Mary Stuart (Hedgepig Ensemble) NYC Reviews and Tickets

84%

(34 Reviews)

Positive

91%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Absorbing, Intelligent, Ambitious, Entertaining

About the Show

In Friedrich Schiller's "Mary Stuart," both Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I, Queen of England, have a claim to the throne — one is imprisoned and the other is in power. What happens when they clash?

As more candidates join the field for the 2020 election, we hear the refrain, "I'm ready for a woman president...but not that woman". Over 400 years later, we still see a similar narrative as two powerful female leaders from history are challenged to prove their worth. Hedgepig will host a series of pre-show panels to further engage in this conversation.

Member Reviews (34)

Indulgent, Intrigue filled, Poetic, Historical, Intelligent

See it if Elizabethan style play with poetic language and strong acting. Opposing political factions maneuver for power, crushing individual humanity.

Don't see it if Once the theme was established, it felt somewhat repetitive. Lengthy speeches & two-faced behavior.

Historical, Well-played, Dramatic, Exciting

See it if you’d like to see a clear, powerful production of one of the most important plays in the history of European theater.

Don't see it if old plays bore you. Read more

Critic Reviews (3)

“Fresh take on perhaps the world’s most iconic sister rivalry...A production fit for a Queen...The lighting expertly tells the complex story...Under deft direction by Emily Lyon, the play gallops through back-room-betrayals, secrets, and professions of the heart in a lively but brisk almost three hours. Mary Candler as Mary Stuart exudes grace and quiet authority with a subtle ferocity bubbling beneath her saintly surface."
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"Direction is smooth and smart...It's clear that the whole cast was extremely well-prepared, making this verse crackle with energy and intention...If there are criticisms of this play, they rest almost entirely with the text...Still, it's thrilling to see the embodiment of 'strong women' on the stage, not denying their femininity nor their power. And in this beautiful production of an underproduced political thriller, audiences get the fun of seeing a world where women - quite literally - rule."
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"Sometimes the best theatre experience is at the small, off off-Broadway houses...And it’s even better when the company brings its passion to the stage, as Hedgepig Ensemble did to their revival...I have major problems with Schiller’s play. I can easily suspend disbelief in other works but the playwright’s skewing of history is troubling...It’s hard to forget this history as I watched other productions of the play, but Hedgepig’s staging, direction by Emily Lyon, made me more comfortable."
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