Marian, or The True Tale of Robin Hood NYC Reviews and Tickets

84%

(9 Reviews)

Positive

100%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Entertaining, Funny, Clever, Great acting, Relevant

About the Show

Flux Theatre Ensemble presents this new gender-bending, patriarchy-smashing, comic take on the classic tale.

Robin Hood is (and has always been) Maid Marian in disguise, and leads a motley group of Merry Men (few of whom are actually men) against the greedy Prince John. As the poor get poorer and the rich get richer, who will stand for the vulnerable if not Robin? What is the cost of revealing your true self in a time of troubles? Modern concerns and romantic entanglements clash on the battlefield and on the ramparts of Nottingham Castle. A play about selfishness and selflessness, love deferred and the fight. Always the fight.

Member Reviews (9)

Clever, Ambitious, Thought-provoking, Relevant, Refreshing

See it if you love a quirky take on a classic tale that resonates with the current social climate.

Don't see it if you don't like new work.

Funny, Entertaining, Refreshing

See it if very well done, funny, touching, action packed, well written and acted

Don't see it if you have a problem with fluid sexuality or want a play that takes itself very seriously

Critic Reviews (6)

"A sweet farce about a radically diverse Sherwood Forest...Kelly O'Donnell's production is charming in the details (thanks to sparkling cast members), but as a whole, 'Marian' drags...Most fables can—just barely—support one love story; this one has three. O'Donnell can't figure out a way to get through that material fast enough, so what should be a swift 80-minute caper turns into an attenuated 100-minute slog. Luckily, we can rely on the actors for the occasional bull's eye."
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"Playing both roles, Marian has her work cut out for her—and so does Byers in a performance full of boundless energy and heart…Gender politics aside, at its core, 'Marian' just wants you to have a good time...'Marian' manages to present something important without taking itself too seriously – and that makes it all the more resonant. It doesn’t need to overstate anything. This is feminism in action (in all its beautiful, heroic glory)."
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"Director Kelly O’Donnell seemed to struggle with the overall execution...The script is silly. To allow the implausibility of the plot, the characters had to be dumbed down and boy were they dumb. But O’Donnell asked her company to find far too much truth and honesty that it didn’t match...Comedy needs to be fast. 'Marian' was anything but...The concept of 'Marian' is quite promising. But when the comedic execution didn’t match the map within the text, the production fell flat."
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"This gender-bending, myth-rending gallivant through Sherwood Forest and Prince John’s keep boasts the funniest and most appealing band of Merry Men you’re likely to meet in Manhattan...Director Kelly O’Donnell stages this touching romp with ballet-like precision and grace even as the characters mug and brawl...Every now and then a sequence goes over the top. But overall the balance between low and high comedy holds beautifully."
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"Amidst the madcap goings-on, wonderful duels, and grin-producing theatricality, there is always the serious business at hand: ridding the world of a self-centered, foolish, squeamish, idiot of a king...95 minutes of first-class writing, acting, and directing. Particular kudos must go to director Kelly O'Donnell and fight director Rocio Mendez whose combined theatrical creativity provides the joy of a farce without a door in sight to be slammed."
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"A rollicking, gender-bending romp...Becky Byers is witty, impish, and charming, equal parts Rosalind and Cyrano de Bergerac...Director Kelly O’Donnell infuses every ounce of the production with joyful mischief. Rocìo Mendez’s stage combat is brimming with Looney Tunes-esque whimsy...A swashbuckling story of what it takes to make change, and the networks and chosen families that keep that revolutionary spirit alive."
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