The Poor of New York NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (51)
See it if you enjoy theatrical events, a style of theater rarely seen, and a play you've probably never seen.
Don't see it if you prefer contemporary drama
See it if Small production but the cast & creatives hit it outside the ballpark. Full of life. Superb acting with perfect accent in in unison
Don't see it if No reason not to see this show. Worth the effort to see it
See it if If you want to see a great production of a historical drama that takes place in NY during financial crisis in 1830s.Full ofGreed, love,honor
Don't see it if You dont like intimate theater, lots of stage prop changes in front of you (while the play goes on), not a fan of musical or period piece
See it if It was my honor to be in the company of this jewel of a staging of a historical and telling tale of the ways of (wo)man. Just Go!
Don't see it if ...if you are conservative and only want obnoxious theater.
See it if you like to see a historical play about money, greed, compassion, friendship that is still relevant today. Clever staging & great acting!
Don't see it if you don't like historical plays which still have meaning today. But you would miss a wonderful performance of the whole cast. Read more
See it if Older play, that is refreshing about subject of yesterday/today, with some comedy.
Don't see it if time period, with some singing Read more
See it if You are interested in the history of New York City or are curious about a mid-19th century melodrama experience. This one is great!
Don't see it if period costume dramas with some singing aren't your thing. Read more
See it if Spectacular costumes. Arena staging is special for me. The use of the rotating stage works so well. Also
Don't see it if flight of stairs. Read more
Critic Reviews (6)
"An eminently entertaining and well-played production that is filled with hissable villains and honorable but desperately impoverished victims and heroes...As outlandishly as its convoluted, coincidence-strewn plot defies the traditional conventions of play writing, it has a ton of heart...You are in for a real treat, a rare opportunity to see a genuine melodrama that does not pretend to be anything else, with no ham-handed wink-wink performances among the fine company."
Read more
"One of the theater's most skilled 19th-century melodramatists, Boucicault was uninterested in the finer points of history, character development, or narrative objectivity which, of course, is why, as the Metropolitan Playhouse's lively revival of 'The Poor of New York' demonstrates, his works are often so much fun...Boucicault wasn't prone to letting a bunch of cumbersome details and ho-hum dramaturgical considerations get in the way of a good story or a necessary cause."
Read more
"Directed and designed by Alex Roe, this production has been given an inventive staging...Although very dated in style, the play effectively hits its targets. The actors often speak their thoughts to the audience to help move the plot along. As performed by this solid cast, this historical period piece comes alive...For a glimpse into America’s theatrical past and its uncanny mirror to our continuing legacy of financial malfeasance, 'The Poor of New York' is highly recommended."
Read more
"Alex Roe keeps this show tight. Actors move freely and smartly throughout the economical stage with great timing and as such, the musical blends and works beautifully for the entire two hours and 15 minutes...The staging of this show was refreshingly different...All the actors were very strong in their roles...The blend of direction, lighting and particularity to costumes make this musical a true art form."
Read more
"Boucicault’s dialogue is quite lively and fun and, at times, unabashedly sentimental. Artistic Director Alex Roe, who also designed the production, has beautifully staged the piece without patronizing the material one jot...The actors are uniformly excellent with everyone astutely cast, and utterly in the spirit...Melodramatic as the proceedings are, there’s a good deal of honest sentiment here and certainly the depiction of poverty resonates with much of what we see today on our streets."
Read more
"This is not just a story of evil and revenge. It is a social/ethical call for empathy and compassion for our fellow man – a quality greatly in demand these days but, sadly, in little evidence. 'The Poor of New York' is exquisitely portrayed by a fine cast. Don’t miss it! I promise you a smile at the end."
Read more