Petie NYC Reviews and Tickets

79%

(43 Reviews)

Positive

84%

Mixed

14%

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Absorbing, Great writing, Thought-provoking, Intense

About the Show

Theatre East's world premiere drama explores the often turbulent relationship between faith and mental health through the eyes of a mother and daughter.

An agoraphobe travels the rough terrain of guilt and loss as she struggles to hide key details about her son’s death from her estranged daughter. As the 10th anniversary of the devastating family tragedy approaches, Bonnie and her daughter, Jesse, will either find new faith in each other, or destroy what little they have left.

Member Reviews (43)

Absorbing, Great acting, Great writing, Thoughtful, Intelligent

See it if You like shows that tackle serious matters with a good sense of humor. The writer (and actors) nail the accents and mannerisms perfectly.

Don't see it if You don’t want to see another dysfunctional family trying to work out their past trauma so they can move on with their lives.

Funny, Grim, Disturbing, Deep, Absorbing

See it if Incomplete memories, fractured relationships, struggle to move ahead. Need to confront the past. Women attracted to bad men. Comic relief.

Don't see it if You don't enjoy psychodrama where memory is an important element. Some disturbing, oppressive characters.

Disappointing, Slow

See it if You want to see a cute kid on stage

Don't see it if You are looking for that drama that rips your heart out and takes you on an emotional roller coaster. Read more

Slow, Indulgent

See it if The few scenes with the girl's friend and her boyfriend are entertaining.

Don't see it if But the mom tells rambling stories about groceries and food wraps, the dad shouts all his lines, and story is repetitive. Slow at 1 hr45m.

Great acting, Great writing, Intense, Powerful, Intelligent

See it if A highly dramatic family story told with many flashbacks intrigues you. The playwright is also one of the actors and she is brilliant !

Don't see it if You are needing an intense family drama to come to a happy conclusion. This play does not, nor does it neatly tie up all loose ends. Read more

Absorbing, Sad, A bit disconnected, Pace is deliberately slow

See it if Want to see story of family after loss & how they tried to cope. Also, dysfunctional relationships, small-town life, beliefs in faith.

Don't see it if Want something light, don't like religious themes, story of sad lives, abusive situations. There's no neat bow-tying here. Read more

Absorbing, Great acting, Slow, Great writing, Intelligent

See it if you would enjoy a show that relies on flashbacks to explain the action; excellent acting; sad but hopeful resolution of family issues.

Don't see it if you need totally linear action to understand what's going on; you prefer comedy and musicals; you prefer to not see mental illness on stage Read more

Superb acting, Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Interesting, Insightful

See it if you enjoy plays that involve dysfunctional families, tragedy, lurking violence, small town life, fine acting and good dialog.

Don't see it if you dislike intense psychological content, sad and depressed characters, coping poorly with overwhelming problems.

Critic Reviews (4)

"This well-performed, thoughtful drama about a family haunted by a tragedy explores the intricacies of intimacy and the difficulty of moving on...Fischer, as Bonnie, is able to connect with the emotional gravity of the character, and it’s impressive...As much as 'Petie' is about this tragic situation, it is about how these people in this particular place deal with this tragic situation, and it opens the work to new avenues of empathy. For a play with this many virtues, that’s a great thing."
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"It sinks under a contrived plot and a mediocre script...With cookie-cutter characterizations and broad, stereotypical references to small-town life, there is little opportunity to empathize with the plight of this family. Nonetheless, there is marvelous acting...Should this cast find material worthy of their abilities, we’ll all be better for it. For now, they are trapped in a boat that fails to sail."
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"The production excels at creating atmosphere, expertly drawing the audience not only into its blue-collar Southern setting but also into its confining domestic space...While many plays that tell the kind of story that Fischer's play does progressively darken an initially light tone, 'Petie' successfully interweaves its funny and dramatic strands throughout...All of these effects are underpinned by a fantastic cast...A gripping, impactful new production."
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"A touching, heavy piece about overcoming loss and estrangement...Banta’s organic direction draws us into these characters’ lives with the simple movement of everyday life. Fischer has not written a single superfluous word or action into 'Petie,' which makes the course of the piece clear. The actors deliver a realistic performance with the exception of a few unbelievable moments...A heartrending performance of a complex story that gives life to and is complemented by the theatrical design."
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