Dido of Idaho NYC Reviews and Tickets

"Morbidly charming...Hilariously off-kilter and engrossing at the start...Even when the romantic trio seem too aware of the laughs, watching them is a delight. That is until the end of the first act, when the play takes a sharp turn with a grisly fight scene that, while artfully choreographed, raises a dramatic hurdle that the script can’t clear...For all its daring subversion of expectations, the play takes a sharp left turn out of familiar territory, only to lose its way."
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"Rosebrock pushes her comedy into darker-than-dark territory with bold flourishes (including rapid-fire dialogue) and a mind-bending second-act twist...Mahony establishes a broadly comedic tone that doesn’t fully encompass 'Dido of Idaho's' disturbing underpinnings; instead of being prepared for its alarming detours, we feel like we just got punked. Ultimately, this smart and amusing play has the same problem as its central figure: It doesn't quite live up to its potential."
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"With its train-wreck heroine, classical-literature references, brutally candid cast of supporting characters, and wild twists, it quickly develops an audacious quality all its own...If the play sometimes shifts gears wildly, the director, Mikhaela Mahony, wields an efficient stick shift, and she gets skillful performances from her cast...Anyone who can combine mistaken-identity farce with brutal violence, feminist analysis, and a scene of hard-won forgiveness is clearly a writer to watch."
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"The cultural storylines of romantic dramas are as familiar as those of ancient myths or modern reality shows, but Rosebrock upends these narratives to find humor and truth beneath them...Female empathy forms a redemptive balm to the flawed world in which the characters operate, and the play’s women share appealing chemistry...'Dido’s' core message is one of empowerment, pushing us to actively change the internal and socialized damage we lament."
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"Although the production could use a defter hand at the helm, the play takes surprising twists that turn our preconceptions upside down, and keeps us riveted to our seats...Rosebrock’s script is witty, perceptive and well-paced. But it’s also very nuanced...Many of the production choices (or lack thereof) did not serve the play as well as they should have...The script is excellent and there is some outstanding acting."
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"As directed by Mikhaela Mahony with a somewhat unfocused all-over-the-place eye that does eventually offer up some solid and surprising doses of tension, humor, and horror, the play goes dark quickly...Powerful and deep, the balance of comedy and surreal destruction is at moments muddled, as are the first few scenes of love and self-help, but this story of love and despair holds together at the end of Nora’s voyage."
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"As a playwright, Rosebrock brings an invigorating new voice to the stage...'Dido' careens from high-minded laughs to cutthroat rage to soft-edged dreamscape...The result is a crash course in self-respect and surviving betrayal, be it romantic, familial, or self-inflicted...Given a project full of risky physicality, twisty plot turns and obscure references, director Mikhaela Mahoney and her dynamic company provide a powerhouse interpretation of Rosebrock’s clever script."
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