The Enchantment

See it if You enjoy neglected classic performed in small theater with simple staging. Some strong acting (2 main characters, Louise & Viggo)

Don't see it if You can't appreciate low budget, unpolished productions

See it if You wanna see a well acted ensemble piece where people talk about love a lot.

Don't see it if You get distracted by Canadian accents.

See it if You like period dramas about changing times and cultures

Don't see it if You dislike period dramas stories about women's oppression in society

See it if you have an interest in 19th century drama and female playwrights.

Don't see it if you are put off by the slow pace and uneven acting.

Also A noble effort nicely directed but the acting ranges from good to lifeless.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a brilliant, beautifully acted play. The text and the back-story are interesting. Production is spellbinding, provocative

Don't see it if you are not interested in though-provoking drama in the vein of Hedda Gabler

See it if You like great acting and a story based on a real event.

Don't see it if You abhor tragedy

See it if You like Chekhov, Ibsen, Strindberg and 19th Century drama; also interesting, undiscovered, classic works. And really terrific acting!

Don't see it if You do not like 19th Century drama.

Also A great young company presents an undiscovered classic, exquisitely acted and staged.... Read more Read less

See it if you like classic Scandinavian plays

Don't see it if you prefer more depth in characters and dialog. However, the Village Voice review was unfair to male cast members of the show -

Also - the problem was the writing not the acting. The play is mainly a long suicide note with wish-fulfillment and revenge against the fickle object of desire.

Benedictsson's POV puts male characters in the supporting roles of boyfriend and brother and inscrutable object of desire - male versions of the roles female actors complain about.

The Alland character is written much too chatty and expositional and blunt for the smoldering French ladykiller we are to take him for.

And the ending is much too abrupt and Alland's apparent change of heart is completely unconvincing. But the ending of this play is not much worse than the ending of MISS JULIE, considered a classic, but which is in fact a misogynist POS, in my opinion.

I suspect the translater/adapter Lexen was reluctant to make changes to the original work in order to retain the purity of the author's intent - but a suicide note is not the best original source for a contemporary play... Read more Read less

See it if You like turn of the century dramas, and unheard stories with relevance to current issues

Don't see it if You want endless laughs and action

See it if You enjoy female centred stories written from a painful history and have a sense of the plays context

Don't see it if You want light, easy entertainment

See it if Pre- Hedda Gabler pre- Miss Julie.. how historic can you get? Ducdame comes through again. Thrust stage works well. Actress who plays

Don't see it if .Might need a bigger space.

Also Louise is perfect.. Maybe a bigger site is needed if audience response is an indicator. Well done work by a young group of actors.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in theater history. This is the first American production of a 19th Century play by a significant but ignored writer.

Don't see it if you want a lively evening. There is a lot of philosophical talk about relationships & dim lighting which caused some viewers to doze

See it if You're a scholar of Ibsen and Strindberg you might find this interesting. Others see it if you can't get tickets for anything else.

Don't see it if You want to be entertained and have a good time.

See it if you want to see a play written by a woman with a fascinating history. It's an interesting story.

Don't see it if you don't like a slow moving play with some stilted dialogue and uneven acting. The women fared better than the men.

See it if you like plays about women's place in society and difficulties they have overcoming misogyny,

Don't see it if you desire "polished" productions and nuanced dialog

See it if You like Ibsen classics, very intimate staging, relationship dramas, or want to resuscitate forgotten women artists' careers.

Don't see it if Talky classics bore you.

Also Retranslated for a contemporary spin on a play by Victoria Benedictsson, who inspired Ibsen; talky, well-acted exploration of the affects of free love. You may have a surprise or two.... Read more Read less

See it if Swedish dialogue driven plays entertain you

Don't see it if You want to see action

See it if You want an intense and morbid drama about relationships.

Don't see it if You haven't the patience for people moping and being depressed about their romantic entanglements.

See it if you are a big fan of Hedda Gabler, Ibsen and Strindberg, and enjoy period pieces

Don't see it if you want to see a polished play with good acting and direction.

Also I'm a big fan of Ibsen and Strindberg, but was disappointed in this production.... Read more Read less

See it if you're curious enough about the play to experience it in a poorly directed and acted production.

Don't see it if you're looking for a well cast and dramatically pointed production.

See it if enjoyable somewhat unknown semi-classic about a romantic fling; well acted

Don't see it if you don't like a lot of dialogue about relationships and sadness

See it if You like period soap operas. You are interested in a story written by a nineteenth century woman told by a production team of women.

Don't see it if you're looking for an empowering piece. This is focused on the suffocating environment of the 1800s and relationships.

Also If you sit on the far side next to the pole characters will block each other; try to sit in the middle or not as far off to the side if you can.... Read more Read less

See it if very well done play, romantic, engaging, characters were well developed and acting was strong - kept my attention completely - very pleasing

Don't see it if you dislike romantic, period pieces.

See it if a 19th century Swedish play/soap opera by a woman might interest you

Don't see it if an inconsistently acted play in a too small space does not appeal.

See it if Ibsen and Strindberg are your thing.

Don't see it if you judge obscure theatre finds by the same high standards as classics.