Circle Jerk NYC Reviews and Tickets

73%
(35 Ratings)
Positive
74%
Mixed
23%
Negative
3%
Members say
Ambitious, Funny, Dizzying, Clever, Quirky

The chaotic queer examination of the digital and the irl returns for a limited engagement for Pride.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (35)

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139 Reviews | 20 Followers
100
Insanity, Electric, Funny, Crazy

See it if you love Rocky Horror, Taylor Mac, Charles Busch, Bo Burnham type madness! Over-the-top characters, culture mashup, super fun time.

Don't see it if rapid fire pop dialogue, gender send ups, 21st c woke "plot", swift seamless costume & camera changes may overwhelm you. Read more

140 Reviews | 10 Followers
90
Intense, Must see, Edgy, Funny, Ambitious

See it if you want to see cutting-edge theatre that satirizes contemporary society.

Don't see it if you prefer traditional theatre.

589 Reviews | 142 Followers
90
Dangerous, Absurdist, Great production values

See it if you want to see a show that challenges "queer" stereotypes through farce (not in a positive way) with great production values

Don't see it if you need to project "gay" "values" onto all gay men Read more

754 Reviews | 127 Followers
88
Bizarre, Hilarious, Extreme media, Farce, Parody

See it if your imagination can bear this spawn of The Ridiculous Theatrical Co & The Cockettes nurtured on the dark web & born on the Lower East Side

Don't see it if you believe in logical plots, visible performance spaces or limiting the number of characters any actor can play in a single performance. Read more

55 Reviews | 10 Followers
84
Great staging, Edgy, Funny, Clever, Ambitious

See it if You like ridiculously clever referential theater staged for the gods that knows its roots and isn't impressed. You might be Very Online.

Don't see it if You don't like references, politics, or being made fun of, you don't like "internet humor," you don't understand social media

372 Reviews | 84 Followers
81
Daring, Physical, Contagious, Celebratory, Whimsical

See it if Rag tag whirlwind of body positivity- gay pride- talented cast of three that practically performed a marathon of cleverness.

Don't see it if A combination of live stream/live performance means that you are watching multiple screens and live actors ---It is busy and fast paced. Read more

713 Reviews | 401 Followers
80
Great acting, Quirky, Entertaining, Clever, Absorbing

See it if Surreal & high camp colored in pop culture & clever video aids. Will be appreciated by the millennial & Gen X communities.

Don't see it if If you prefer a serious drama or musical then skip this one.

184 Reviews | 30 Followers
76
Hurtling, Broad, Clever, Funny, Chaotic

See it if you'd enjoy a fast-paced chaotic play offering witty commentary on current culture. Incisive writing and good acting. Rambunctious and fun.

Don't see it if you prefer traditional exposition. Some obscure references & quick shifts. Not sure why 2 intermissions. I enjoyed live more than streaming.

Critic Reviews (4)

New York Magazine / Vulture
June 15th, 2022

"So perch the laurel wreath atop of their many, many wigs: The Fake Friends have produced the first, best, most important play made entirely from vibes, which is what you get when you let the internet substitute for atmosphere."
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Theatermania
June 14th, 2022

"Rather than breathlessly dramatizing our era of Russian trolls and disinformation, 'Circle Jerk' does something even better: It makes us laugh. And in doing so, it offers the best response to an online culture that takes itself way too seriously"
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TheaterScene.net
June 22nd, 2022

In "Circle Jerk," this cocky duo confidently preen, bray and cavort while donning various wigs and flamboyant costumes as multiple fey stock characters for over two numbing hours of their self-congratulatory twaddle. Their grating characterizations are achieved by intently staring into the camera, making faces, raising eyebrows and doing voices. It’s not "Your Show of Shows," but a niche audience of friends, relatives and trustafarians who could be amused by their antics. Cat Rodríguez appears in several female roles with campy flair.
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New York Theater
June 14th, 2022

a funny, campy, discombobulating hybrid theater piece that’s a spoof of both gay and digital culture (and also an example of each)….The stage version is much like the online one… But a three-dimensional perspective, and action mostly contained within a proscenium, provides a greater sense of continuity and clarity…. nods to a fabulous gay theatrical past – specifically the late Charles Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company – even while it….jerks?….towards a tech-savvy theatrical future.
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