Ugly Lies The Bone NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (34)
See it if you want to see a compelling drama with a great set and strong, naturalistic acting.
Don't see it if you don't like intimate spaces. It's a very small black box theater.
See it if you look for a very complex character, well acted with enormous depth. Smart writing.
Don't see it if you are expecting an easy resolution to life's problems.
See it if you want to see great acting. It's an absorbing story with profound themes. Emotional depiction of a wounded vet dealing with life back home
Don't see it if you don't like naturalistic acting, you don't like seeing someone in great physical pain. Realistic burn makeup makes you uncomfortable.
See it if You enjoy supporting new work. The playwright has a good ear for dialogue and fresh take on topics (disabled returning Vet). Great cast.
Don't see it if You dislike naturalistic themes, are unsympathetic to disabled/veteran themes, prefer more finished or "lofty" works
See it if You like shows about characters rarely seen on stage.
Don't see it if You're looking for a blockbuster.
See it if you are passionate about veterans' issues, love dysfunctional families, love Meryl Streep's offspring.
Don't see it if you are defensive about Florida or are squeamish about burns.
See it if You like dramas about real-world issues.
Don't see it if You don't like war stories or being reminded of the issues that Afghan and Iraq War vets face when they come home.
See it if You love tour-de-force performances in intense roles
Don't see it if You are in the mood for a light show
Critic Reviews (17)
"Beautiful, richly textured new play...The final product is an uncommonly compelling depiction of not merely recovery, but also repentance and renewal, with an emphasis on how difficult it is — all without either cloying or exaggerating."
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"A familiar but important story...As fascinating as the virtual reality treatment is, what’s at the heart of Ferrentino’s play – and what works best — is Jess’s interaction with the other characters, and the way both she and they are adjusting to the inexorable passage of time and the changes it brings...The uniformly spot-on cast makes the characters credible and moving."
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"The cast is mostly strong, especially Gummer...Patricia McGregor’s direction has a few bumpy spots. I would call the play a diamond in the rough."
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"Working with what seems to have been an extremely limited budget, Patricia McGregor's directorial options are limited but Ferrentino has created nuanced characters and McGregor has gotten fine work out of her five-member cast...simultaneously overstuffed and slightly undercooked, but it's clear that the author has a curiosity about lives outside the theatrical mainstream and talent that should be nurtured."
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"Promising playwright Ferrentino, director Patricia McGregor and Gummer present yet another portrait of a veteran returning from war. What's different about 'Ugly Lies the Bone' is that this is one of the few veteran-comes-home stories I've seen that focuses on a female veteran...Kudos to Ferrentino for shining a spotlight on a different side of a familiar story."
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"It’s general seating so I’d recommend getting there early to snag a chair near the front — I sat first row center, which is my favorite place to experience theater, mostly free from the distraction of audience members...The supporting characters are well-drawn and engaging as played by a trio of great actors...I loved this play and can’t recommend it enough."
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"'Ugly Lies the Bone' is a wonder of simple craft and a bare bones production in a special basement performance space...This play provides wonder in language, in pacing, revelations."
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"An interesting look at how much trauma can change family and friends, and how deeply it can affect one’s life. A wonderful take on all that one must do in order to overcome the obstacles in their path. It also provides a fascinating look at the use of virtual reality technology...The story is realistic, and touches upon many different emotions...The entire cast plays off of one another so well, and their connections and relationships on the stage are moving, and quite solid."
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