The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Production Covid-19 Safety ProtocolsShow-Score Member Reviews (238)
See it if You love cheeky verse theater, a poignant (and sexy) satanic love story at the end of the world, scrappy, Fringe-y staging and amazing music
Don't see it if You don't like theater that leaves the lights on, you have trouble with abstraction or Scottish accents Read more
See it if you enjoy immersive staging, intimate performances, clever (rhyming!) verse, beautiful anglo folk music, folk tales & myth, smart staging.
Don't see it if having actors move around and near you bothers you and/or if you don't like having to turn in your seat to follow the action.
See it if You love inventive theater served with a shot (or 2) in an immersive atmosphere. Oh, and sandwiches.
Don't see it if You shudder at the thought of a little audience participation.
See it if An exceptional show. So clever and smart. Great performances. Original!! A special experience at the McKittrick. Don't miss this one.
Don't see it if You need traditional proscenium style theater. You lack imagination and wit.
See it if you aren't afraid of getting up close and personal with a show. You may be used as a prop or part of the staging and it's so. much. fun.
Don't see it if you'd prefer a proscenium-style show or to be further away from the actors.
See it if you like interactive stories that use the audience as their stage. This was weird, but also incredible - don't miss it!
Don't see it if you like a linear, easy to follow story line. I spent a while trying to comprehend everything but when I did - MIND BLOWN! Read more
See it if you enjoy brilliantly done storytelling with the cast acting all around you. You also get a free shot of scotch!
Don't see it if you're only comfortable with straight forward proscenium plays, but it's time to expand your horizons!
See it if You're looking to see something new, way out of the norm.
Don't see it if You're looking to see a conventional play or musical in a conventional space. This is a very unique experience.
Critic Reviews (21)
"The congenial atmosphere set up by director Wils Wilson replicates a sessions night you might encounter at a local tavern...While the merry antics and sexy melodramatics of 'The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart' can certainly be enjoyed by all, those with an intimate knowledge of Scottish literature and culture will certainly get an extra charge out of the evening."
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"The first act in particular is rife with lovely turns of phrase...Once Prudencia is in the underworld, poetry is replaced by prose and although the words remain highly literate, the fun is lessened somewhat...While one at times wonders what the point of Prudencia's story may be, it is undeniably entertaining to watch this gifted, nimble cast work the room, acting, playing musical instruments, and occasionally commandeering one of the audience's tables to make a point."
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"As accomplished and entertaining as this Satanic, Scottish, musical tall tale is, it’s drawn out and its slender plot is wayward...The dialogue is often comical and flavorful...The pub performance concept, though marvelously presented, at times sidetracks the plot. With all of the singing and actors all over the place, it’s easy to forget about Prudencia Hart...Ultimately, it’s a great deal of merriment without much dramatic impact."
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"An immersive entertainment featuring five talented performers equally adept at clowning and music...The plot is silly but diverting...After that break in the action, 'The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart' loses steam. In part, the problem can be attributed to the script's transition from zippy verse to prose that's decidedly prosaic. But it's also that the preoccupations of small-beer academicians don't justify two hours of ridicule."
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"An energetic, ingenious and gob-smacking evening of site-specific theater that won’t soon be forgotten...The cast are multi-instrumentalists who also sing, dance and act up a storm...Playwright Grieg has crafted a rather brilliant performance piece based on folklore and an abundance of cultural references...Director Wils Wilson has deftly woven this superb tapestry of movement, acting, and much more, with superb skill...Simply a darn good time."
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"The show is many things: satirical, absurd, a literary parlor game, a crazy surf through folkloric history, and a wild and celebratory slice of storytelling-as-art.... Your capacity to embrace this show will depend on your capacity for absurdity, wild silliness, and literary in-jokes. Free shots of whiskey may help...The sheer energy of the performers is all-enveloping...It takes great skill to be this silly, and to do it with such heart and relish."
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"Under the direction of Wils Wilson, the first act is breezy and convivial…In the evening’s second half, things take a turn for the metaphorical, with the terms of engagement switching from the narrative to the dramatic, and the proceedings hit a speed bump…But thanks to the effervescent cast, the show doesn’t entirely lose its momentum, and eventually regains its devil-may-care form."
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"The narrative sometimes loses focus, but the evening has plenty of musical swagger and wild poetic heart, and develops an unexpected erotic charge as Prudencia dances with the devil and discovers her real self in car park. This beautifully performed piece both uses the ballad form and sends it up rotten, takes a cheeky but affectionate swipe at Rabbie Burns and Conor McPherson, and celebrates the folk tradition...It deserves to tour for eternity."
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