Curious Incident or Eclipsed?

[JC38]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 9:29am

Planning a day trip and my wife and I will be going to see one show. We've narrowed it down to Eclipsed or Curious Incident of the Dog at Night Time. I know both are closing this year and we're not planning to be back when either is still open so it's one or the other. Looking for which show you think is better. Thanks in advance for the help!

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 10:51am

Have not seen Eclipsed but saw Curious and thought it was brilliant. I even purchased the Incidental music from the show And a hat. I never buy hats at a show!

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 11:04am

Same scenario for me, although I hope to get to Eclipsed when I am in NYC next week.  Dog in the Night is an incredible theatrical experience unlike anything I have seen.  The play is excellent, but the staging is positively phenomenal.  So creative, so theatrical, so appropriate.  I really don't know anyone who didn't love the show.  

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 11:07am

I personally would recommend Eclipsed, but they're two very different shows. Curious Incident was very interesting, and I liked it, but I didn't love it as much as others. The staging is quite beautiful and interesting, but I tend to be more interested in simpler stagings of plays. Eclipsed has some of the most amazing performances I've seen. All the women are truly remarkable. It is very difficult to watch, however, and I found it emotionally exhausted me. I really loved it, but my mom, for example, has already said she doesn't think she can take it. 

[vickster51]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 11:17am

This is an incredibly tough decision. I didn't see Curious Incident in New York but have seen it more than once here in London and it's still one of my favourites. The way they have brought the book to life is wonderful to see. On my trip last month to NYC I did see Eclipsed and it was one of the highlights of my trip. It's not on an easy topic I admit (set in a Liberian military compound in the hut of the CO's wives), but the script is wonderful, being both deeply moving and incredibly funny and all 5 actresses are excellent.

They are both superb shows so I think you'll be  happy either way!

 

[verdigris]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 11:27am

I haven't seen Eclipsed either, but I can say that Curious Incident is an incredible show. I sat in the last row $27 seats and the view was still fantastic. I have heard great things about Eclipsed though, so I'm sure you can't go wrong either way :)

[C4b2a3b]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 11:39am

This is tough. Having seen Alex Sharp, I thought he was the highlight of the production Also, the way the stage is used is inventive, engaging, and fun. Maybe people who have seen Tyler Vea can provide some insight into how the production is now.

 

I saw Eclipsed last month, and maybe because it's still so fresh in my memory, my vote is for Eclipsed. Those 5 actresses are phenomenal. The subject matter is very tough, but I need/like reminders about things like this. But when a play can make give the audience the sense of apprehension for the characters' safety (and even my own at some points!), it's pretty amazing. Both plays are moving in different ways.

Updated On: 5/20/16 at 11:39 AM

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 11:45am

Loved Curious Incident, liked Eclipsed a lot, so you can't go wrong with either. I saw Alex Sharpe and Tyler Vea, and Tyler is just as great.

[Mike66]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 6:27pm

I've seen both and would recommend Curious Incident.

I had a huge amount of trouble understanding the words in Eclipsed due to the accents of the performers.  (I've never had a problem with this kind of thing in all my years -- and that includes other Africa based shows -- like Serafina, and Fela, etc.)  I know it's a story set in Liberia, and the Liberian accent is different from mine (from Brooklyn), but I lost maybe 40% of the words due to not being able to understand what was being said.  (The Second Act was better than the first, in part because two of the characters who had "easier" (for me) accents had more prominent parts.

I'm not saying Eclipsed isn't great -- I've now purchased the play so I can read all the parts I missed when I saw it live -- I'm just saying that it was very frustrating.

Curious was terrific -- and I understood it all. 

[@z5]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 6:28pm

I would try to squeeze in both honestly. But go with Eclipsed over Curious Incident (not that it isn't amazing)

[Johnnywhatwhat2]

Posted: 5/20/16 at 6:58pm

Definitely see Curious Incident and try for front mezzanine seats. It is amazing and has some of the most unique staging you will ever see.