Lured

See it if you're interested in a powerful piece about horrific real events, that pulls no punches and leaves you thinking. Terrific young cast.

Don't see it if you'd prefer not to be exposed to nudity, realistic violence, scenes of humiliation and vulgar language up close.

See it if You are socially aware of some of the horrors that happen to LGBT people in Russia. Riveting story by a fantastic cast.

Don't see it if you are uncomfortable with harsh brutal depictions of violence and language that show demeaning and humiliating situations to LGBT .

See it if you dare witness lgbt hate crime theme w/ nudity up close in a small theater. The experience is intense & abdorbing - kudos to a great cast!

Don't see it if you dislike lgbt theme, violence, nudity & Russian inspired true events - all of which are essential aspects of this well staged 3-act play.

See it if the harsh dark realities of LGBT rights (or lack their of) outside of 'our world' concerns you. Just a small taste of what you DON'T know.

Don't see it if 75min of (simulated) gratuitous violence, full-on nudity, humiliation & verbal abuse would make you squirm. Just GO. It's an important show.

Also Huge rarity to experience a show...

...(hopefully accompanied, so you can commiserate afterwards), where you can walk out of a theater having fully captured the plot, set-up, arc & (near) resolve, w/ZERO unanswered questions. We wanted to kiss the playwright & directors.

If this had been done half-assed & even remotely less intense, it would prob not have worked as well. Kudos to the production crew & cast for sticking to their guns.

Excellent ensemble, completely focused & committed. Even zombie-esque David Volino ("Yuri") would not break for 1 second. And NO ONE peeked @ the audience! The backstage after-show adrenaline decompress has to be a harsh task in itself.

Absolute stand-outs: Cali Gilman (strong-willed "Tatiana"), Marc Lombardo (vengeful/loving "Valentin"), & Kalen Hall ("Tatiana's" 'confused' goon boyfriend "Sergei").

In all fairness, major props to THE ENTIRE cast. We left the theater emotionally drained, & all we did was sit & watch THEM give it all up for US. Bravo!... Read more Read less

See it if You have forgotten how homophobic persecution exists in Russia and is mirrored in some circles in the U.S. even today.

Don't see it if strong scenes of brutality and forced sexuality are too much for you to handle

See it if you are looking for a serious play that is well written and has an interesting structure

Don't see it if you are offended by gay themes, violence, strong language, or brief male nudity

See it if You can stand up-close violence and want to see a horrific story beautifully told. Great insight into gay life in present day Russia.

Don't see it if Your tolerance level to depraved violence and full nudity is low. You’re not a fan of LGBT culture.

See it if you like plays that give you insights to situations, you like intense theater, you are interested in LGBT topics

Don't see it if you don't like intense situations, graphic portrayals, nudity, or desire a larger production value

Also Lured is based on real events and shows what happens in Russia when a hate group attacks a gay man and the results from that man's friends.

The actors produce accurate accents and portray the intense situations with realism. The portrayals of all the characters are well-done.

The simple set works as the three scenes take place in the same room. A lot was done with little.

An important play about a relevant situation that is still going on in Russia.

This performance had a talkback with a former Russian professor who has been granted asylum here for this type of situation. Very insightful and informative.... Read more Read less

See it if you are not afraid to face real-world inhumanity that includes humiliation and torture in this play based on true Russian accounts:well-told

Don't see it if you do not like to view violence, nudity or humiliation of others: this is an up-close, horror of one atrocity of our tech time gone awry.

See it if A ring of Russian vigilantes bait "defectives" to terrorise them, then karma strikes. Confrontational mission drama to illuminate. Haunting.

Don't see it if In efforts to bring the verite, the overzealous actors leave marks. Depictions of sadism, violence, nudity, insertions, gore, slurs. Gen Adm

Also Unusual plot structure.

See it if you want to learn about how gays are treated in Russia, can handle extreme violence, nudity and vulgar language. It's an intense experience.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in LGBT topics, can't tolerate extreme violence and vulgarity

Also This intense & extremely violent show handled well the topic of how gays are humiliated and tortured in Russia. It shed light on the fact that gay life isn't as accepted in some other countries as it in the US.
The program pointed out that there was violence in the show. We were warned as we entered the theater that the show had much violence; no intermission (It was like "Enter at your own risk."). Yet, several people got up and left in the middle of the show.-difficult to do in a such a small theater. They must have felt an extreme sense of urgency in order to walk past the front row patrons, at stage level, only 5-10 feet from the actors.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see an edgy, intense story about vigilante attacks on gay men in Russia. Violence and full nudities but serves story. Well acted

Don't see it if You would be disturbed by full male nudity, violent intense scenes, raw language or gay issues. Or want a more conventional play over 70 min

Also Intense and raw production packs a punch about a tough subject. Very well acted by believable young cast. Won’t be everyone’s taste due to subject matter and intense scenes. But I found it riveting and important to communicate the persecution of gay men in Russia.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a glimpse into the real life terror of gay life in modern day Russia. The script is well done. Fantastic job by the cast!

Don't see it if You are not into very physical violence. The play is very hard to watch but it speaks volumes in its truth and message.

See it if you want to see a hard-hitting portrayal of the actions and repercussions of a hate group in Russia -- it's more universal than it may seem

Don't see it if you aren't comfortable with pretend violence (some punches actually connect), harsh language, or nudity on stage.

Also This is a great play and it's well produced and acted. It's hard to recommend since it is so jarring/intense, but I think that's what makes it so powerful.... Read more Read less

See it if You can tolerate a truthfilled yet rough-raw look at the acts of and the toxic reactions to the homosexual-hate movement in Russia.

Don't see it if You cannot take violence & violation up-close.

See it if u can endure the barbarous torment by a gay hate group & the fallout for all involved in a powerful reminder that malevolence still exists.

Don't see it if you have a very low tolerance for torture, humiliation, hate speech, and graphic portrayals of violence. [But see my note below.]

Also Kudos to the creators and cast for this no-holds-barred depiction of a "ripped-from-the-headlines" story of a Russian hate group. This would not have been nearly as effective (and affecting) if they had held back in any way from the blunt, frank rendering of this heartbreaking, stirring story. All of the warnings about the violence, nudity, etc. shouldn't deter you from seeing this piece; they should only prepare you for what you are about to see. None of it is gratuitous or superfluous. This is an important and well-crafted (if imperfect) work.... Read more Read less

See it if Addresses difficult and timely topics. Could have come off as too much or hokey, but pulled the audience into the pain of the situation.

Don't see it if You don’t want to see depictions of violence.

See it if you want to see how the world is portrayed in Russia with regards to their horrible treatment of gays

Don't see it if you are offended by nudity, brutality, and disturbing images

See it if You want a truly well acted and moving piece about prejudice and intolerance facing grief and revenge. Does "an eye for an eye" always work?

Don't see it if You are squeamish with violence (quite a bit) or nudity (very little), because these are integral to the story.

See it if Play deals with contemporary homophobia in Russia and the consequences for gay identified people, and their attempt at a form of justice.

Don't see it if you can't stand seeing people being brutalized, even if the brutalization falls short of being convincing.

See it if You want to see heavy drama involving Russian luring of gay men for the purpose of humiliation and torture.

Don't see it if You are uncomfortable with gay violence, simulated rape, humiliation, and male nudity. Not for everyone, but important to tell.

Also Very graphic portrayals which will make some people squirm. I found it important and enlightening, a story that needs telling. But it is surely not for the faint of heart. Excellent performances all the way around.... Read more Read less

See it if You're ready and able to deal with depictions of the disturbing escalating violence happening to the LGBT community in Russia and beyond.

Don't see it if Nudity, violence and/or LGBT issues disturb in any form, even done by a terrific, brave cast tackling a difficult script and material.

See it if you have an interest in man's inhumanity to man, you can deal with violence, you are interested in how hate begets hate

Don't see it if you want lighthearted entertainment, you are squeamish about violence and humiliation

See it if entrapment & torture of gays in present day Russia & the steps taken by the victims in response is of concern. The cast is quite convincing.

Don't see it if you don't want to see graphic scenes involving torture, violence & nudity. Admittedly these are hard to watch but at the same time powerful.

See it if Though it treats an important topic, the play is a graphic depiction of the abuse of gays in Russia. Often difficult to watch. Heroic acting

Don't see it if your discomfort threshold is low. Raw violence with much verbal and sexual humiliation. Plot twists are somewhat confusing.