Behind the Sheet

See it if I have seen many plays in my lifetime but this play leaves a profound effect on the viewers.While the subject matter was really horrible,the

Don't see it if If you don't won't to witness the barbaric behavior forced on Black women during their enslavement.

Also acting was superb.Every character in this play you either loved or hated.There were some tender moments as well because it was about enslaved Black women.ACTING is an art,this play was really a masterful piece of acting.See this production if you can.You won't be disappointed!!!... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see great script, acting, staging, beautiful costume blended in a small theater. A masterful play on a horrific subject

Don't see it if You want something light,dont want to listen story of the slaves told from their perspective,medical experiment on slaves will make you cry

Also This is one of the best show I have seen in a long time. The only reason I did not give 100 is the location, close to 11th ave.

The story was heartbreaking, medical experiments done enslaved black women, surgeries done without anesthesia during 1840, these nameless cases went through gruesome experience, some died during or after the surgeries will make you cry. It was so powerful both by the story and acting, I did not want it to end. Kudos to the entire team for allowing each actor to shine in their own light, without overshadowing the others.... Read more Read less

See it if you're interested in learning about a true but abhorrent practice done to female slaves in the 1840's. Beautifully acted, and written.

Don't see it if There's no reason not to see it.

See it if you want to see an intense, moving play that puts us face-to-face with a shameful chapter of history while giving voices back to these women

Don't see it if you are squeamish about medical operations/blood being discussed or mimed

Also I haven't been able to get this astonishingly good play out of my head. It's an intense show, but so good -- and the staging makes you feel like you're inside the room with the characters, and all of the main actresses in particular bring their uniquely written characters fully to life.... Read more Read less

See it if If you think it is critical to learn overlooked issues stemming from slavery and the dehumanization of women.

Don't see it if If you don't care about anything serious..

Also It is hard to fully convey the pain of this play, since it is factual. If this did not resonate with every woman in the audience, I wonder if anything could...... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy brilliant acting of a powerful play that explores a dark past in this country's history.

Don't see it if painful depictions of the past exploring the vile abuse of slave women is triggering.

See it if Very powerful play about Medical experiments on female slaves. Part Fact with some fiction.

Don't see it if You have no interest in that time of history.

Also What happen may not be well known by alot of people. Its is so moving, heart breaking. Tears in my eye and pain in my heart for these beautiful women. Important story that need to told.... Read more Read less

See it if Little known historical subject matter that will illicit strong emotions. Totally memorable, stimulating, vivid performances

Don't see it if Medical procedures make you squeamish and you want something light

See it if you enjoy plays based on science. This play explores the early days of gynecology and the exploited slave women who participated.

Don't see it if you are uncomfortable with how African American slaves were exploited.

See it if great acting, something i never new about, extended to 2/10

Don't see it if you had a long hard time delivering a baby

See it if historical* subject of how black female slaves were used for multiple painful experimental surgeries - the beginning of modern gynecology

Don't see it if don't want subjects of women in pain or blacks being treated as property

Also * some liberties/fictional details added - but they are well done and add to the sense of the slaves being treated as 'property'.
Generally well balanced play. The various slave women have different personalities so there are moments of humor. The doctor, although a narcissistic racist, was not portrayed as a sadistic torturer.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy excellent performances and production values, superb design and staging, theatre at its best! Very engaging & great playwriting.

Don't see it if graphic medical descriptions are problematic, the patron sitting next to me was super sensitive and started crying.

See it if You want a bit of history sprinkled with fiction about a medical breakthrough and the role that enslaved black women had in it.

Don't see it if You are not able to see a play that depicts a period in time where enslaved black people did not have the right to say NO.

Also This play was very interesting and informative. The performers did a great job in this performance. It was rough thinking about what these women went through while this doctor operated on them without the use of ether and they had to be held down by other slave women while the procedure was taking place. On the flip side, it was great that they enabled the discovery of a medical procedure to help women. I am glad I saw this performance. I learned something.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a profound exposure of historical medical events not well known that involve enslaved black women in the 1840's.

Don't see it if on a night where you can't bear the pain of how badly slaves were treated

Also This was a powerful play. I happened to see it the night after I saw the movie "If Beale Street Could Talk" which also felt like a gut-punch in the stomach.

This play was informative, emotionally moving, heart-breaking - but tells an important story that should be told and remembered.

I saw this play at the Ensemble Theater in Jan 2019.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy good drama based on history, presented in an intimate, well-designed space, with a good cast who make you feel the pain endured.

Don't see it if you do not like reliving times in which black people were treated as property and used in inhumane ways.

See it if open to quietly intense drama about shameless exploitation of enslaved women to pursue medical success; bitter humor; powerful performances

Don't see it if wishing to remain ignorant of this brutality enslaved women suffered—but exposure to this silenced history is too important an experience

See it if You enjoy well done tales of shared human suffering that are endured to lesson human suffering. Stories of the pain of being worth less.

Don't see it if You mind some slavery fiction cliches and playing loosely with the history. The play not resolving various threads.

Also This is an elite original off-off production that should be seen before it’s run ends. While it took liberties with history in cliched ways it avoided what I will call slavery porn. Instead it ruminates on the soft degradation of being viewed as less valuable than other people. It also ruminates on shared pain of medical illnesses and explores how something as simple as getting better isn’t liberating if you arnt free. This is a well cast well done production through and through with some excellent dialogue. I’ll defend the lack of resolutions as true to history and true to the theme, they don’t have control so it’s not resolved. It’s a different take on the scientific breakthrough genre and a slightly different take on the slavery genre.... Read more Read less

See it if interest in Sims:”father of gynecology”:he experimented on slave women to invent tools/procedures.I’m in OBGYN-had to go!wonderful new play!

Don't see it if abused slaves,cruel surgeries, pain, heartache is trigger for you.Venue is poor:hot, hard to find, untrained staff, disrepair,but stage good

See it if you like drama that feels lived and powerful​

Don't see it if you don't like watching physical suffering and medical surgery depiction on stage

See it if you're interested in medical history, or a parable on where we've come but how far we still need to go on race and gender relations.

Don't see it if you can't handle sensitive and explicit talk of medical conditions and surgeries, or if you prefer uplifting fiction to harsh reality.

Also While I mention the grim reality of the plot, I must also note how skillfully the play weaves in some comic relief to keep you into it and allow the pacing to hum along nicely.... Read more Read less

See it if interested in learning of little known episode in 1840's of forced experimental surgical procedures on female slaves with postpartum pain.

Don't see it if you can't handle scenes of physical & emotional suffering.

Also Story is well told & beautifully acted. At times touching, at times horrific. There were some liberties taken with the character of the doctor, which were explained at the curtain call.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in learning about the true heroes behind scientific advancements; beautiful production

Don't see it if you're not interested in a history lesson

See it if Painful, excruciating, slow, powerful, rich, beautiful, extraordinary and sad, intensely sad. And worth seeing.

Don't see it if Enslavement, women's history, and the history of medicine are complex subjects worthy of representation.

Also I don't know how these gifted performers can sit in this piece night after night. I was profoundly moved yet sick to my stomach. This is truly the power of art. I'm so glad I saw this play, but I could not see it again for some time.... Read more Read less

See it if to see fictionalized account of horrific period of US history. This story should be heard by all. Well acted, written, directed and staged.

Don't see it if you don't want to confront some of the ugliest legacies of slavery. If you can't bear to see painful subject matter.

Also The musical Hamilton asks "who lives, who dies, who tells your story?" Thanks to brave playwrights we get to hear the stories that usually don't get told and are often forgotten. Kudos to all involved in this.... Read more Read less

See it if you are up for a fascinating exploration of gynecological history. This will get you thinking, a lot.

Don't see it if you are not up for another expose of the evils associated with slavery.

Also Beautifully designed and acted. One caveat: Do not read the Playbill first. Too much information about the history behind the play and its narrative arc. Another trip to Green-Wood Cemetery is in the offing....... Read more Read less