Dress of Fire

See it if The bright spot was getting to see Austin Pendleton. The actors did a wonderful job with a very boring and difficult script.

Don't see it if You want to be entertained

See it if You enjoy shows that are basically monologues rather than interactive conversation. You are a fan of Austin Pendleton.

Don't see it if You are looking for a fast moving show with lots of interaction. You are a fan of Greek mythology and expect material to be familiar.

See it if You enjoy Greek tragedy from a modern perspective

Don't see it if You dislike plays where mythic times can only be suggested through the use of stilted language..

See it if you like Austin Pendleton and want to support new theater.

Don't see it if ancient Greek monologues bore you.. I don't think this show was successful in portraying the female side of war.

See it if you want to support a young theater group working on interesting material. An attempt to present the daily life of women living under seige

Don't see it if Real housewives of the Trojan nobility is not your thing -- only its not funny. Cast of 12 all doing monologs.

See it if Pendleton groupie.

Don't see it if Hate Greek drama and any adaptation thereof.

Also Pendleton is fine. Acting is a mixed bag. Beautiful stark white set, nicely accented accordingly when the story demands.... Read more Read less

See it if you are an Austin Pendleton fan; you will enjoy a new play based on Greek mythology

Don't see it if you're a purist about Greek mythology--among other things,this play has Alexander kidnapping/seducing Helen of Troy

See it if you are interested in contemporary takes on the Trojan War, that source for so many surviving classic Greek plays.

Don't see it if you are looking for either a classic Greek drama or a conventional modern play.

Also A student of classic Greek drama, I welcome playwright Nina Kethevan’s cogent antiwar take on the Trojan War. But so much stage time consists of Helen, Cassandra or Hecuba addressing the audience directly that it doesn’t always rise to the level of drama. Just as curious dramaturgically: 1st Helen, then Cassandra, achieve dramatic prominence only to fade from the play entirely. A suitor woos Cassandra in a lovely scene, but never returns. We later learn he’s courting Cassandra’s younger sister. Not staging a 2nd encounter with Cassandra seems a lost dramatic opportunity. In act 2 a huge chunk of time is taken up with a flashback: The royal couple (Priam & Hecuba) entertains 3 kingly allies of Troy, an idyllic contrast to the future war, but dramatically inert. It sets up Priam’s 11th hour realization that peace is sweet & gives Hecuba a chance to deliver (quite powerfully!) a roaring defense of war. But this seems a small return for having dissipated all forward momentum.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a different take on the Trojan War

Don't see it if You want a light show

See it if The narrator was excellent , framing the otherwise fulsome staging with a light touch. You like reimagining classic tales.

Don't see it if Hmm. You prefer plays with multiple notes, non stagy direction and few monologues.

See it if I can’t think of a reason to see it unless maybe you have a friend or relative in the play

Don't see it if You want to see amazing acting, an interesting story, comfortable theatre. This was not at all my cup of tea. I was extremely disappointed

See it if you are a fan of Austin P. Good acting by great actors.

Don't see it if you were hoping for a good plot, direction, or some interesting gimmick making your time seeing this clunky play worth it.

See it if You're interested in Greek mythology

Don't see it if You want something fast paced for most of the show

See it if you might like a contemporary take on the Trojan War based on the classic Greek characters who move across a very small stage.

Don't see it if unless you are a fan of Austin Pendleton although he too seemed bored.

Also The women (Cassandra, Hecuba and Helen), the central characters, did their best with a poor script, however they were young and beautiful. The costumes were also attractive.... Read more Read less

See it if You like great acting. You are interested in issues of war and peace. You like new works in an intimate venue. You like classic literature.

Don't see it if You don’t like plays that depend largely on talk. You want light entertainment. You have no idea who Helen of Troy was and don’t care.

See it if you enjoy giving some of your time and thoughts to plays that explore universal ideas about the nature of war, exemplified by Trojan War.

Don't see it if you lose patience with talky, low budget plays that are mainly political treatises, where the acting and direction are uneven.

See it if Ambitious and meaningful

Don't see it if Like slick superficial work

See it if You want to see a good and timely show with young talent and Austin Pendleton

Don't see it if You like big prductions

See it if You are interested in current sensibilities and mores grafted onto a classic story. Want an intimate theater experience. Like agendas.

Don't see it if Are a purist regarding classics. Don't like obvious reworking of characters that seem agenda driven and of the moment. Want subtlety

See it if You think Austin Pendleton is a gift to acting. You want to see a Helen of Troy beautiful enough to deserve a myth. You‘re anti-war.

Don't see it if You don’t enjoy listening to stilted dialogue made more so by actors who are as uncomfortable with it as you are. You think anti-war plays

Also are just preaching to the choir. The action takes place in the palace of Troy during the years-long siege. Unfortunately no one seems to believe they are under siege. They go about their lives as if it was just another day. The women, Cassandra, Hecuba and Helen all get monologues complaining about no one believing their prophecies of death and destruction or how hard their domestic duties are or how complex their lives and looms. Only the older, more experienced actors are comfortable with the formal language of the play. All the technical elements work except for some jarring musical choices.
There is the most ingenious use of string and beads to create rooms and looms I’ve ever seen. The playwright hopes to create something intelligent and poetic regarding the terrible waste of war as well as the sense of honor and distinction that makes soldiers willing to fight. Austin Pendleton was my reason for going. He may be yours.... Read more Read less

See it if Austin Pendleton attracts talented cast in contemporary female take on Greek tragedy featuring Helen of Troy.

Don't see it if Angelica Page is no longer attached.

See it if small, intimate theatre setting good for this highly stylized production

Don't see it if overflowing with long soliloquies that repeatedly hammer a simplistic theme