See it if you can immerse yourself in poetic, challenging, troubling yet beautiful experimental theater. Edgy, stimulating, well acted & choreographed
Don't see it if you want fluff and fun & fret over linear plot lines. Tormented & not easy to grasp. Definitely not for everyone, but I loved the experience
See it if you want to see something totally different and very emotionally tugging despite being a bit confusing, with unique blend of acting/dancing.
Don't see it if if you don’t like seeing something without a straight story line; dislike silent or dark moments, or loud noises with the lights out. Read more
See it if want theater to keep you guessing, are ok w little plot/unexplained worlds. This is a character study in a dystopian future. Not easy.
Don't see it if Don't like dark, experimental/edgy stuff. It's confounding, intense, melancholy both in script & production. Read the Brit reviews before. Read more
See it if a haunting, fascinating, sometimes confusing, dystopian Enda Walsh play might be for you. Choreography and acting are wonderful.
Don't see it if A more straight-forward play is for you. I have preferred Walsh's other plays more.
See it if you are interested in experimental, dystopic theatre. You are a fan of theatre that blends in dance and multimedia elements.
Don't see it if you don't want to think about or be challenged by what you're seeing onstage. You aren't a fan of pieces that are more like performance art.
See it if You have an open mind and can enjoy an "outside the box" experience
Don't see it if You want an easy to follow narrative and tidy ending
See it if There were flashes of brilliance, particularly in the parts with dance.
Don't see it if Although I was never bored, I was very confused. Still am.
See it if You're really into experimental theatre, absurdist work (Beckett et. al.), are interested in the how of a story's construction.
Don't see it if You are looking for plot, clear explanations, or a happy ending.
"So well acted and presented that it engages you emotionally almost against its better judgement...It’s an enigmatic, dystopian tale delivered with visual panache, an excellent sound design and three performances that breathe life into its mysterious story. If Walsh hadn’t shied away from the compelling plot he put into motion, it might have achieved greatness...Walsh sets up a marvelous dynamic. But the story we want mostly takes place in between the scenes we see."
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“With the frantic yet ponderous ‘Arlington,’ Walsh’s confinement obsession has entirely run out of theatrical fuel. That dearth of new ideas is apparent from the director-playwright’s reliance on gimmicks…The only novelty is that Walsh attempts to blend his usual relentless comic style with a portentous dose of dystopian seriousness...The performers do their best to keep up with Walsh’s whimsy…But the material is so repetitive and so half-formed that their efforts are wasted here."
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"The play is no less defeatist than Walsh’s previous works, but for the first time there is a glimmer of resistance...'Arlington' is the type of play that invites a number of interpretations, all of which are right, and few of which can be supported with evidence from the stage...There’s no denying the play’s morbid charm. Charlie Murphy’s Isla is instantly endearing...O’Conor is a heartbreaking deer in the headlights, doing his best to remain human in a dehumanized wasteland."
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“I didn’t enjoy ‘Arlington.’ I don’t think you’re supposed to…I was ready to write it off. But the play keeps coming back to me…Walsh’s dystopian fantasy feels like a waking nightmare. It’s not plausible, but it’s not ridiculous, either...It gives me the shivers…Charlie Murphy’s Isla is funny, practical and engaging…We’re left wondering what the Hell is going on for far too long...Weird isn’t always poetic...Plot matters...'Arlington' is 80 minutes of situation."
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"A new form of theatre that includes drama, dance, music and visual art...I found 'Arlington' less fascinating for what it says than for the way it says it. Walsh is clearly out to demolish the distinction between drama and visual art...Walsh is also creating a theatre in which movement exists on an equal footing with text...When I’ve forgotten the ideas, I shall still recall Walsh’s boldness in weaving his closely textured poetic prose into a new form of category-defying theatre."
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"A tremendous exploration of the transcending of circumstance...Walsh – he also directs – and the creative team combine stunning effects with playful physicality: think Christopher Nolan meets Charlie Chaplin. There are neat tricks in Jamie Vartan’s set, with the design team making Isla’s room come alive. Jack Phelan provides some of the most stirring video work that’s been seen on an Irish stage and Emma Martin’s choreography is visceral."
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"A brave and thought-provoking production...The end result is a technical masterclass, with 'Arlington' delivering a technically tight and complex show, beautifully and brilliantly executed. Yet despite its embarrassment of riches, 'Arlington' isn't always as strong as its individual components...'Arlington' brings disparate elements together to riff and improvise around a structure, and more often than not they hit the mark...An utterly unforgettable experience."
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