Paris (Atlantic Theater Co)

See it if u want to see "Sweat" without the plot or action; u want a peek at the rather banal lives of workaday Americans struggling to make ends meet

Don't see it if ur looking for action, plot or bold social/political statements (or even faint ones), especially about race (which seems to be Booth's aim).

Also Some bristling dialogue and quirky, compelling performances make this otherwise dull slice-of-working-class-life dramedy watchable, despite a dearth of action (aside from one compelling & menacing scene), too many unexplored ideas & plot points and an utterly unsatisfactory ending.... Read more Read less

See it if Booth's taut, clear-headed script. Adams' clean staging & an exceptional cast make this drama of unfulfillment & desperation a stunning gem

Don't see it if Brevity of the work works both for & against it; characters can feel simple yet chaos of their despair rings clearly bringing Odets to mind

See it if enjoy workplace stories, plays about stilted small town life, semi-tragic character studies, characters striving to make changes

Don't see it if you don't like frustrated ambition tales or stories of denial, work place plays, characters in denial, dead-end lives in small towns

See it if Outlier workplace comedy of African-American bobbing above drowning levels in homogeneous Vermont. Don't let the sit-com banter distract.

Don't see it if Someone has to abet in all of our consumption.The injection of more darkness in that character and his usage of "your people" is superfluous

Also Ann McDonough (character Wendy) was a fave actor of Wendy Wasserstein

See it if Totally absorbing, excellent acting by all, great staging.

Don't see it if I would recommend this show but it is admittedly intense and depressing. But engaging, intelligent and worthwhile.

Also If you liked The Flick, Clarkston (of Lewiston/Clarkson) and/or Sweat I'd recommend this to you. Certain aspects of the play reminded me all all of those, although it was its own unique piece of theater.
NOTE: Be aware that this is not at the main Atlantic Theater, this one
is on 16th St. I had not known they had two theaters and went to the one on 20th St. first.... Read more Read less

See it if good premise, interesting topic; some good acting; realistic set; window into the lives of people trying hard to make ends meet & survive

Don't see it if The play has potential but not there yet; pacing needs work & book needs tightening; lacks drama to keep you focused

Also I wasn't bored but neither was I involved. One tense, involving scene but the rest flat lines.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy well written and interesting characters

Don't see it if You will be bothered by a play that doesn’t clean anything up at the conclusion

Also I don’t like it when the ending of a play is handed to me on a silver platter but I do need much more than what I got here.
These seven characters were written with perfection. The actors playing the parts were incredible. Just before the seventh (last)character appears I wanted more and more of what I was getting and the playwright gave me a twist before I needed it. This is incredible and great play writing. It felt like I was being set up for one of the greatest plays of all time. And then the last five minutes we’re just A big disappointment
These characters are so good I could’ve watched them for five hours. I have so many questions and wanted so many answers and didn’t get anything I wanted at the end... Read more Read less

See it if desire peek into slice of life humor and desperation of American less than minimum wage working class with race thrown in 4 good measure

Don't see it if don't want 2 empathize with plight of goodly % of American workers, don't see race, don't care where goods come from, always need the upbeat

See it if you like serious plays about social issues.Not clear to me why it was set in the 90's.Issue is the same today.Racism,shrinking middle class.

Don't see it if you expect fast paced drama, fully fleshed out characters, enthralling story.This is good, but not great.Terrific set.Uneven acting.

See it if A show that tries to be relevant is what you like

Don't see it if Well scripted well performed and directed piece is what you prefer

See it if drama about the difficulties faced by low-wage unskilled workers; quirky characters with funny dialogue especially in beginning

Don't see it if you don't want laughter to distract form the harsh economic issues or, on the other hand, if you want entertainment with no serious issues

Also Subtle issue of racism.
One creepy character.
Disappointing ending which fizzles
.out.... Read more Read less

See it if Like a midseason episode of a sitcom of quirky minimum wage store workers w/ their own struggles in a dead end job and crazy boss.

Don't see it if Like a midseason episode: not much lead up, not much plot, no resolution. Just a glimpse into their frustrating, yet real lives.

Also Diversity: about the working poor, barely surviving. Protagonist is a Black female facing occasional microaggressions. One other person of color in the cast, a Black male, among a cast of 7. One older woman character.
1 hour 40 minutes, no intermission.
Ticket from online lottery via TodayTix for $25. Seat in the last row side.... Read more Read less

See it if enjoy exploring real life issues through the magic of live theater.

Don't see it if you hate you job, co-workers, company management, day to day work routine. This is NOT the play to help you escape from your everyday life.

Also OMG! Sitting through this play was like revisiting every shit-hole job experience I had from the age of 12 through 55 years of age. This was a journey I didn't want to take of expect to take. Thank you and fuck you playwright Eboni Booth for taking me on your journey.... Read more Read less

See it if You like realistic dramas. Have an interest in small town life.

Don't see it if You need a gripping storyline. Are at all sleepy -- it won't keep you awake.

See it if The attention to detail and what is between the sentences is what makes this so excellent and moving--the subtext abounds and is just clever

Don't see it if Slow-paced microscopic examination of the minutiae of everyday life will not appeal to everyone especially as it examines race and class.

Also I found this provocative, clever, intelligent, and moving. The hiring of a young black woman in a big box store in Vermont does a lot more showing than telling and what is not said is LOUD. A clever novel that has a similar exposition is Last Night at the Lobster. The acting is exceptional as is the set design. Very clever.... Read more Read less

See it if you like well written and acted dramas; you want to see a dynamic young actress who currently is a student at Julliard

Don't see it if you like happy plays; you like musicals

See it if You want to see a play that (while good) feels more like the first act of a longer play.

Don't see it if You are a person that needs a resolution at the end. This had none and not in a way that felt ambiguous rather than abrupt.

Also Personally I think the way they were trying to sell this play and the focus on Eboni Booth being an actor *in* Dance Nation instead of writing that play was misleading. While I like Booth as an actor I don't think it really had an influence on the play she's written other than bringing along one of her Dance Nation co-stars.... Read more Read less

See it if you have interest in people stuck in their lives without hope of possibilities.These are damaged people without the will or vision to change

Don't see it if you want a drama with hope.There is none here, but it is well acted even if the characters are somewhat cliched.It is not about race per se

See it if You enjoy smart compact story telling, Excellent balance of truth telling, wit and tension, impressive turn by Christopher Dylan White

Don't see it if If you blame people for the economic hardships or racial barriers they face or you are looking for a fluffy night out

Also Skeleton Crew meets Bright New Boise but with less melodrama & angst

Eboni Booth shines a light on multiple barriers to economic solidarity without getting preachy -

Seasoned professional Ann McDonough gives a great performance

The one disappointment for me was the lead character / actress, I can tell that Eboni Booth was writing a quiet person with simmering emotions but still I found her performance too flat or the direction too understated.... Read more Read less

See it if You want a slice of life of the working poor and the slow burn of under earning.

Don't see it if You like traditional plays that have a a blatant plot.

See it if ..depiction of oppression & struggles of minimum wage ($5.00/hr) workers in a big box store in Vermont. Very reminiscent of "Skeleton Crew"

Don't see it if low wage workers' struggles don't interest you.

See it if you want to be happy and sad at the same time. See it if the play, "Sweat," resonated with you. See it for great acting all around.

Don't see it if you cannot feel for people who work hard but don't make ends meet.

See it if you like comedic but depressing slice-of-life shows that deal with the intersection of racism and poverty

Don't see it if you prefer sweeping, epic dramas or if you like your plays to provide you with answers and not just questions

See it if you relate to shows about real people and their life dilemmas.

Don't see it if you have no empathy for people in this country who work and are barely making it.

Also It hurts to see how the working class can be treated in our economy where money and power rule.... Read more Read less

See it if depressing slice-of-life play in a small town showing demeaning and dehumanizing work in a big box store

Don't see it if you want to see cliched and unrealized one dimensional characters. Main character is a major problem with no true feelings or insight

Also Amateur, shallow, lethargic pace. Racism may be an underlying fact in the play but it is not adequately explored... Read more Read less