The Tallest Man in the World

See it if Intriguing yet puzzling drama about three Irish misfits who's lives seem to be intertwined Equally poetic & cryptic; often feels allegorical

Don't see it if Xia works hard to stage (with levels) in Tank's cramped black box & Riain's drama lacks linear structure Kilgore fares best as 'tallest man'

See it if you like poetic dramas that tinker with the form.

Don't see it if the mix of poetic language with vernacular English & naturalistic storylines with a mythic tale might bother you unduly.

Also I do not think “The Tallest Man in the World” is a fully successful play. The poetic language at times seems the perfect expression for what a character has to say, but at other times sounds flowery. I like the attempt to braid together the mythic story of the title character & the more naturalistic storylines involving a wild young woman & her dissolute dad, but the fit, while at times quite convincing & even touching, does not always feel comfortable. And the final image is muddy. But some of the writing is thrilling, & I am a fan of young playwrights who depart from the straight & narrow in their attempt to say new things in new ways, so I will be looking for further works by this intriguing young theatrical voice.... Read more Read less

See it if you like lyrical Irish plays with actors thoroughly engaged.

Don't see it if you want a linear story in a properly staged venue.

Also The play started very late due to an MIA stage manager with the light cues. The lighting was therefore off and it was sometimes hard to hear the performers or know where to direct your attention in a strange layout. It was unbearably warm in a cramped seat.... Read more Read less

See it if watching people in physical and emotional pain interests you. These characters live in misery.

Don't see it if you dislike waiting in confusion for necessary information that the author drips out bit by bit over the course of the play.

See it if dark, introspective, long, convoluted Irish drama addressing incest, exploitation, depression, isolation, addiction, death intrigue you.

Don't see it if you cannot follow complex plot line with few actors playing multiple roles not matching their ethnicities, nationalities, accents, and ages.

See it if There was nothing about the play

Don't see it if Because it was dreadful!

See it if You are ok with being confused by a story and like unconventional theater.

Don't see it if You want to see stories that don't leave you in the dark.

See it if u'll enjoy a prose poem acted out; won't mind that characters interact w/ one another in atypical ways & don't mind non-lineal plots.

Don't see it if u are uncomfortable w/dark themes; prefer traditional theatre;dislike characters who deliver long monalogues & don't really interact.

Also I think this may actually be more interesting on the printed page or perhaps as a radio play than in live theatre. There were parts of this that were not just poetic, but actual poetry, but then the poetry would just disappear & I, at least, couldn't figure out whether that was intentional. The characters' monologues were very unlike actual conversations & at times there were refrains, as in a poem. It was an interesting experience, but IMO more like story telling than theatre .... Read more Read less

See it if you want to support this experimental theater & young, inexperienced players; can put effort into "getting" the Irish 'magical realism'

Don't see it if you expect great Irish prose & instead get 3 stereotypes: alcoholic father, a hyperdramatic daughter & the distant "Finn McCool" giant

Also Very disappointed. I LOVE quirky Irish plays, but this is just a meandering bunch of words that goes nowhere. A crowded, claustrophobic room, looking over people's heads for the scenes that are played out in a dark corner was really bad staging. Scattered, vague dialogue, bad set design, bad direction.... Read more Read less

See it if you can follow actors playing multiple roles (I think) in a non-traditional script

Don't see it if you need a linear plot or don't like actors speaking (and sometimes seemingly mumbling) in accents.

Also Just finding a seat in the cramped space was a bit chaotic.

See it if You like confusing, melodramatic pieces about sad people tormented by ugly pasts

Don't see it if You need to really understand and engage with what you are seeing

See it if you like lyrical theater or philosophical writing

Don't see it if you want a linear plot or any semblance of understanding who is what and where at any given moment

See it if If you like shows with a very simple stage setup and if you prefer a small cast.

Don't see it if If you want to see a show with a more fancy stage setup with a bigger cast

See it if Enjoy Irish sentiment, but it really isn’t very Irish. Some of it was poetic, some was repetitive and banal.

Don't see it if You are claustrophobic in small dark spaces,

See it if you like watching a dramatization of what is essentially a long poem.

Don't see it if you do not like lyrical, poetic writing. You prefer more action.

See it if you like new/raw theatre or works-in-progress and enjoy a bit of a puzzle-piece plotline

Don't see it if you need everything chronological or expect a polished performance

See it if You like plays that are well-written with intense subject matter, good acting and direction and highly professional production values.

Don't see it if If you're not into heavy topics with sexual content and dramatic productions.

See it if You are willing to engage with challenging materially beautifully writand artfully presented. It is a gorgeous psycho-sexual memory plan.

Don't see it if You demand chronological literalism.

Also The playwright turns prose into poetry with the judicious use of alliteration and assonance. We see three lives unraveled, and are invited to weave the remnants back together to imagine the three lives prior to the events that led to brokenness.

Brilliant writing, direction, set and lighting design, compelling acting by a trinity of gifted story tellers.... Read more Read less

See it if you are intrigued by poetic monologues

Don't see it if you cannot follow somewhat vague storyline and character transitions

Also there were moments of beautiful poetry to which I felt pleasantly surprised... Read more Read less

See it if You love provocative and strange theatre shows.

Don't see it if You don't like avante garde and strange theatre.

See it if Dramatic, emotional and captivating. Poetically written and performed. At the end the audience sat quitely absorbing what they experienced.

Don't see it if It’s definitely for adults. The subject matter is serious.

Also Thank you to the playwright for her words and to the actors for their performance.... Read more Read less

See it if .....you enjoy a compelling story line. Nice timing on the dialog between characters. Could have been a bit more dynamic but still enjoyable

Don't see it if .... you don't like a small theater space and being very close to the actors.

See it if You like serious trauma dealt with by lyrical dream-fugue dialogues, and you care the most about the power of that writing and acting.

Don't see it if you don't want to be triggered by very, very intense discussions of sexual and family trauma.

See it if Intriguing premise - took a while to realise what had happened. Would love to read it. Strong performances and lovely use of light.

Don't see it if You like big loud theatre!

See it if Powerful writing, a really intricate piece of storytelling. The last scene and the last image were kind of haunting.

Don't see it if If like fast paced comedy or straightforward plays.