The Homecoming Queen NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (43)
See it if you enjoy family sagas set in Africa with a hint of mystery and misdirection, "return to home" stories, romance with personal barriers
Don't see it if you don't enjoy "family" plays that are slow to reveal its secrets & jump around in time, take place in a culture that may discomfort you,
See it if you're open to different cultures. The story is interesting, the staging is clever and the ending leaves you thinking.
Don't see it if you're expecting a traditional plot, climax, and denouement. The play could use a little editing, at one hour 45 minutes, no intermission
See it if questions of how culture and upbringing shape us all intrigue you
Don't see it if flashbacks and a nonlinear plot confuse you
See it if you like plays that make you think, that aren't strictly linear, and have great design elements, terrific acting, and have something to say
Don't see it if you are looking for a big brashy musical or a romantic comedy. There is a lot of music & comedy in this, but it is woven into the play.
See it if you're interested in cultural differences between LA and Nigeria; a woman's experiences as a child and how it shapes her; joy and tears.
Don't see it if you don't care for family themes, a tale that jumps around in time and can be confusing; moving away from home doesn't always make u happy.
See it if Personal journeys, cultural conflicts, families
Don't see it if Don’t appreciate African culture
See it if You suspect Thomas Wolfe was right - but need confirmation, or if you might like old themes rewarmed in an interesting way.
Don't see it if You are impatient with themes that have already been explored and just want to move on.
See it if you enjoy plays that jump around from the present to the past to magical realism. You enjoy plays that say you can go home again.
Don't see it if you find it challenging to follow when a play is in the present or past. You are not interested in different cultures. Read more
Critic Reviews (15)
"Starts out clichéd, but the piece swells in rich moments of music and feeling expertly executed by the cast of storytellers...Once the exposition has cleared, 'The Homecoming Queen' finally comes to life with delicious surprises and understated character work. Yet it is the talent of the collective ensemble that is superior here...By the end of its 105 minutes, 'The Homecoming Queen' becomes a play for every actor on the stage and for every patron in the house."
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"A powerful story, fueled by powerful writing, is brought vividly to life by director Awoye Timpo in a production that’s both simple and evocative...Udofia’s take on her is spot on. She taps into Kelechi’s nervous, somewhat bitchy, energy quite well...Director Timpo uses these four women to great effect, and they, in their dazzlingly colorful plumage, are captivating as they laugh, sing, smile, talk, fold clothes, or stand in silence."
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"A memory play and a mythic tale...A home-coming and a home-embracing and a home-leaving tale. The characters are solid and vibrant...Beautiful ensemble work...The important points that unravel the mystery are often glossed over...The logistics were sometimes murky, and this pulled me out of the story. Not enough to leave me stranded, however...I look forward to more of Anyanwu's work. Hers is a voice that should be encouraged."
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"The play is a beautiful meditation on home, alienation, love, pain, and regret. It strikes harmonious chords with a masterful clarity...Each and every member of the cast is incredible. These characters feel fully realized and human...Timpo has directed a production intent on the verisimilitude of life and its complications, and wow -- how she does succeed...One of the most memorable and poignant endings I've seen -- a testament to the power of story and hope."
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“'The Homecoming Queen'…excels at atmospheric local color; however, its episodic, flashback-filled structure and indirect secrets can sometimes be confusing, while what we learn of Kelechi's girlhood tragedy is neither particularly overwhelming nor original. I wanted to laugh more at the play's comedy and cry more at its pathos but left the theatre more impressed by its performative and cultural values than its emotional ones.”
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"There is great warmth to 'The Homecoming Queen,' a warmth that spilled into the hallway when the play ended as the audience happily roared about the show they had just seen."
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"The crown in Ngozi Anyanwu’s complex new play is one of rich tradition, worn in reverence and regret by Kelechi, a bestselling author who has traveled from America to Nigeria to see, and ultimately bury, her ailing father...We never find out with any certainty where that search for connection takes her, but by play’s end, we find ourselves wishing her only the best."
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