Ni Mi Madre NYC Reviews and Tickets

76%

(15 Ratings)

Positive

80%

Mixed

20%

Negative

Members say

Entertaining, Great acting, Indulgent, Ambitious, Quirky

About the Show

Delves deep into the makings of an immigrant family. Presented both in person and live streamed!

Inspirited with the tradition of Umbanda ritual, the music of Gloria Estefan, Cher, and Maria Bethânia, "Ni Mi Madre" invites the audience into the tumultuous relationship between Bete (a larger-than-life Brazilian woman who swears that if it weren’t for Madonna, Meryl Streep, and Angelina Jolie she would have been the “It” thing) and her queer son. She grapples with the secrets that tear her and her son apart, the unbidden memories of her estranged mother, and the lineage that binds them all together. "Ni Mi Madre" explores the intersection between queerness and Latinidad; examines gender, sexuality, family, citizenship, transculturation, identity; and lays bare the secrets, memories, fears, and celebrations of being an immigrant and first-generation American.

Show-Score Member Reviews (15)

Delicious, Great acting, Refreshing, Ambitious, Clever

See it if you enjoy one person plays featuring the playwright as his Brazilian mother allowing him to explore her story and its impact on his life

Don't see it if you don't like one person plays that explore an unfamiliar culture about an aggravating character with a difficult back story

Thought-provoking, Edgy, Great performance, Entertaining, Ambitious

See it if layeredly complex humor appeals to you. This mix of ritual, drag, multigenerational, cross cultural Latinx, solo performance astonishes.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy thinking while you laugh. So much goes on within this hour it requires willing mental cooperation of its viewers.

Edgy, Great staging, Clever, Thought-provoking, Entertaining

See it if you want to enjoy a one person tour of a life with its ups and downs, comical and sad, performed with heart.

Don't see it if you want a sugar coated view of the Latina experience-this is a raw look with all the flaws exposed amidst the love of family.

Great acting, Great staging, Complex, Heartfelt, Absorbing

See it if You like complex stories about generational gifts and trauma, curious about a rich portrayal of a mother just trying to do her best

Don't see it if Not interested in one person shows or delving into a complicated and sometimes difficult stories to take in about mothers, racism, & trauma Read more

Great staging, Intense, Great acting, Funny, Entertaining

See it if You want to spend a fun time with a well-acted&well- directed solo play on legacy across generations&cultures.

Don't see it if you expect the play in Portuguese. At times Arturo's memories& description of his mother outweigh the scenes in which he portrays himself. Read more

Quirky, Funny, Great acting, Entertaining, Clever

See it if fun solo show with the right amount of comedy and drama. great set and use of space

Don't see it if you dont like solo shows

Great acting, Indulgent, Edgy, Confusing, Ambitious

See it if Arturo Luis Soria's lavishly eccentric & extravagant drag interpretation of Beta, his colossus of a mother is both poignant & hilarious

Don't see it if Dramatic arc of the piece is at times confusing & hard to follow Like his mother, Soria can be to be willfully indulgent Yet, love wins out

Thought-provoking, Great singing, Great acting

See it if Entertaining and thought-provoking. Well acted and written.

Don't see it if wish I knew beforehand that the actor was playing his own mother. Made it all even more relevant but only found that out later.

Critic Reviews (4)

"What marks this play as extraordinary...is its ease with emotional contradiction and discomfort, its willingness to let filial affection persist despite a cleareyed acknowledgment of parental damage done."
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"This one- person show is over-the-top, entertaining, and enlightening telling of a free-spirit who lived her life exactly as she wanted to and of how she inspired her children to also live their lives to the fullest."
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'The hour-long monologue is more complex than just a comic portrait, although it’s certainly funny. It’s threaded through with subtly poignant stories illustrating issues of race, class, nationality and gender. It’s also something of an autobiography, the story of a queer boy’s coming of age, seen through the eyes of his mother, who is not always sympathetic."
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"There is a fine line in solo theater between entertainment and self-indulgence, and Gambini allows Soria to samba right up to that line without crossing over."
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Trailer

Creative team

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater