Life According to Saki NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (71)
See it if You enjoy small setting, out of the ordinary, great acting, really interesting but not always consistent, end stories were the best
Don't see it if You don't enjoy unusual or unpredictable
See it if You want to have a little fun! You enjoy ensemble casts playing multiple parts. This was funny and smart and a pleasant way to spend a night
Don't see it if You really wanted a look at Saki's life. This is more a story of HIS stories. You don't like vignette stories and want to see more of Saki.
See it if you want to smile at a joyous production in which a talented cast wins you over with charm and British wit
Don't see it if you don't like small plays in intimate venues and are looking for more of a spectacle
See it if you enjoy charismatically told, whimsical tales that play out like the visual representation of a child's witty near-nonsecal imagination.
Don't see it if you want stories that are not tales within a story, something that's not going to make you sad out of what originally seemed like joy. Read more
See it if you're a fan of Saki, "story theater," and WWI. This is evocative, inventive work, economically presented.
Don't see it if you want traditional plays with one story and three-dimensional characters. It's a Fringe-style show, done exquisitely well.
See it if you like good acting, clever staging but do not require any depth to the piece.
Don't see it if You want a true feel for the pungency HH Munro. Read more
See it if Delightful show. Touching and creative. Fable-like. Creative staging and really talented cast. Great whimsical entertainment.
Don't see it if small production. Not lavish. You don't care for separate stories framed by an overall theme. You prefer high drama.
See it if You want to be transported into the charming world of Saki's witty short stories
Don't see it if You might be confused by a show that constantly jumps from real facts ( World War I ) to smart and mischievous short stories and back.
Critic Reviews (25)
"Katherine Rundell has combined a modicum of biography with dramatizations of a selection of the stories, proving that Saki really was special…The stories that they animate are generally humorous but with a sharp edge, often directed at harsh aunts or dolts…Atticist presents a show several levels above the average Edinburgh fare and, whether as a reminder of the pleasures of Saki or an introduction, this is an 80-minute show to savor."
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"Rundell’s subtle, thoughtful adaptation strips away the Edwardiana, retaining all Saki’s dark wit while revealing the humanity that underpins it. Combining first-rate puppetry, masked theatre and slick ensemble choreography, Jessica Lazar’s eclectic direction is alive with energy (though the occasional projections felt like unneeded garnish). Funny, poignant and elegantly crafted, this is the perfect tribute for the centenary of Munro’s death."
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"Jessica Lazar’s production is visually rich...It’s all beautifully executed: simple visual touches bringing the stories to life, and an ensemble of six who make a verbally complex text accessible and engaging…It’s great that Atticist Productions have drawn attention to these neglected texts – Saki’s stories maybe even compete with Anton Chekhov’s for their imaginative brilliance and astute character observation. And this production does them a great service. Brilliant stuff."
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"Whether you’ve never heard of Saki before or consider yourself a die-hard fan, this production is sure to please…The script provided by Katherine Rundell is a solid piece of writing, and although Saki’s work does most of the heavy lifting, the show is peppered with plenty of gags and bon mots. It must have been a task adapting the stories for the stage but they are all pitched perfectly…The cast are exceptional at inhabiting the myriad of characters they play."
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"Wonderfully staged, hugely appealing...An impressive ensemble play out the adaptations...This is framed by David Paisley’s wonderfully gracious portrait of Monro…The script weaves Saki’s stories into an exploration of his life that is hugely fanciful yet always rooted in reality, and extremely funny...Jessica Lazar’s direction is constantly inventive. The whole production is an object lesson in how to combine text, theatrical technique and the talents of the cast."
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“Deftly blending joyful surrealism with existential pause, ‘Life According to Saki’ is a sunny yet poignant celebration of a man who made a fine art of taking the light seriously and the serious lightly. On top of a sharp script, pacy narrative and a slew of impressively dynamic performances, the production gives the feeling that Hector Hugh Munro, on top of being a keen social commentator, a brave soldier, and a dab hand with a pen, was an all-round lovely chap.”
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"This ambitious adaptation is brought to life by a strong cast...The stories displaying Saki’s piercing satirical wit are the most successful adaptations. Later, more serious stories are less assured, and a production crammed so full of ideas and devices (puppetry, dance, masks and more) might have benefited from excising them for a leaner run time. As it stands, the show runs a little long, but otherwise it’s a solid adaptation, bolstered to intermittent excellence by its performers."
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"Rundell has managed to capture the whimsical essence of Saki’s stories and wildly juxtapose them against the horrors of WWI. But what’s more is that Rundell builds in little and deeply empathetic snippets about the life of the man himself...In trying to include all the best bits, it ends up being a bit too long and pacing drags a little towards the end...Life has never been so knowing and whimsical in the tentacles of 'Life According to Saki’s' tales: effortless charm by the gilded spoonful."
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