Please Continue NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (32)
See it if you enjoy challenging theater, history of psychology, Yale history, human behavior, historic scandals, clever playwrighting
Don't see it if repulsed by fraternity sexual misbehavior, flawed main characters takinge advantage of others, object to human psychology experiments
See it if you intelligent theatre that is well-acted and directed. This is the type of play that you can discuss for hours afterwards. Kudos to EST!
Don't see it if you are not interested in intelligent, thought-provoking plays.
See it if you enjoy intelligent drama
Don't see it if you are not interested in historical events
See it if you like to be challenged to think "would I do that??"
Don't see it if You don't see shows longer than 90 minutes.
See it if You enjoy a wise and thoughtful script that resonates long after you leave the theater. A timely play about morality and responsability.
Don't see it if You want to see a comedy.
See it if you're interested in psychology, and in a controversial human experiment. You appreciate stellar acting, and pieces set in 1960s America.
Don't see it if You don't like dialogue heavy plays with little music and action.
See it if You love great acting and subject matter that makes you think.
Don't see it if You are looking for a night of comedy or don't like great acting.
See it if Like psych/neuroscience and history, appreciate the inherently theatrical setup of the Milgram, to support art in science/science in art
Don't see it if Looking for a polished, complete product, or for consistently professional talent, don't sit in the side seats; the radiator is thunderous
Critic Reviews (7)
“'Please Continue,' Frank Basloe’s relentlessly thought-provoking fictionalized study of the people involved with the experiments, is on the stage of the Ensemble Studio Theater. And it’s absolutely gripping...This rock-solid production takes us back decisively with political dialogue and pop music, but most of all with eight rich, lived-in performances and William Carden’s quietly commanding direction."
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"Frank Basloe’s earnest but plodding 'Please Continue' saddles a sketchy critique of Milgram’s methods with an unsubtle B plot about conformity...This is still culturally potent stuff: the dark side of Mad Men and harbinger of our desensitized digital times. Unfortunately, Basloe’s account is slow-moving, flat-footed and telegraphs its themes a mile away. You might welcome a jolt or two to stay engaged."
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"A science-minded drama hampered by an awkward construction concept...Two complicated stories are pruned of their most provocative and troubling details in order to make them fit the playwright's prearranged pattern, an approach that sells everybody short…A lot of disturbing ideas are raised in 'Please Continue,' only to get buried under a lot of talk. The result is something like a dull graduate seminar. This is a play that should wound; instead, it feels like homework."
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"The relationship between the two plots is largely conceptual, but the very different issues and stakes in the two stories weaken this connection. The ethics of scientific experimentation are a meaty conundrum that the play ponders deeply and thoughtfully...One thing that does unite the two stories is the strength of the ensemble's acting...The play can be a bit slow or repetitive at times, but Carden's considerate direction yields enough emotional charge to keep you invested throughout."
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"These dual storylines tackle the various aspects of cruelty in conformity with considerable intelligence...Subtle humor is carefully allocated while acutely written dialogue and a smart ensemble cast play with the topics of doubt and discovery with powerful sensitivity. Director Carden gracefully draws humanity from self-analysis and poignancy from complexity. An ambitious undertaking....Its thought-provoking results deserve further investigation. A must see."
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"If there's a small gap in the script, it's the one-dimensional - okay, two-dimensional - depiction of Milgram...Though Basloe includes a few dry moments during his two acts, he's written a play that not only starts intermission debates but will also keep them going long after the last fade-out. And while his finale is brief and low-key, it's strong…Under Carden's direction, 'Please Continue' is possibly receiving its sleekest EST production yet. The ensemble acting is first-rate."
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"Rather than focusing on this experimental result explicitly, 'Please Continue' takes the audience into the minds of the teacher, learner, and experimenter, revealing the turmoil within each. While Basloe’s script deviates from actual events, it does so in service of a greater purpose—to humanize the emotions of all three participants."
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