God's Fool NYC Reviews and Tickets

74%

(8 Ratings)

Positive

63%

Mixed

37%

Negative

Members say

Great singing, Quirky, Slow, Confusing, Disappointing

About the Show

A new work from Martha Clarke interpreting the ancient story of St. Francis of Assisi.

From the creator of the form-changing dance theatre works, Martha Clarke debuts her first new full-length work in ten years. Written by Clarke and poet Fanny Howe, God's Fool is an adaptation of the classic story of St. Francis of Assisi and his unique life as a man of privilege who chose community over self and lived among the world's most disenfranchised.

Show-Score Member Reviews (8)

Quirky, Enchanting, Great singing, Delightful

See it if Great chanting&mvmt, terrific animal masks&mesmerizing poetry: all work seamlessly to portray a humble man with a lot of power.

Don't see it if You don't need to be religious to value a life based on simplicity & respect for nature, animals, and humans of ANY kind. Read more

Resonant, Dizzying, Confusing, Cliched

See it if If you like Latin, chanting and a loosely based history of FA.

Don't see it if It can get confusing and boring.

Slow, Great singing, Experimental, Confusing, Disappointing

See it if You love Clarke’s experimental style of creating a dance/theatre/sound-scape that is wholly unique.

Don't see it if You want a straightforward/non-esoteric play. Clarke’s work looks pretty, but leaves you baffled. “What did I just watch?!”

Slow, Disappointing

See it if enjoy Martha Clarke's work. A dance theatre piece with not much info provided

Don't see it if want more of a story or history. very slow and the 75 minutes felt long. Martha's done better.

100

Resonant, Relevant, Masterful, Great singing, Absorbing

See it if Beautiful voices singing harmonic chant opens you up; the juxtaposition of animal heads witnessing the human seekers was deeply moving

Don't see it if You are cynical and jaded like the NYT reviewer

During previews

Excellent masks, Ambitious, Quirky, Great singing, Enchanting

See it if you know the story of St. Francis of Assisi and would like a quick review of his life with superb acapella harmony, great animal head masks.

Don't see it if you need to understand all that is said and sung - most of it is in Latin or you dislike exploring sexual lives of your saints.

During previews

Great harmonies, Delightful, Slow, Quirky, Entertaining

See it if you'd enjoy a slow but entertaining meditation on St. Francis in choreographed movement, songs, and chants. More atmospheric than expository

Don't see it if you require nonstop action or traditional theater.

During previews

Dizzying, Disappointing, Confusing

See it if you want 70 minutes of actors running around talking in Latin....This is a very advant garde piece....wierd ARt

Don't see it if You want something coherent.

Critic Reviews (2)

"The life of St. Francis of Assisi was a dramatic one. ... Very little of this drama registers in “God’s Fool,” the dance theater work about Francis that opened at La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theater on Thursday. And despite being conceived and directed by Martha Clarke, the creator of many acclaimed dance theater pieces, 'God’s Fool' contains very little dance theater."
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The greatest delights of “God’s Fool” are the dance moves that are often visually stunning (helped by lighting designer Christopher Akerlind) and, above all, an enchanting a cappella score that ranges from Latin chants and compositions by the 11th century German composer (and abbess) Hildegard Von Bingen to Gustav Mahler to John Cage to old American Spirituals
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Trailer

Creative team