The Battles of Richmond Hill NYC Reviews and Tickets

81%

(39 Reviews)

Positive

87%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Absorbing, Great writing, Great staging, Entertaining

About the Show

In this new comedy, over the course of one vodka-fueled evening filled with Irish magic and secrets, Sheila O’Connor will learn to overcome her fears and finally find the courage to face the next chapter.

Sheila O’Connor is in trouble. She has been drinking too much lately at her favorite pub, The Dublin Rose, and has become a danger to herself. When her worried grandson arrives, determined to re-locate her from her beloved Richmond Hill, Queens to an assisted living community in New Jersey, the battle lines are drawn.

Member Reviews (39)

Touching, Strong acting, Absorbing, I can't be fully objective, i have a friend involved

See it if you like dysfuntional family stories...with an Irish accent. Set in a bar at Xmas, 3 generations of a family try to make their way in NY.

Don't see it if you dislike drinking (it's constant) or arguing (also constant). As others noted, this is a traditional piece, w a couple of twists. 2W, 4M. Read more

Great local flavor, Entertaining, Absorbing, Great acting, Great writing

See it if you enjoy plays set locally with good story references, good bar staging, acted well by the entire cast, and a little acapella singing.

Don't see it if you are bothered by abuse of drugs and alcohol or are tired of family dramas where swearing and flashbacks are used to tell the story.

Interesting arrangement of seats, Subtle, Relevant, Extraordinarily detailed, Sweetly moving

See it if you have any connection with people experiencing aging issues. Beautifully detailed depiction expressed through humor and humanity.

Don't see it if you have problems seeing bars and drinking simulated on stage.

Great staging, Sentimental, Slow, Romantic, Cliched

See it if In the waning days of Irish Queens bar, rather than face her uncertain future, a grandmother clings to ghosts from her past. Divided stage.

Don't see it if Sentimental. Cliches. Stereotypes. Irish/Russian boozy caricatures. Drunken brawl. Only lead's acting is of note. Slight accents. Spit take. Read more

Disappointing, Fluffy

See it if you want to see a story that involves an older woman who does not want to come to grips with the fact that she can’t take care of herself

Don't see it if You are hoping for a gritty family drama Read more

Entertaining, Dated, Cliched, Relevant

See it if you enjoy plays about Irish drinking, slice of life type drama

Don't see it if you're looking for something cutting edge or insightful; you don't like stereotypes; drunks are a trigger for you

Romantic, Entertaining

See it if Dysfunctional Irish family at Christmas with a twist

Don't see it if Irish accents inconsistent. You don’t need to see another Irish drinking play.

Resonant, Relevant, Intelligent, Great staging, Great acting

See it if you want a realistic, compassionate look at alcoholism, drugs and death. The set is so perfect - I wish I could grab a drink there!

Don't see it if you don't care for a well-written story of a family dealing with various addictions. Read more

Critic Reviews (4)

“Jackson packs generations of family drama into this one-act 90-minute ‘jukebox’ play, which has some memorable moments, lots of laughs, but an all-too-familiar feel where love, loss, and liquor seep into every scene of Irish turmoil...The fractured relationship between mother and daughter epitomizes the best and worst of the limits of tough love. In this tidy play, there seems to be a stomach for the happy drunk but not the depressive addict.”
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"'The Battles of Richmond Hill' is a small play with big emotions, a finely crafted character study of people who easily might have been caricatured. Jackson's writing and MacGowan's direction make these people important."
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“’The Battles of Richmond Hills’ is a wonderful play with top notch performances and a story that will have you laughing one minute and bawling like a baby the next (I know I was). The relationships all feel as real as any family and it makes us long for everything to work out. Penny Jackson manages to create a story that anyone can connect to. One that I look forward to seeing more of in the future.”
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“Jackson has told a universal story in 90 minutes in which anyone can identify. It moves swiftly, brings out the emotional, makes you laugh, and makes you love. The brilliantly talented cast is rounded out by Gilmartin as the loving and spirited patriarch, Frank O’Connor; Ahnquist as the loyal and protective grandson, Brian; and Ryan as her daughter, Mary who skillfully shows how the joy and innocence one brings to themselves and others can fade away by a dark choice.”
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