Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (124)
See it if You have a passing knowledge of this man and want to know more. Clever staging--a device that uses three actors to portray Gorey--worked.
Don't see it if You know nothing about Gorey--this doesn't give enough basic information to make it worth your while.
See it if You love bio shows of peculiar people, such as Gorey, portrayed by their younger and older selves with lots of time jumps.
Don't see it if You're not interested in art, illustration, writing or know absolutely nothing about Gorey.
See it if You enjoy an informative and interesting Biographical Show with wonderful acting...very Inventive!
Don't see it if You don't enjoy an inventive smart Show!
See it if you're an artistic-type, you want to be inspired, and you enjoy the work of Edward Gorey. And you're kind of a "loner."
Don't see it if You want a splashy theater extravaganza OR you cannot stand when they use projections at all in theater. Read more
See it if you are interesting to know about a creative genius.Marvelously portrayed by a very talented actors.
Don't see it if You do not like theater.
See it if you enjoy eccentrics and eccentricities; artists from Balanchine to Leslie Gore. You needn't know Gorey going in; you won't want to leave.
Don't see it if you like order in your life, need all your things put away, and never blamed anything on the Bossa Nova. Read more
See it if you want the best 3 man/1 man show playing.Have I intrigued you? If you know anything about Edward Gorey you will love this producti
Don't see it if Edward Gorey does not interest you.
See it if You are a fan of the great illustrator & eccentric; love explorations of life through found documents; love writers.
Don't see it if You are unnerved by penguins (or illustrations of them.)
Critic Reviews (19)
“Andrew Dawson, Phil Gillen, and Aiden Sank are not only amazing performers on their own, but in these circumstances they are vital and their talents add so much to the experience...Director and writer Travis Russ deserves his own individualized ovation as well...From the three insanely talented men who perform the show to the intricately designed puppets that emerge for a scene, I was inside Gorey's world—his brain. It felt real, it looked strange, and it was brilliant."
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“The three men do a fine job of seamlessly transitioning between their actor selves and their respective portrayals of Gorey. Each crafts a characterization that seems to fully lift up the essence of Gorey...The author calls the play a 'fantasy memoir,' and I could not think of a more appropriate classification...As we discover the man behind the myth, we leave the theater with more questions than we anticipated, and isn’t that always the goal?”
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"Gorey is exposed as a hoarder with seven cats and no libido....The playwright’s biggest gamble is that Gorey is portrayed by three different actors simultaneously...Visually, this trifecta is effective...Intellectually, there are some missed opportunities. With a setup that’s ideal for reflection, we get only a couple tastes of what clever turns there could have been...One man’s muddle is another man’s treasure, and so the evening is full of little gems to discover.”
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"There are insights into Gorey’s creative process and a raw look at his abiding loneliness…There are moments of humor as well as pathos in this amiable production, but little in the way of a narrative arc. The actors are all appealing. My only quibble is that the play assumes a prior knowledge of Gorey’s work and would probably be puzzling to anyone who doesn’t have that."
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"Russ’s play, using a combination of Gorey's own words and the playwright’s reimagining, also fills in the complexities and contradictions, the yearning, loss, and humanity, contained in the space between 'strange' and 'fabulous.' All three actors are excellent separately and together, and play their 'Teds' as discrete parts of a whole, producing a touching production that is charming, warm, and at times melancholy...Gorey fans will enjoy this vision of a life and its art."
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"Interweaving is the essence of 'Gorey,' the dense fabric of his life composed of friends, passions, compulsions, creativity, and incidents large and small...The play needs more dramatic tension. There’s wry wit, charm, insight, gossip, illumination and mystery–but no suspense...One thing is missing: Gorey’s drawings...This is a real loss...Still, the play creates a mind expanding full world and I feel glad and lucky to have spent time in that imaginative place."
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"A delicious observation of a well-lived, if secret, life...Writer and director Travis Russ has crafted an engaging script, assembled a trio of charming and vibrant actors and a production team that bring to life a vision of the artist, brimming with creativity...There is a moment or two near the end where 'Gorey' falters and seems unsure where it should end...For the greater part of the evening, 'Gorey' is smart and cleverly crafted."
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"This play written and directed by Travis Russ should be at the top of your must-watch list this month. Funny, direct, ugly and beautiful all intertwine to create one of the best examinations of an artist’s life that I’ve seen on stage. It’s never corny, doesn’t take itself too seriously, but there’s no denying that its subtle philosophy and bold approach will have you researching Gorey’s work once the play is done."
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