Nellie and The Women of Blackwell NYC Reviews and Tickets

86%

(16 Ratings)

Positive

100%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Absorbing, Great acting, Great staging, Relevant, Intense

About the Show

Based on the exposé that shocked the world, “Ten Days in the Mad-house,” IVP and Wildrence’s newest immersive show gives you the opportunity to join Nellie as she navigates the halls of Blackwell Asylum.

In this play, only 16 audience members are selected to follow our heroine, Nellie Bly as she navigates the halls of Blackwell Insane Asylum to discover what the living conditions were like for Blackwell’s patients, many of whom were women. Audience members are encouraged to explore the space, either on their own or in groups, and ask the characters questions to help further Nellie’s quest, and to gain a better understanding of women’s lives in this period of history.

Show-Score Member Reviews (16)

Great staging, Intense, Great acting, Ambitious

See it if You enjoy interactive, experiential theatre. Felt like a haunted house at times; nobody jumps out, all about experience/setting.

Don't see it if You're hoping to learn about mental health, or how Nellie's work helped to lead to better situation for people with mental health disorders

Clever, Relevant, Resonant, Great staging, Entertaining

See it if You enjoy a performance that creates a mood and atmosphere for you where you feel you are feeling what the characters are going through.

Don't see it if You expect or like upbeat shows. This show portrays what it must have been like for women who were put away into asylums for truly no reaso! Read more

Immersive, Relevant, Thought-provoking, Intense, Powerful

See it if you want to experience a powerful immersive production that details the horrors Nellie Bly uncovered while investigating an asylum.

Don't see it if you don't want to be part of an immersive theater experience that gives you a sense of what it was like in the Blackwell Island Asylum.

Great staging, Right length, Educational, Absorbing

See it if You like immersive theater & are ok with bare bones dialogue

Don't see it if You are looking for something deep or emotional, writing & acting are not subtle enough to convey true anguish of women in this situation

Intelligent

See it if you like immersive theater and particularly like docudramas and think the combination would be exciting. Are interested in asylum history.

Don't see it if you need a complex plot or mind some clichés. Play is minor on interactions and freedom for immersive. ISSUES WITH SHOW-SCORE see below Read more

Intense, Absorbing, Entertaining, Relevant, Clever

See it if You're into immersive theater or historic topics. If you're looking for show that's both shocking and relevant.

Don't see it if You're uncomfortable in tight spaces, dark, it interacting with the actors/other audience.

Must see, Great writing, Great staging, Great acting, Absorbing

See it if This was the first immersive play I’ve attended. It grabs you from the beginning. The acting and message was powerful.

Don't see it if You do not like interacting with the actors.

Profound, Great acting, Must see, Thought-provoking, Intense

See it if an immersive documentary theater experience chronicling the horrors of women committed to insane asylums in 19th century NYC interests you.

Don't see it if Standing, walking through tight spaces, triggers such as darkness, strobes, and loud noises, or becoming part of the show bother you. Read more

Critic Reviews (1)

"The implicit promise is that the audience will somehow experience the same abhorrent abuses that Bly witnessed. How…? The answer is: selectively, and safely…The company, with limited resources, does an impressive job…[but] too much of the interactivity felt perfunctory."
Read more

Trailer

Creative team

Infinite Variety Productions