Debriefing (FringeNYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Member Reviews (16)
See it if A well acted show.
Don't see it if Even if you believe the stereotypes, you don't believe in them as caricatures
See it if See it if you want to see something with a sympathetic Muslim character.
Don't see it if You want to see good theatre. Direction is a mixed bag.
Critic Reviews (3)
"Under the laissez-faire direction of Joan Kane, the scenes often feel like a half-hearted production of Mamet's 'Oleanna' rather than a spy thriller...Despite Gill's contrived plot and implausible dialogue, 'Debriefing' occasionally hits the mark in examining how the expectation of loyalty can cross the line into exploitation and how people come to be seen as expendable in pursuit of a grand crusade. These are huge issues that deserve a regular hearing onstage, just not one this forced."
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"The core idea is exciting…Gill writes in a mostly taut style that results in clipped, spare back-and-forth while sometimes launching into more poetic expansiveness…The casually realistic style of performance and direction makes the more florid passages feel discordant and writer-ly…Make no mistake, the stakes are high in the lives of these people, but too often, small events are played with as much significance as enormous ones."
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"In the last few years several new plays have treated prevailing concerns of espionage or terrorism in a compelling way. Unfortunately, in its current manifestation, this play isn't one of them...Despite the intricate set up of the plot and the cast's very competent acting, interest flags as the belabored and over-written play dissipates its potential energy. Quicker, crisper scenes would cover the same territory while retaining audience attention."
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