No End of Blame NYC Reviews and Tickets

77%

(15 Reviews)

Positive

87%

Mixed

13%

Negative

Members say

Intelligent, Absorbing, Great acting, Slow, Great writing

About the Show

The Potomac Theatre Project revives Howard Barker's epic about the combustible relationship between the artist and the state, and the power and responsibility of the artist.

Brilliant Hungarian political cartoonist Bela Veracek flees his home country at the end of WWI to the newly emergent Soviet Union and, later, to England. He's constantly at odds with both the governments he lampoons and the newspapers that admire his talent but expect conformity and absolute submission. Performed in Repertory with 'Good.'

Member Reviews (15)

Sometimes you sit in a small dark room with 25 people and something magical happens

See it if /for brilliant play showing conflict between artist and society thru personal history of political cartoonist at iconic 20th century moments

Don't see it if play does not catch fire til 2nd act; once it does it is weighty-poetic-mordantly funny; w/ little fanfare play/lead ADraper are marvelous

Absorbing, Clever, Great acting, Intelligent, Intense

See it if love great acting and a story that had to be told.. we saw it for the first time and are impressed by this group of actors

Don't see it if if you cant handle some serious politcal problems from the past and perhaps the future......

Intelligent, Banal, Dated, Edgy, Slow

See it if you like an intelligent, arrogant, honest, unlikable protagonist and/or a political story.

Don't see it if you want to see well rounded characters other than the lead, a fast paced/attention grabbing drama and intricate sets.

Slow, Mediocre staging, Great writing, Intelligent

See it if you want to see a less-than-average production of a play by Howard Barker. Acting is generally mediocre as is the staging.

Don't see it if you do not like intelligent theatre. Also, if you do not like spotty acting. This production resembles a not-very-good college performance.

Absorbing, Ambitious, Intelligent, Relevant, Resonant

See it if similar to Oslo, much more available history on the context. Much more abstract but similar commentary on changing world politics.

Don't see it if At times too busy. You don't like multiple roles per actor. You want a concrete point of view, a hero who "believes" rather than comments.

Great acting, Intelligent, Slow, Thought-provoking

See it if You enjoy narratives that span decades and follow one character through a large portion of his life. And political/social commentary.

Don't see it if You struggle with heavier dramas, or anything that could be described as unsettling.

Absorbing, Entertaining, Great acting, Intelligent

See it if you like great acting and a smart fast moving storyline

Don't see it if a play that spans 50 years and can be confusing to exactly place the timing

Absorbing, Clever, Great acting, Great writing

See it if following the life of one character who pushes the boundaries at each turn of life.

Don't see it if you want great clarity from your main character.

Critic Reviews (13)

“The shock arrives at the start of Act II, when a production that was listless through much of Act I comes suddenly to life, and mostly stays that way. Thank goodness, because Alex Draper’s tender, supple lead performance had been desperate for lively company...It is as if Mr. Draper has finally been able to disappear into his character - and, oh, he is lovely.”
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"Potomac Theatre Project loves this piece: It appeared in the first season 30 years ago, and I saw its very fine 2007 revival. 'No End' feels even keener this time. Romagnoli has sanded away rough edges, leaving superb performances, particularly David Barlow as Bela’s longtime friend and Valerie Leonard as a va-va-voomy apparatchik. Draper, magnificently precise, returns to a role that could have been written for him."
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"It charts the life of Hungarian political cartoonist Bela in a meaningfully sympathetic way without succumbing to sentimentality…Barker gets beyond the cliché of the uncompromising artist…Draper's performance (prominently featuring a sly smile and observant eyes) makes Vera downright likable, no easy task…We understand Vera as a tangle of contradictions, a man trying to stay honest in a world that makes it impossible."
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"'No End of Blame' never fully relinquishes its grip, and under Richard Romagnoli's direction, an excellent cast delivers Barker's most mordant observations with deadly accuracy. As Bela, Alex Draper provides the play with a solid anchoring center...'No End of Blame' isn't quite a total success; Barker's singular dramatic approach is too uneven, his steely point of view sometimes coming off as stentorian and alienating. But it has plenty to say to an audience in the summer of 2016."
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"A tautly performed, if occasionally meandering production...'No End of Blame' is at its best when it concentrates on Bela's story. The other members of the cast make for an excellent and fine-tuned ensemble under Richard Romagnoli's astute direction. But, frustratingly, every time we become interested in any of the other characters...the thread dissipates and nearly disappears altogether...Still, the core story is well worth the tangential side trips and gives us much to ponder."
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"It is an interesting but overall lackluster production...Romagnoli’s work with the actors is resourceful and stalwart considering the limitations of the ensemble...This play is an ambitious attempt in the vein of Tom Stoppard and David Hare of combining politics, history and the personal. If it were viewed at a conservatory and judged on that basis, this production would be fine. The potential power of the play though would be better realized in a more strongly performed incarnation."
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“Barker employs historical settings to address timeless themes: the conflict between artists and government, the value of outsiders' voices in politics and culture, and the ongoing disparity in social and political power of the sexes...In his view, 'a good play puts the audience through a certain ordeal.' Romagnoli's direction minimizes that ordeal. He and his actors keep Barker's long, often didactic text moving at an admirably swift clip, avoiding tedium and the trap of seeming over-talky.”
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"In a mesmerizing performance, Alex Draper gives us a Bela who is fiery, funny, contemplative yet explosive...Mr. Barker has given us a lot to think about in 'No End of Blame' whether we’re inclined to view this as a personal drama, a political revelation, or a question of art. And the director Richard Romagnoli and the PTP/NYC has done an excellent job of presenting its many facets to us engagingly."
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