Plenty NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (153)
See it if You like dramas that are centered on strong heroines and have a historical back drop.
Don't see it if You like comedies or shows that are set in current times. Or are uncomfortable with sexual situations being portrayed and discussed on stage
See it if you like a well-written drama with solid acting. Interesting to think about when it first came out.
Don't see it if You don't want to see weaknesses revealed.
See it if Enjoy drama
Don't see it if Do not being challenged in the theater
See it if You are attracted to the star power of fine actors like Rachel Weisz, intelligent drama, and WWII period plays
Don't see it if Get confused by disjointed time lines, don't like psychological dramas, eschew nudity,
See it if You value great acting. Everyone was good. I wanted to like it more. I'm not sure what the disconnect was.
Don't see it if You want a straightforward story, or don't enjoy period pieces.
See it if You like over-wrought dramas.
Don't see it if You don't enjoy long plays.
See it if you want to see a super-talented cast deal with a difficult play. Hunky Corey Stoll is so good at his craft that he turns into a nerdy self
Don't see it if you don't want to deal with disjointed scenes out of a proper time sequence or a frustrating overpraised play.
See it if you admire David Hare's work, want to see Corey Stoll deliver a transfixing performance, enjoy metaphors about decline of Britian
Don't see it if you're hoping for a star turn from Rachel Weisz, don't know a lot about 40's-60's British system or its diplomatic system
Critic Reviews (37)
"'Plenty' covers 19 years, three countries, and eight locales in its 12 scenes—and the shifts can be clunky, and lengthy...One constant throughout director David Leveaux’s poorly paced revival: the luminous Weisz, who radiates steely determination and profound intelligence in every scene. Even Hare admitted the role is underwritten... Weisz’s distinct gift is that she gets us thinking about what Hare hasn’t shown. The gaps between are almost as intriguing as the scenes themselves."
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"It’s not hard to see what attracts great actresses to the part of Susan...and Weisz gives a poised and assertive performance. That said, the play is slow, depressing and jumbled, leaving little reason to bring it back other than to serve as a star vehicle. The grim-looking set design, built around thick, brick-like walls, adds to the feeling of oppression."
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“The fragmented structure of Hare's script gives 'Plenty' an impressionistic quality, a feeling that Leveaux seizes on but can't find particularly engaging ways to illuminate outside of broad strokes…Most of the performances are disappointingly one-note...Weisz is a luminous actress...But she hasn't really burrowed as deeply into Susan as we need her to...Perhaps with a firmer hand guiding the ship, this revival would produce a wallop of emotion that delivers on its title.”
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"Weisz is always intriguing...Susan is at the center of every scene, and Weisz keeps her transitions firm and believable, but Leveaux's stilted and slow-moving production supplies little for her to bounce off. Aside from the typically exceptional work of Byron Jennings, the men seem barely a match for her...Scene changes are often too slow and there's a uniform drabness about the production's look. Some of this may be intentional...but it undercuts the effectiveness of Hare's interesting play."
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"That's not to say Weisz doesn't have many effective moments...What Weisz doesn't do is make Susan's raging dissatisfaction anything bigger than itself. This is a major problem, because Susan is the lens through which we view the changes reshaping Britain, all of which happen offstage...Still, Leveaux gets good work from several members of the supporting cast...'Plenty' is still very much worth seeing, even in a production that doesn't realize its full potential."
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"If there's a fine accord between the script and production, which Leveaux weights a hair self-consciously but nonetheless moves with agility and grace, Weisz does not provide them the consistently unshakable emotional core they demand...The rest of the cast is much more effective, especially Stoll...Though the point would be hammered home clearer with a Susan more capable of anchoring the strikes, Hare's play thrills and unnerves."
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"I still find the work’s premise to be fundamentally flawed. 'Plenty' is meant to be both character study and metaphor, but it doesn’t satisfactory fulfill the requirements on either count...What it takes to cover the work’s imbalances is a great actress. Fortunately, at the center of David Leveaux’s revival is Rachel Weisz, who hands in a fully committed portrait of Susan...An imperfect if often riveting piece of theater, 'Plenty' does leave plenty of things for us to think about."
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"The current stylishly staged and splendidly performed revival is still a gripping example of Mr. Hare's skillful blend of personal and historical theater...Weisz is not as deeply nuanced in every aspect of Susan's story as one might hope for. She does ruthless, self-absorption and righteousness very well indeed, but her mental fragility tilts too much towards complete craziness...The rest of the large cast adds immeasurably to 'Plenty's' retaining its dramatic force."
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