As the second half of the 2023-2024 New York theater season kicks into gear, the consensus (among those who watch that scene closely) appears to be that, so far, it is a lackluster one. There’s a smattering of terrific shows (Spamalot, Purlie Victorious, Merrily, We Roll Along), but the mediocre outweigh the great significantly. It’s really only an issue for those who are obligated to see as many plays as they possibly can. For everyone else, it’s just a matter of choosing carefully. There truly are some terrific shows currently on the boards, and one can hope for the best for the rest of the season as Broadway starts to unspool as many as 15 new shows in the next two to three months. Meanwhile, why not take a look Off-Broadway? Here are a few reviews of a couple must-see shows and a couple you’ll want to strike off your list.
All the Devils Are Here (***** 5 stars out of five). Through March 31 at the DR2 Theatre in Union Square
Anyone who thinks New York audiences have a fading interest in Shakespeare need only look toward Patrick Page’s All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Created the Villain to be disabused of that notion. Having opened last September for a 14-week run, it has been extended again and again as thrilled audiences discover Page’s (Hadestown, for which he received a Tony nomination) rich, velvety baritone embodying Shakespeare’s most notorious villains (think Iago, Richard III and . . . Malvolio? – why yes!) as he explains—in what comes off as part university lecture, part TED Talk, and pure, charismatic entertainment—the universality of the Bard’s evil characters and how they relate to prominent figures (including presidents) in the present day. Page’s mastery of the text and language leaves the audience both educated and thoroughly entertained in 90 minutes that feel like a mere half hour under Simon Godwin’s flawless direction. Not to be missed by both lovers of Shakespeare and those who want to better understand his works, it’s now running through March 31.
Job (**** 4 stars out of 5) Through March 3 at the Connelly Theater in the East Village
While some may be compelled to see the Off-Broadway two-hander, Job (pronounced like the noun for “task,” not the tortured biblical figure), out of a curious desire to see Jack Lemmon’s granddaughter Sydney or Peter Friedman (HBO/Max’s “Succession”) on stage, those thoughts become secondary (or beyond) right at the explosive start of Max Wolf Friedlich’s exhilarating and perfectly acted play about a San Francisco tech company employee compelled to be evaluated by a therapist following a whopper of a workplace meltdown that goes viral. But the play is far more complex and nuanced than that traumatic episode alone, and we find ourselves vacillating between loathing her and being outraged by how she’s treated by her company. Many of the play’s twists and turns beggar belief and require a substantial suspension of logical thought. The production might be better served (in future versions, perhaps) by toning down some of the “whaaat?” moments because they detract from the play’s serious, sober and very contemporary discussions. Any details would spoil the show, so see it for yourself at the Connelly Theater in the East Village.
Tennessee Williams’s The Night of the Iguana. (*** 3 stars) Through February 25 at the Pershing Square Signature Center
Any production of The Night of the Iguana, by beloved playwright Tennessee Williams, is practically doomed to failure. Not because of the play’s structure, necessarily, or because it’s not among Williams’ best work; but because most of us know it from the powerhouse 1964 John Huston film starring Richard Burton, Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr. While imperfect, the film is hard hitting and unforgettable; and it is immediately (and unfairly) compared to any new version, whether on stage or screen. The latest Off-Broadway version is no exception, though the criticisms are wholly merited. Despite featuring an exciting cast that includes the terrific Lea DeLaria (Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black”) as the hilariously intimidating Miss Judith Fellowes, Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent) as the seductive and complicated Maxine and venerated actor/director Austin Pendleton as the old poet, Nonno. Tim Daly’s performance as the conflicted, alcoholic priest, Shannon is adequate, but not riveting; and the long Act II scenes he has with Nonno’s granddaughter Hannah (Jean Licht, the executive director of La Femme Theatre Productions, which is producing the show) drag endlessly, as Licht is simply one-dimensional and dull. She would have done well not to cast herself in the role, but the fact that she did—handcuffing capable director Emily Mann—makes one realize that this is more vanity project than artistic endeavor.
Jonah (** 2 stars out of 5) Through March 10 at the Roundabout Theatre Company’s Laura Pels Theatre
Though some might find the subject matter appealing, newbie playwright Rachel Bonds’ Jonah (in its premier at Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theatre) is a tired, clichéd story of a young person’s difficult childhood intermingled with her romantic interludes, some real, some possibly imagined, as she matures and ages into a successful . . . writer! Telling the story with time jumps over a period of ten years (or so) seems to be the (also overused) device used to sell the play, though the conceit doesn’t make it any more interesting. Three young men come in and out of her life: one toxic, one complicated and conflicted, but well meaning; and Jonah, who all but disappears after the first half hour of the play, which probably shouldn’t be named for him. Talented actor Gabby Beans (LCT’s The Skin of Our Teeth, for which she received a Tony nomination) has very little to work with and is consequently an uninteresting character. Only John Zdrojesk as awkward ex-Mormon writer’s retreat attendee Steven, is entertaining as a clumsy, inexperienced clown of a man with the most sincere romantic intentions leading to pathetic interactions with Ana. Nothing is helped by Wilson Chin’s appallingly dull set, which wouldn’t even be interesting as the cheap hotel room it resembles, and renders the proceedings as difficult to look at as listen to.
