Life Among the Aryans NYC Reviews and Tickets

49%

(17 Ratings)

Positive

30%

Mixed

29%

Negative

41%

Members say

Disappointing, Ambitious, Excruciating, Thought-provoking, Cliched

About the Show

Nuyorican Poets Cafe present this world premiere political satire, which envisions a future when the downtrodden of the Alt Right realize they'd be better off Black.

The time is the future and the political pendulum has swung way back. Now the president is Jewish and the head of the FBI is a Black woman, presenting such a nightmare to the far right that they now miss the president they called The Muslim King. The government has enacted reparations to Black Americans for the unpaid labor of their ancestors. This inspires envy and desperation among impecunious members of the Alt-Right. But it also inspires them to a new, uproarious strategy of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Show-Score Member Reviews (17)

Thought-provoking, Relevant, Clever, Slow

See it if You are willing to sit thru some slow bits to get to the very original main story. Some of it is hilarious and dazzling.

Don't see it if You are not patience with a cast that is very uneven - from terrific acting to non actors struggling mightily

Ambitious, Funny, Cliched, Entertaining, Disappointing

See it if You enjoy absurd political satire. The current political climate scared the hell out of you. Support community theater.

Don't see it if Be need a polished tight production. Can’t abide amateur actors (who forget their lines at times)

Ambitious, Amateur, Entertaining, Political, Uneven

See it if you are a fan of Ishmael Reed's or would like to see a loose, sometimes entertaining argument in favor of working across the races.

Don't see it if you cannot tolerate non-actors on the stage, or loose plots, or a few didactic passages amid the political sketch material. Read more

Satirical, Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Fanciful, Current

See it if you enjoy intelligent political satire and are willing to overlook the deficiencies of a first production of this thoughtful new play.

Don't see it if you expect a polished production or if you don't relish a satirical view of today's social antagonisms.

Good writing, Some actors were so so

See it if You don’t mind bad acting in a good play

Don't see it if You do mind be acting

Banana pudding proffered!, Lotsa heart, but..., Disappointing, Non pro cast~, Intelligent

See it if You can just enjoy the heart w/which this production is staged. Be forewarned, it's a non pro cast just getting through! Go to support NPC~

Don't see it if U have to let SO much slide to enjoy this! Its uncomfortably amateur at times, but the message is good 1. Play itself needed to go further~

Edgy, Indulgent, Disappointing, Relevant, Thought-provoking

See it if you want to see a theatrical exploration of race and politics in America today.

Don't see it if witnessing an actor frequently struggle with his lines would ruin the whole experience for you, or if you want escapist entertainment.

Ambitious, Disappointing, Quirky, Thought-provoking, Resonant

See it if You happen to be way East in the East Village with time to kill.

Don't see it if You are looking for a polished production.

Critic Reviews (3)

"This is a strong offering from Ishmael Reed that is admirably acted. If slightly lacking a consistent flow at times, this is something that will only improve as the run continues. The core message never wavers, and will make the audience leave feeling pensive. In what is undoubtedly a politically unclear time, this is a play that serves a very important purpose."
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“A morality play, each personage representing not a rounded character, but a figure who illustrates a point, for the benefit of the audience...If you partially agree with Reed, the show is funny and you will learn a few things. If you do not agree...you will not be converted, but maybe you will learn something...The show does have some rough edges. As funny as it is, it would be stronger if it were cut. There were at least five endings."
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“Perhaps the greatest gift that Ishmael has as a writer is his ability to combine great erudition with side splitting humor to impart complex critical information... Ishmael pulls it off marvelously...Although any successful drama begins with the script, it is the actors that must bring the dramatist’s vision to life...Yet despite the brilliance of the play and the skill of the actors, the role of the support crew is indispensable to the success of a play...all contributed mightily to our experience of the play.”
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Trailer

Creative team