias were very good, but others much less so. Read more
See it if You are a fan of opera and ancient Greek classics
Don't see it if You don't like opera and have no interest in Greek tragedies Read more
See it if you like minimal (as in nonexistent) sets and an interesting take on a classic play. You like an intimate theatre
Don't see it if sets and costumes are important to you. Read more
"The acting is impressive on all fronts...I couldn't help feeling that the opera didn't really jibe with the rest of the play. This wasn't because the singers couldn't pull it off but, for whatever reason, the production felt a little disjointed, and the transitions to opera from the script seemed a little awkward. That being said, this sense of disjointedness was the only serious flaw I found in the play, as the acting, singing, and staging were all exceptionally well done."
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"It is painful to see brilliant text landing flat due to bad direction...Fusion Theatre’s production uses ultra-minimalistic scenic design and mostly modern-day clothing, which seems more like the product of a lazy mind than an artistic decision, and it is ultimately a lost opportunity to make a statement...Even though the arias might seem a bit too long and heavy in the relation to the spoken text and are there are no supertitles, these numbers are the gems of the production."
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"The impact is powerful...The sympathetic Creon brings us to a high point of this production: Groen...What an experience, to hear this full, operatic bass not in a vast opera house but in the intimate setting of, yes, Off-Broadway...If there were no other reason to see this play–and there are many others–Groen’s 'Ella Giammai' would be of itself worth all...The acting is for the most part of high caliber...The operatic music was thought-provoking, enriching and a pleasure to hear."
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"Fusion Theatre’s mission is to merge classical theatre with opera...The technique works very well...O’Dea gives a superb performance as Antigone...Groen, as well, gives a marvelous, complex performance as Creon. In fact, the entire cast is first-rate. O’Dea directs the show, and she keeps it sharp and focused throughout...The staging strips drama to bare truth. She eschews theatricality and gives us a direct honesty...This production is excellent, exquisite, a great success."
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