Twelfth Night (The Public Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (113)
See it if You enjoy a warm, tuneful, community oriented evening with 2 Tony award winners. Malvolio steals the show; unusual but warranted.
Don't see it if You can't get to the Park for tickets Sunday morning because it closes August 19th. You are a Shakespeare purist or don't like musicals.
See it if You want to see this classic comedy done as a pretty decent musical and love seeing great singers singing. You love when the Delacorte.
Don't see it if You are a purist for how these classic texts are done. Don’t like sitting outside on a hot NYC summer night.
See it if You enjoy Shakespeare in The Park. This is a fun show. Lots to look at. (Maybe too much at times.) Original and fresh.
Don't see it if You don’t like Shakespeare. They’ve made it more understandable than it often is but...it’s still Shakespeare.
See it if You want a very fun score. A clear and entertaining take on the Bard's comedy. A show stopping performance by a supporting character.
Don't see it if You want Shakespeare's words. Mind that some of the songs are forgettable.
See it if you like Shaina Taub (who doesn't); Shakespeare; or musicals. This is a full-blown, short (90-minute) musical version of Twelfth Night.
Don't see it if you're expecting a straight Shakespeare play or don't like fun reinterpretations.
See it if you would enjoy a streamlined musical version of Twelfth Night scored by Shania Taub (you would).
Don't see it if you’re a Shakespeare purist.
See it if you want to see a new, current musical that is based on the Twelfth Night characters/themes. You are interested in a new interpretation.
Don't see it if You are expecting Twelfth Night - this isn't it - in any sense. However, it is a most enjoyable new musical interpretation of the classic. Read more
See it if you want to see a funny, musical version of Twelfth Night. This is an extravagant, merry production with a few achingly tender moments.
Don't see it if you prefer plays or purer adaptations of Shakespeare. You don't like romantic comedies. You want to see a smaller, intimate production.
Critic Reviews (37)
"This is no ordinary production of Shakespeare’s much-loved romance, and not just because of Taub’s impressive contributions...Purists will likely quibble with some of the liberties taken. Everyone else will have a great time watching the antics as Viola dresses in grief as her brother, setting in motion a tangle of misguided relationships, but finding herself in the process...The whole production speaks to promise wherever you look, most especially in Taub’s direction.”
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"Unfortunately drops far too much of the Bard’s most sublime poetry and replaces it with Shaina Taub’s serviceable doggerel accompanied by her pleasant if unremarkable tunes...Luckily, the dozens of onstage performers are turned into a cohesive mass by Lorin Lontarro’s clever choreography to make this a satisfying communal event. Conspicuously missing are many of Shakespeare’s offhand insights."
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“Seeing such a diverse group of people onstage was inspiring...The highlight was the fantastic original score by Shaina Taub...She chose just the right spots to musicalize and her lyrics smartly jumped off from Shakespeare's text...A terrific marriage of text and music...I found this delightful, heartfelt and tuneful incarnation to be just the thing to see on a summer night...The performers were all terrific."
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"A top-notch cast which blends the talents of both professional and community performers...Though there has been some tidy contemporary-edge adapting to tie the story up into a comfy 90 minutes, the spirit of the musical is admirably true to its source material and is only enhanced by the diverse and delightful songs...The integrated eclecticism in choreography, music and design reinforces once again the evening's message of inclusivity. 'Twelfth Night' is a joy from beginning to end."
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"This wonderful show, performed in the open air Delacorte Theatre beneath the stars and passing choppers blends a cast of talented pros...New York City at its best...Taub floats between keyboards and singing with the band to joining the play on stage as Feste , the quick-witted — in this case- accordion playing- fool. The text and story are pure Shakespeare wrapped in present day costumes, props and songs with punch and humor that are pure Taub."
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