Vatican Falls NYC Reviews and Tickets

85%

(6 Ratings)

Positive

83%

Mixed

17%

Negative

Members say

Absorbing, Clever, Intense, Relevant, Thought-provoking

About the Show

A victim of abuse rebels against the Catholic church that allowed it to happen.

Based on true accounts, spanning years and set amidst the backdrop of the ever-growing Catholic sex abuse scandal, this play is a grand multi-genre piece that follows survivor journeys exploring the feelings of shame and confusion that ultimately turn to rage. This breezy, non-linear suspenseful thriller zooms from Boston to Rome to New York to Los Angeles as the protagonist falls in love with a Vatican operative and, along with his Fellowship, plans to take revenge on the people in charge that permitted the rape and torture of countless children and young adults.

Show-Score Member Reviews (6)

Riveting, Great writing, Great acting, Clever, Absorbing

See it if Great drama about the actions of victims of the Catholic Church pedophilia scandal. Great acting with the building of riveting scenes.

Don't see it if If the topic of pedophilia is hard to deal with, then skip this play.

Resonant, Thought-provoking, Intense, Absorbing

See it if You want to learn more about the impact of sexual abuse on people and learn more about the Church cover up and the struggle of the survivors

Don't see it if You can’t handle the topic which I think is important for people to learn and understand more. You can’t handle a script that’s not perfect Read more

Relevant, Cliched, Banal

See it if Needs rewriting. Some actors some not so good.story about abuse in the church.

Don't see it if If you want a solidly written piece.

100

Powerful, Well-acted, Clever, Ambitious, Absorbing

See it if You like shows that take you on a ride and are socially conscious.

Don't see it if You only want to be entertained

Must see, Intense, Intelligent, Disturbing, Clever

See it if disgusted by what people in the Church have done to kids and want to see a show that shows you but is funny too. And if you're a survivor

Don't see it if you should see it

Edgy, Relevant, Great writing, Great staging, Thought-provoking

See it if You Like a play that is more like a movie telling interesting stories with good actors.

Don't see it if You don’t like plays that move around a lot

Critic Reviews (3)

"In their own highly fantastical way, these characters are standing up for themselves and taking action. It may not be very Christian, but it is undeniably dramatic."
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You won’t find Vatican Falls on any map about picturesque raging waters. No, Frank J. Avella’s new play, "Vatican Falls," is, instead, a passionate, sometimes humorous, indictment of the Catholic Church and its long history of concealing the sexual abuse suffered by hundreds of young men at the hands of priests. Tony DiBernardo’s vivid, yet simple set—red platforms that were eventually arranged into the form of a cross—help Avella—who co-directed with Carlotta Brentan—make his sometimes confusing storytelling clearer by dividing the stage into two playing areas.
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In Vatican Falls, playwright Frank Avella vividly depicts the struggles, residual scar tissue, and raw anger of survivors of sexual assault by Catholic clergy whom they trusted...The narrative and nonlinear timeline of Avella’s play is unique in conveying not only the rawness of the characters’ emotions but how they aggressively resolve it.
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Trailer

Creative team